Passive Wireless Device Discovery

Abstract

A method is disclosed that includes receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined categories of the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; and transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The following exemplary embodiments relate to wireless communication and connectivity with passive wireless devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Wireless communication networks, such as cellular communication networks, are evolving and can be used for a variety of purposes, including the Internet of Things (IoT). The number of connections used for the IoT is expected to increase significantly. As there will be a large number of interconnected devices, it would be beneficial to improve production efficiency and enhance the comfort of life, for example, by reducing the size, cost, and power consumption of passive wireless devices that can function as IoT devices. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The scope of protection sought for various embodiments of the invention is defined by the independent claims. Where exemplary embodiments and features that do not fall within the scope of the independent claims are described herein, they should be construed as examples that help to understand various embodiments of the invention.

[0004] According to a first aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising: means for receiving association information including information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; means for determining categories of passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; means for determining operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device based on the categories determined for the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; and means for transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device.

[0005] In some example embodiments according to the first aspect, the means comprises at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to cause execution of the apparatus together with the at least one processor.

[0006] According to a second aspect, there is provided an apparatus having at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, are configured to cause the apparatus to: receive association information including information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; determine categories of passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determine operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined categories of the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; and transmit a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device.

[0007] According to a third aspect, a method is provided that includes: receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining functions related to operation to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined categories of the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; and transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the functions related to operation to be performed by the wireless device.

[0008] In some example embodiments according to the third aspect, the method is a computer-implemented method.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform the following: receive association information including at least information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determine categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determine an operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; and transmit a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device.

[0010] According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a computer program having stored therein instructions for performing the following: receiving association information including at least information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining an operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; and transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device.

[0011] According to a sixth aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions to cause an apparatus to perform at least the following: receive association information including information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determine categories of passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determine operational functions to be performed by the wireless devices based on the determined categories of the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; and transmit a request to the wireless device indicating the operational functions to be performed by the wireless device.

[0012] According to a seventh aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions for performing at least the following: receiving association information including information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining an operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; and transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device.

[0013] According to an eighth aspect, there is provided a computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions for performing at least the following: receiving association information including information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining an operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; and transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related function to be performed by the wireless device.

[0014] According to a ninth aspect, there is provided a system including at least a first wireless device, a second wireless device, and a third wireless device, wherein the first wireless device is configured to receive association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about whether the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to the second wireless device or the third wireless device, and the second wireless device and the third wireless device are configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the second wireless device and the third wireless device; and wherein the first wireless device is configured to activate the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices. a first wireless device determining a function related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the second wireless device, and a first wireless device determining a function related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the third wireless device; and a first wireless device transmitting a request to the second wireless device indicating a function related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device, and a first wireless device transmitting another request to the third wireless device indicating a function related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device.

[0015] According to a tenth aspect, there is provided a system including at least a first wireless device, a second wireless device, and a third wireless device, wherein the first wireless device receives association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about whether the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to the second wireless device or the third wireless device, and the second wireless device and the third wireless device are configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the second wireless device and the third wireless device, and the first wireless device activates the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices. a first wireless device determines a category of a passive wireless device included in the network, the first wireless device determines a function related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the second wireless device, the first wireless device determines a function related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the third wireless device, the first wireless device transmits a request to the second wireless device indicating the function related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device, and the first wireless device transmits another request to the third wireless device indicating the function related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device.

[0016] According to an eleventh aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: means for receiving a request from another wireless device indicating an operation-related function that the apparatus should perform with respect to a passive wireless device; means for determining, based on the request, whether the operation-related function includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, means for determining characteristics related to transmitting the activation signal; and means for performing the operation-related function with respect to the passive wireless device.

[0017] In some example embodiments according to the eleventh aspect, the means comprises at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to cause execution of the apparatus together with the at least one processor.

[0018] According to a twelfth aspect, there is provided an apparatus having at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, are configured to cause the apparatus to receive a request from another wireless device indicating an operation-related function that the apparatus should perform with respect to a passive wireless device, and based on the request, determine whether the operation-related function includes transmitting an operation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determine characteristics related to transmitting the operation signal, and perform the operation-related function with respect to the passive wireless device.

[0019] According to a thirteenth aspect, a method is provided that includes an apparatus receiving a request from another wireless device indicating an activation function to be performed with respect to a passive wireless device, and determining based on the request whether the activation function includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining characteristics related to transmitting the activation signal, and performing the activation function with respect to the passive wireless device.

[0020] In some example embodiments according to the thirteenth aspect, the method is a computer-implemented method.

[0021] According to a fourteenth aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the following: receive a request from another wireless device indicating an operation-related function that the apparatus should perform with respect to a passive wireless device; and, based on the request, determine whether the operation-related function includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determine characteristics related to transmitting the activation signal; and perform the operation-related function with respect to the passive wireless device.

[0022] According to a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a computer program having stored therein instructions for performