Energy harvesting device having estimated active time for receiving paging - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for providing an estimated active time for paging reception for an energy harvesting device. For example, the method may include receiving a radio resource control release message from a network. The method may also include transmitting an acknowledgement message to the network in response to the release message. The acknowledgement message may include the estimated active time of the device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Some exemplary embodiments may relate generally to communications involving mobile or wireless telecommunications systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), Fifth Generation (5G) radio access technology, or New Radio (NR) access technology, or other communications systems including subsequent generations of the same or similar standards. For example, some exemplary embodiments may relate generally to providing an estimated active time for paging reception for an energy harvesting device. [Background technology]

[0002] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunications systems may include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE Advanced (LTE-A), MultiFire, LTE-A Pro, and / or fifth-generation (5G) radio access technology or New Radio (NR) access technology. 5G radio systems refer to next-generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. 5G systems are primarily built on 5G New Radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks can also be built on E-UTRA radio. From Release 18 (Rel-18) onward, 5G is referred to as 5G Advanced. NR is estimated to provide bit rates on the order of 10-20 Gbit / s or more and support service categories such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communications (mMTC), at least. NR is expected to deliver extreme broadband, ultra-robust, low-latency connectivity, and large-scale networking to support the Internet of Things (IoT). As IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications become more widespread, the need for networks that meet the needs of lower power, lower data rates, and longer battery life will increase. The Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) represents a RAN for 5G that can provide both NR and LTE (and LTE-Advanced) radio access. Note that in 5G, a node capable of providing radio access functionality to user equipment (i.e., similar to a Node B (NB) in UTRAN or an evolved NB (eNB) in LTE) can be named a Next Generation NB (gNB) when built on NR radios, and a Next Generation eNB (NG-eNB) when built on E-UTRA radios. 6G is currently under development and may replace 5G and 5G Advanced. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory that stores instructions. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, may cause the apparatus to perform at least the steps of receiving a radio resource control release message from a network. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, may also cause the apparatus to perform at least the steps of sending an acknowledgement message to the network in response to the release message. The acknowledgement message may include an estimated active time of the apparatus.

[0004] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory that stores instructions. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, may cause the apparatus to perform at least the steps of transmitting a radio resource control release message to a user equipment. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, may also cause the apparatus to perform at least the steps of receiving an acknowledgement from the user equipment in response to the release message. The acknowledgement message may include an estimated active time of the user equipment.

[0005] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory that stores instructions. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the steps of receiving, from a radio access network node, an estimated active time of a user equipment. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, also cause the apparatus to perform at least the steps of considering the user equipment to be reachable during a time period corresponding to the estimated active time.

[0006] Embodiments may be directed to a method. The method may include receiving, at a user equipment, a radio resource control release message from a network. The method may also include transmitting, by the user equipment, an acknowledgement message to the network in response to the release message. The acknowledgement message may include an estimated active time of the user equipment.

[0007] Embodiments may be directed to a method. The method may include transmitting, by a network, a radio resource control release message to a user equipment. The method may also include receiving, at the network, an acknowledgement from the user equipment in response to the release message. The acknowledgement message may include an estimated active time of the user equipment.

[0008] Embodiments may be directed to a method that may include receiving, from a radio access network node, an estimated active time for a user equipment. The method may also include considering the user equipment to be reachable during a time period corresponding to the estimated active time.

[0009]

[0010] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include means for receiving a radio resource control release message from a network. The apparatus may also include means for sending an acknowledgement message to the network in response to the release message. The acknowledgement message may include an estimated active time of the apparatus.

[0010] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include means for sending a radio resource control release message to a user equipment. The apparatus may also include means for receiving an acknowledgement from the user equipment in response to the release message. The acknowledgement message may include an estimated active time of the user equipment.

[0011] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus, the apparatus may include means for receiving an estimated active time for a user equipment from a radio access network node, the apparatus may also include means for considering the user equipment to be reachable during a time period corresponding to the estimated active time.

[0012] For a proper understanding of the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 3 shows an example of 3G Partnership Project mobile initiated connection only active time. [Figure 2] 10 illustrates an example of a mobile-initiated connection only with estimated active time of an energy harvesting device, according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 shows a flowchart of the behavior of an energy harvesting device, according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 shows a chart of estimated active time as a function of harvested energy level and reference signal received power, according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system, according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] It will be readily understood that the components of certain exemplary embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of several exemplary embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing an estimated active time for paging reception for an energy harvesting device is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, but rather represents selected exemplary embodiments.

[0015] The features, structures, or characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, throughout this specification, the use of the phrase "one embodiment," "some embodiments," or other similar language refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, throughout this specification, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," or other similar language do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments.

[0016] As used herein, "at least one of " and "at least one of " and similar phrases, when a list of two or more elements is joined by "and" or "or", mean at least one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements.

[0017] Some embodiments may have various aspects and features that may be applied alone or in any desired combination with one another. Other features, procedures, and elements may also be applied in combination with some or all of the aspects and features disclosed herein.

[0018] Moreover, where appropriate, different functions or procedures discussed below may be performed in different orders and / or concurrently with one another. Moreover, where appropriate, one or more of the described functions or procedures may be optional or combined. The following description should therefore be considered illustrative of the principles and teachings of some exemplary embodiments, and not in limitation thereof.

[0019] Low-cost and low-power devices for wide-area Internet of Things (IoT) communications can benefit many IoT applications. These use cases can be addressed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP®) research on Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) / enhanced Machine Type Communications (eMTC) and New Radio (NR) Capability Reduction (RedCap). These IoT devices can consume tens to hundreds of milliwatts of power during transmission and reception and can cost several dollars. To achieve the goals of the Internet of Everything, IoT devices with 10-fold or even 100-fold lower cost and power consumption can be particularly beneficial for many applications that may rely on battery-less devices, sometimes referred to as batteryless or battery-free devices. IoT technologies that can support battery-less devices can be beneficial.

[0020] The number of IoT connections has grown rapidly in recent years and may reach hundreds of billions by 2030. With more and more things expected to be interconnected to improve production efficiency and increase comfort of life, there may be increasing benefits from further reducing the size, cost, and power consumption of IoT devices. In particular, periodic battery replacement for every IoT device may be impractical due to the enormous consumption of materials and labor. One option is to use energy harvested from the environment to power IoT devices for self-sustainable communication, especially in applications involving vast numbers of devices such as ID tags and sensors.

[0021] Providing the ability to work with energy harvesting in target use cases can be challenging given the limited device size. Cellular devices can consume tens to hundreds of milliwatts of power for transmit and receive operations. Considering NB-IoT modules, for example, the typical current absorption for receive operations is currently around 60 mA, and the power absorption for transmit operations at a supply voltage higher than 3.1 V and a transmit power of 70 mA at 0 dBm transmit power. The output power provided by a typical energy harvester can be less than 1 milliwatt, given the small size of a few square centimeters in practical devices. Since the available power is much smaller than the power consumed, it may be impractical in most cases to directly power a cellular device with energy harvesting.

[0022] One possible solution is to integrate energy harvesting with rechargeable batteries or supercapacitors. Both rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors can suffer from reduced lifespans in practical cases. Providing a constant charging current or voltage through energy harvesting can be difficult, but the output power from the energy harvester is so small that long periods of continuous charging may be required. Both fluctuating charging currents and long periods of continuous charging can be detrimental to battery life. In the case of supercapacitors, their lifespan can be significantly reduced in high-temperature environments. For example, a supercapacitor may function normally for less than three years at 50 degrees Celsius.

[0023] Another impact could be a significant increase in device size. Small button cells can only provide a current of a few tens of milliamps. Therefore, much larger batteries, such as AA batteries, could be used to power cellular devices. In this case, the size of the battery may even be larger than the active part of the module itself. To store energy for a suitable operating duration, such as one second, the required capacitance of the supercapacitor may be on the order of 100 millifarads. The size of such a supercapacitor, apart from the power source, could also be larger than the size of the NB-IoT module.

[0024] Rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors can each be more expensive than the module itself: even if purchased in bulk, the cost of a suitable battery or supercapacitor can reach one or several dollars, which can nearly double the cost of the device.

[0025] Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that supports battery-less tags and is a category of battery-less devices. The power consumption of commercially available passive RFID tags can be as low as 1 microwatt. Techniques that enable such low power consumption can be envelope detection for downlink data reception and backscatter communication for uplink data transmission. RFID is designed for short-range communication, with a typical effective range of less than 10 meters. Because the RFID air interface has remained largely unchanged since 2005, the transmission method can be an obstacle to improving the link budget and the ability to support scalable networks. Nevertheless, RFID can demonstrate the extremely low power consumption of backscatter communication.

[0026] Passive IoT may be included in 5G NR. Both 3GPP and non-3GPP technologies, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, UWB, and LORA, can benefit from techniques that offer low power consumption. Power consumption of a few microwatts or tens of microwatts can be achieved for passive tags based on each of these air interfaces, or with modifications to them. In contrast to RFID, there may be benefits in providing devices with long-range communication capabilities. For example, distances of several hundred meters are possible.

[0027] Energy harvesting devices (EHDs) can harvest energy from natural sources. Natural sources can include solar energy, environmental vibrations, etc. The amount of energy harvested and stored can vary from device to device. The harvested energy need not be dedicated to the device's radio frequency (RF) modem. For example, the harvested energy can also be used to power sensors on the device. Some embodiments can help networks support devices with reduced and highly variable energy resources.

[0028] Figure 1 shows an example of a 3rd Generation Partnership Project mobile initiated connection only active time. One aspect that results in high energy consumption for devices in RRC idle or inactive modes is monitoring of paging channels. 3GPP mechanisms to reduce such energy consumption can include early paging indication or mobile initiated connection only (MICO).

[0029] A device in MICO mode may not need to listen to RRC idle paging procedures. To further enable power savings for IoT devices, there may be a MICO mode with active time, as shown in Figure 1.

[0030] In this MICO mode, at 1 in Figure 1, the UE may request the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) during the registration procedure to activate the MICO mode with an Active Time value. As part of the registration procedure, the AMF may enable the UE to operate in MICO mode and may assign an Active Time value to the UE. The UE may transition to RRC Idle at 2. The AMF may consider the UE reachable for paging after transitioning from RRC Connected to RRC Idle for the duration of the Active Time, as shown at 3 in Figure 1.

[0031] Thus, after the active time begins, the network can page the UE at 4. If the UE is paged within the active period, it can transition to an RRC connection at 5. The UE can provide an RRC setup request to the network at 6. After the active time expires, the UE may no longer monitor the paging channel at 8. Furthermore, the network can consider the UE to be in MICO dedicated mode at 7.

[0032] This MICO mode with active time can also be used for EHDs, but the active time value set at registration may be strict. It may be beneficial for such active time value to be adapted based on the EHD harvested energy level. When setting the active time value, it may not be guaranteed that the EHD will actually be harvesting the energy required to connect to the network. Furthermore, these power saving gains may also be employed in RRC inactive mode, allowing many IoT devices to take advantage of fast transitions from low activity states to ready to transmit and / or benefit from a small data transmission framework.

[0033] Some embodiments address situations where an EHD transitions from RRC connected to RRC idle or inactive. More particularly, some embodiments relate to how paging should be monitored to efficiently utilize the energy resources of the device.

[0034] In some embodiments, for an RRC idle UE, the access and mobility management function may provide paging attempt information to each NG-RAN node, including the paging attempt count and the intended number of paging attempts, and the next paging area range. For an RRC inactive UE, the serving NG-RAN node may also provide the RAN paging attempt information. Each paged NG-RAN node may receive the same RAN paging attempt information during the paging attempt, which has the content of the paging attempt count, the intended paging attempt count, and the next paging area range. For an MICO with active time, the AMF may determine the active time during registration.

[0035] 2 illustrates an example of a mobile-initiated connection only with an estimated active time of an energy harvesting device, according to some embodiments. Particular embodiments provide a method that allows for a more dynamic value of the estimated MICO without requiring non-access stratum (NAS) signaling between the EHD and the network. Some embodiments may allow the network and the EHD to be synchronized regarding the value of the MICO active time for adoption with minimal signaling overhead. Thus, certain embodiments may enable efficient use of the EHD's harvested energy.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, at 1, the network can send an RRC release message to the EHD. For example, the RRC release message can be a message that releases, suspends, or otherwise triggers a transition from an RRC connection to an RRC idle / inactive state.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, the EHD may have a first energy level when an RRC release is received and a new lower energy level at 2 when providing a Radio Link Control (RLC) acknowledgement (ACK) of the RRC release message. The energy levels are shown on the left side of Figure 2, and the signaling is shown on the right side of Figure 2. The acknowledgement message may include the estimated active time (EAT) of the EHD.

[0038] Thus, in some embodiments, in response to the RRC release message at 1, the EHD may send an RLC ACK at 2. The RLC ACK transmission from the EHD may include an indication of the EHD estimated active time. The EAT may be the EHD's estimation corresponding to a duration, e.g., how long the EHD can monitor the paging channel based on currently harvested and / or otherwise available energy resources. This EAT may also take into account that if a paging is received within a granted window, e.g., as shown at 4, the EHD may need to use at least some energy resources to respond to this paging procedure at 5.

[0039] When the EHD transitions to RRC idle, the NG-RAN node may forward the EHD EAT to the AMF, although this procedure is not explicitly shown in Figure 2. Similarly, when the user equipment transitions to a radio resource control inactive state, the NG-RAN node may forward the estimated active time to at least one other NG-RAN node. The NG-RAN node is a non-limiting example of an access node of any radio access network. The NG-RAN node may be restricted to paging the user equipment during the estimated active time. Thus, the forwarded EAT may be used to appropriately schedule paging.

[0040] The AMF and / or NG-RAN may use the EAT as the period during which the EHD is reachable, as shown in 3.

[0041] As shown in 6, upon depletion of energy resources before the expiration of the configured EAT, or upon expiration of the configured EAT without depleting energy resources, the EHD may update its EAT value for future transitions to RRC idle / inactive. The EHD can estimate the EAT in various ways, as discussed below. In 7, after the expiration of the EAT, the network can treat the EHD as operating in MICO only.

[0042] For EHDs using MICO active time, the maximum EAT for MICO may not exceed the MICO active time set by the AMF during the registration procedure. For EHDs that do not use MICO, the NG-RAN may provide the AMF with a value for the EAT, so that the AMF may, for example, prioritize paging attempts and retries within the EHD's EAT window, although such communication between the NG-RAN and the AMF is not shown in Figure 2.

[0043] 3 illustrates a flowchart for the behavior of an energy harvesting device, according to an embodiment. At 310, the EHD may initially be in an RRC connected mode and may receive an RRC release message from the network. This RRC release message may request the EHD to release or suspend, as shown at 320, thereby transitioning to an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state. Upon receiving this message, the EHD may respond to the RRC release message with an ACK, such as an RLC ACK, to acknowledge receipt of the release message, as shown at 330. The EHD may also include an indication of the EHD's EAT. For example, the EHD may include a MAC-CE in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) sending an RLC ACK to indicate the EHD's EAT.

[0044] At 340, the EHD can complete the transition to the indicated RRC state and can start a timer with the EAT value or provide a time offset. At 350, a determination can be made whether the EAT timer has expired or the energy resources have been depleted. If the timer has not expired and the energy resources have not been depleted, the EHD can monitor for paging occasions at 360. When pages are received, the EHD can respond to them in any desired manner at 370.

[0045] If the EHD energy resources are depleted before the expiration of the stated timer, the EHD estimate of the EAT may be too optimistic and need to be corrected to a smaller value for future transitions to the RRC idle / inactive state, as shown in 380.

[0046] If the stated timer expires and is high enough that the EHD may be monitoring the paging channel for a longer period of time, the EHD may also update the EAT at 380. The EHD may also update the EAT at 370 if the EHD fails to complete the transition to an RRC connection, for example.

[0047] The above behavior relates to EHDs with or without MICO active time mode enabled. If MICO active time mode is not enabled for EHDs, the EAT may be used as an indication to the NG-RAN / AMF of a time window in which to expect a higher paging success rate for the EHDs.

[0048] In some embodiments, the EHD can derive a value for the estimated active time based on the EHD's current energy harvesting level and possibly the EHD's current energy harvesting rate. The derived value of the timer can estimate energy for monitoring paging occasions as well as energy for performing follow-up procedures related to paging requests.

[0049] Although there may be other methods for calculating the energy, in some embodiments, the EHD may calculate the energy based on a fixed amount of energy resources reserved for responding to paging events. The EHD may use an initial value of the EAT equal to the value provided by the AMF during the registration procedure during the active time. If the energy level is depleted or falls below the threshold reserved for the follow-up procedure, the EHD may reduce the EAT of the EHD by an established step size. If, at the expiration of the EAT timer, the energy resources exceed the threshold reserved for the follow-up procedure plus an additional margin, the EHD may increase the EAT by a certain step size. The step sizes for increasing and decreasing the EAT may be semi-statically configured by the network or may be configured in the EHD. Furthermore, the step values ​​need not be the same; one may be derived based on the other to minimize negotiation and enable convergence. The additional margin may also be network-configured or set individually for each EHD, ensuring some hysteresis between the increase and decrease of the EAT. The above-described procedure for EAT time derivation may also be applied in a scenario where an EHD responds to a paging message but the EHD's energy resources are depleted before completing the procedure.

[0050] The use of AI / ML in the EHD to derive the EAT is permitted, however, in some embodiments, the use of AI / ML may be computationally intensive and may consume significant power from the EHD's perspective.

[0051] FIG. 4 illustrates a chart of estimated active time as a function of harvested energy level and reference signal received power, according to an embodiment. While FIG. 4 shows various EAT values ​​in tabular form, functions can be used instead of lookup tables to store or retrieve such information. As shown in FIG. 4, when the harvested energy is low and the reference signal received power (RSRP) is low, such as -100 dBm, which may occur near the cell edge, the EAT may be lowest. On the other hand, when the RSRP is approximately -80 dBm and the harvested energy level is high, the EAT may be highest. In this example, the highest value is 60% of the maximum active time of the registration procedure. These values ​​may depend on the capacity of the EHD as well as the energy efficiency of the EHD. Other factors may also be considered.

[0052] In the example of Figure 4, the EAT may decrease by 10% for the maximum active time for the registration procedure when going from a high-yielding energy level to a medium-yielding energy level, and may decrease by an additional 30% when going to a low-yielding energy level. Similarly, the EAT may decrease by 10% for the maximum active time for the registration procedure when going from a good RSRP to a middle cell RSRP, and may decrease by an additional 10% when going from a middle cell RSRP to a cell edge RSRP. There is no need to have such linearity in the calculations or tables. Thus, Figure 4 illustrates one non-limiting example method for an EHD to derive the EAT based on the RSRP and the current energy level.

[0053] The EHD can move or change network propagation conditions and / or load balancing can cause cell reselection even for fixed devices. Thus, even the RSRP of a fixed device may vary during the time that the EHD remains RRC idle or inactive. Therefore, based on the UE mobility state, e.g., the number of cell reselections in a period of time, or variations in serving cell RSRP, the EHD can apply a further correction factor to the number derived from the table shown in Figure 4.

[0054] Thus, in one embodiment, the estimated active time can be calculated based on the signal characteristics and current energy level of the EHD. The signal characteristics can be RSRP as shown in Figure 4, or another parameter such as Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) or Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR). Other characteristics can also be used.

[0055] 5 illustrates an example of a system including apparatus 10 according to one embodiment. In certain embodiments, apparatus 10 may be a node, host, or server within a communications network or providing services to such a network. For example, apparatus 10 may be a network node, satellite, base station, Node B, evolved Node B (eNB), 5G Node B or access point, next generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), TRP, HAPS, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, and / or WLAN access point associated with a radio access network, such as an LTE network, 5G, or NR. In some exemplary embodiments, apparatus 10 may be, for example, a gNB or other similar wireless node.

[0056] It should be understood that in some exemplary embodiments, apparatus 10 may include an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, and the server and wireless node may be standalone devices that communicate with each other via wireless paths or via wired connections, or may be located within the same entity that communicates via wired connections. For example, in some exemplary embodiments in which apparatus 10 represents a gNB, it may be configured in a central unit (CU) and distributed unit (DU) architecture that divides gNB functions. In such an architecture, the CU may be a logical node that includes gNB functions such as user data forwarding, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning, and / or session management. The CU may control the operation of the DU via a midhaul interface called the F1 interface, and the DU may have one or more radio units (RUs) connected to the DU via a fronthaul interface. The DU may be a logical node that includes a subset of gNB functions, depending on the functional division option. Note that those skilled in the art will understand that apparatus 10 may include components or features not shown in FIG. 5 .

[0057] As shown in the example of FIG. 5, device 10 may include processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 12 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Indeed, processor 12 may include, by way of example, one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture, or any other processing means. While a single processor 12 is shown in FIG. 5, multiple processors may be utilized according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, device 10 may include two or more processors that may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiprocessing (e.g., in this case, processor 12 may represent a multiprocessor). In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0058] The processor 12 may perform functions related to the operation of the device 10, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of the device 10, including processes related to providing an estimated active time for paging reception to the energy harvesting device.

[0059] The device 10 may further include or be coupled to the processor 12 with a memory 14 (internal or external) for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 12. The memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be any type of memory suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, the memory 14 may include any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a magnetic or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of persistent machine- or computer-readable medium, or other suitable storage means. The instructions stored in the memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 12, enable the device 10 to perform the tasks described herein. As used herein, the term "non-transitory" may correspond to limitations on the medium itself (i.e., tangible rather than signal), as opposed to limitations on data storage permanence (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

[0060] In some embodiments, device 10 may further include or be coupled to a drive or port (internal or external) configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by processor 12 and / or device 10.

[0061] In some embodiments, device 10 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for transmitting and receiving signals and / or data to and from device 10. Device 10 may further include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 18 may include, for example, multiple wireless interfaces that may be coupled to antennas 15, or may include any other suitable transmission and reception means. The wireless interfaces may support multiple wireless access technologies, including one or more of global system for mobile communications (GSM), narrow band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth (BT), Bluetooth Low Energy (BT-LE), near-field communication (NFC), radio frequency identifier (RFID), ultra wideband (UWB), and MulteFire (TM). The air interface may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), mappers, and fast Fourier transform (FFT) modules to generate symbols for transmission over one or more downlinks and receive symbols (e.g., over an uplink).

[0062] Thus, transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna 15, and to demodulate information received via antenna 15 for further processing by other elements of device 10. In other embodiments, transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, device 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices), or input / output means.

[0063] In some embodiments, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 10. Memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 10. Components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0064] According to some embodiments, the processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in or form part of a processing circuit / means or a control circuit / means. Further, in some embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included in or form part of a transceiver circuit / means.

[0065] As used herein, the term “circuitry” may refer to a dedicated hardware circuit implementation (e.g., being analog and / or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor with software (including a digital signal processor) that cooperates to cause a device (e.g., device 10) to perform various functions, and / or a hardware circuit and / or processor, or portion thereof, that uses software for operation and may not be present when software is not needed for operation. As a further example, the term “circuitry” as used herein may also encompass simply a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors), or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor, and its associated software and / or firmware implementation. The term circuitry may also encompass, for example, a baseband integrated circuit within a server, a cellular network node or device, or other computing or network device.

[0066] As introduced above, in some embodiments, apparatus 10 may be or may be part of a network element or RAN node, such as a base station, access point, Node B, eNB, gNB, TRP, HAPS, IAB node, relay node, WLAN access point, satellite, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, apparatus 10 may be a gNB or other radio node, or may be a CU and / or DU of a gNB. According to some embodiments, apparatus 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to perform functions related to any of the embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, apparatus 10 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes illustrated in any of the flowcharts or signaling diagrams described herein, such as those shown in FIGS. 1-4, or any other method described herein. In some embodiments, apparatus 10 may be configured to perform procedures related to, for example, providing an estimated active time for paging reception for an energy harvesting device, as described herein.

[0067] 5 further illustrates an example of apparatus 20 according to one embodiment. In an embodiment, apparatus 20 may be a node or element within a communications network or associated with such a network, such as a UE, communications node, mobile equipment (ME), mobile station, mobile device, fixed device, IoT device, or other device. As described herein, a UE may alternatively be referred to as, for example, a mobile station, mobile equipment, mobile unit, mobile device, user device, subscriber station, wireless terminal, tablet, smartphone, IoT device, sensor or NB-IoT device, watch or other wearable, head-mounted display (HMD), vehicle, drone, medical device and its applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial device and its applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in industrial and / or automated processing chain contexts), consumer electronics device, device operating on a commercial and / or industrial wireless network, etc. By way of example, apparatus 20 may be implemented in, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, etc.

[0068] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more wireless access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, device 20 may be configured to operate using one or more wireless access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MultiFire, and / or any other wireless access technology. Note that one skilled in the art will understand that device 20 may include components or features not shown in FIG. 5 .

[0069] As shown in the example of FIG. 5 , device 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 22 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Indeed, processor 22 may include, by way of example, one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. While a single processor 22 is shown in FIG. 5 , multiple processors may be utilized according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, device 20 may include two or more processors that may form a multiprocessor system (e.g., in this case, processor 22 may represent a multiprocessor) that may support multiprocessing. In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0070] Processor 22 may perform functions related to the operation of device 20, including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 20, including processes related to management of communication resources.

[0071] Device 20 may further include or be coupled to processor 22 with memory 24 (internal or external) for storing information and instructions that may be executed by processor 22. Memory 24 may be one or more memories and may be any type of memory suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, memory 24 may include any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a magnetic or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine- or computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 22, enable device 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0072] In some embodiments, device 20 may further include or be coupled to a drive or port (internal or external) configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by processor 22 and / or device 20.

[0073] In some embodiments, device 20 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals from device 20 and transmitting via the uplink. Device 20 may further include a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 28 may also include a wireless interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to antenna 25. The wireless interface may support multiple wireless access technologies, including one or more of GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The wireless interface may include other components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols, such as OFDM symbols, carried by the downlink or uplink.

[0074] For example, transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna 25 and demodulate information received via antenna 25 for further processing by other elements of device 20. In other embodiments, transceiver 28 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, device 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In certain embodiments, device 20 may further include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

[0075] In one embodiment, memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 20. Components of device 20 may be implemented in hardware or any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an exemplary embodiment, device 20 may be configured to communicate with device 10 via a wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

[0076] According to some embodiments, the processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in or form part of processing or control circuitry. Additionally, in some embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be included in or form part of transmitting and receiving circuitry.

[0077] As described above, according to some embodiments, apparatus 20 may be, for example, a UE, a SL UE, a relay UE, a mobile device, a mobile station, an ME, an IoT device, and / or an NB-IoT device. According to particular embodiments, apparatus 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to perform functionality associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as one or more of the operations shown in or described with respect to FIGS. 1-4, or any other method described herein. For example, in an embodiment, apparatus 20 may be controlled to perform processes related to providing an estimated active time for paging reception for an energy harvesting device, as described in detail elsewhere herein.

[0078] In some embodiments, an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and / or apparatus 20) may include means for performing any of the methods, processes, or variations described herein. Examples of means may include one or more processors, memories, controllers, transmitters, receivers, and / or computer program code for performing any of the operations described herein.

[0079] In view of the above, some exemplary embodiments provide several technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages over existing technological processes and constitute improvements to at least the technical field of wireless network control and / or management. Some embodiments may have various benefits and / or advantages. For example, some embodiments may enable a network and / or service provider to configure how different energy harvesting device types and capabilities can respond to paging and connection requests. Also, some embodiments may enable an energy harvesting device to better determine how to efficiently utilize its scarce energy resources. Some embodiments may avoid paging storms and repetitive drop call procedures from energy harvesting devices. Furthermore, some embodiments may provide efficient utilization of network resources.

[0080] In some exemplary embodiments, the functions of any of the methods, processes, signaling diagrams, algorithms, or flowcharts described herein may be implemented by software and / or computer program code, or portions of code stored in memory or other computer-readable or tangible medium, and executed by a processor.

[0081] In some exemplary embodiments, a device may include or be associated with at least one software application, module, unit, or entity configured as an arithmetic operation or as a program or program portion (including additional or updated software routines) that can be executed by at least one computing processor or controller. Programs, also referred to as program products or computer programs, including software routines, applets, and macros, may be stored on any device-readable data storage medium and may include program instructions for performing specific tasks. A computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components configured to perform some exemplary embodiments when the program is executed. One or more computer-executable components may be at least one software code or portion of code. Modifications and configurations required to implement the functionality of exemplary embodiments may be made as routines that may be implemented as additional or updated software routines. In one example, software routines may be downloaded to a device.

[0082] By way of example, the software or computer program code or portions of code may be in source code form, object code form, or any intermediate form, and may be stored on any kind of carrier, distribution medium, or computer-readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying a program. Such a carrier may include, for example, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory, an optical and / or electrical carrier signal, a telecommunications signal, and / or a software distribution package. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer or distributed among several computers. The computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

[0083] In other exemplary embodiments, the functionality of the exemplary embodiments may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in the device, for example, through the use of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the functionality of the exemplary embodiments may be implemented as a signal by intangible means, such as may be carried by an electromagnetic signal downloaded from the Internet or other network.

[0084] According to exemplary embodiments, an apparatus such as a node, device, or corresponding component may be configured as a circuit, computer, or microprocessor such as a single-chip computer element, or as a chipset, and may include at least a memory for providing storage capacity used for operations and / or a computing processor for performing operations.

[0085] The example embodiments described herein may apply to both singular and plural implementations, regardless of whether singular or plural language is used in connection with describing a particular embodiment. For example, an embodiment describing the operation of a single network node may also apply to example embodiments including multiple instances of the network node, and vice versa.

[0086] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the exemplary embodiments described above may be implemented in a different order and / or with hardware elements in different configurations than those disclosed. Thus, while several embodiments have been described based on these exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative configurations will be apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0087] term ACK: Acknowledgement AMF: Access and Mobility Management Function DL: Downlink EAT: Estimated active time EHD: Energy Harvesting Device IoT: Internet of Things MAC: Media Access Control MAC-CE: MAC Control Element MICO: Mobile initiated connections only NG-RAN: Next generation RAN PDCCH: Physical Downlink Control Channel RAN: Radio Access Network RLC: Radio Link Control RRC: Radio Resource Control

Claims

1. at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least: receiving a radio resource control release message from a network; and transmitting an acknowledgement message to the network in response to the release message, the acknowledgement message including an estimated active time of the device.

2. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least:

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising updating the estimated active time from a value transmitted in the acknowledgement message to a new value.

3. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the updating step is performed upon expiration of the value transmitted in the acknowledgement message.

4. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the updating step is performed upon depletion of energy resources prior to expiration of the value transmitted in the acknowledgement message.

5. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: The device of claim 1 , further comprising determining the estimated active time according to signal characteristics and a current energy level of the device.

6. at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least: sending a radio resource control release message to a user equipment; and receiving an acknowledgement message from the user equipment in response to the release message, the acknowledgement message including an estimated active time of the user equipment.

7. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least:

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising the step of forwarding the estimated active time to an access and mobility management function when the user equipment transitions to a radio resource control idle state.

8. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least:

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device is configured to transfer the estimated active time to at least one other device when the user equipment transitions to a radio resource control inactive state.

9. 10. The device of claim 8, wherein the device and the at least one other device are network nodes and are restricted to paging the user equipment during the estimated active time.

10. at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least: receiving an estimated active time of the user equipment from a radio access network node; and determining that the user equipment is reachable during a time period corresponding to the estimated active time.

11. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least:

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further configured to prioritize paging attempts for the user equipment within the time period.

12. receiving, at the user equipment, a radio resource control release message from the network; and transmitting, by the user equipment, an acknowledgement message to the network in response to the release message, the acknowledgement message including an estimated active time of the user equipment.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising updating the estimated active time from a value transmitted in the acknowledgement message to a new value.

14. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the updating step is performed upon expiration of the value transmitted in the acknowledgement message.

15. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the updating step is performed upon depletion of energy resources prior to expiration of the value transmitted in the acknowledgement message.

16. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the estimated active time according to signal characteristics and a current energy level of the user equipment.

17. sending, by the network element, a radio resource control release message to the user equipment; and receiving, at the network element, an acknowledgement message from the user equipment in response to the release message, the acknowledgement message including an estimated active time of the user equipment.

18. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising forwarding the estimated active time to an access and mobility management function when the user equipment transitions to a radio resource control idle state.

19. 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising forwarding the estimated active time to at least one other network element when the user equipment transitions to a radio resource control inactive state.

20. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the network element and the at least one other network element are network nodes and are restricted to paging the user equipment during the estimated active time.

21. receiving an estimated active time of the user equipment from a radio access network node; and considering the user equipment to be reachable during a time period corresponding to the estimated active time.

22. 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising prioritizing paging attempts for the user equipment to fall within the time period.

23. means for receiving a radio resource control release message from a network; means for transmitting an acknowledgement message to the network in response to the release message, the acknowledgement message including an estimated active time of the device.

24. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising: means for updating the estimated active time from a value transmitted in the acknowledgement message to a new value.

25. 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the updating step is performed upon expiration of the value transmitted in the acknowledgement message.

26. 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the updating is performed upon depletion of energy resources prior to expiration of a value transmitted in the acknowledgement message.

27. 24. The device of claim 23, further comprising means for determining the estimated active time according to signal characteristics and a current energy level of the device.

28. means for transmitting a radio resource control release message to a user equipment; and means for receiving an acknowledgement message from the user equipment in response to the release message, the acknowledgement message including an estimated active time of the user equipment.

29. 30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising: means for forwarding the estimated active time to an access and mobility management function when the user equipment transitions to a radio resource control idle state.

30. 30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising: means for forwarding the estimated active time to at least one other device when the user equipment transitions to a radio resource control inactive state.

31. 31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the apparatus and the at least one other apparatus are network nodes and are restricted to paging the user equipment during the estimated active time.

32. means for receiving an estimated active time of a user equipment from a radio access network node; and means for considering the user equipment to be reachable during a time period corresponding to the estimated active time.

33. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising: means for prioritizing paging attempts to the user equipment within the time period.

34. A computer program product encoding instructions for performing the method of any of claims 12 to 22.

35. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, perform the method of any of claims 12 to 22.

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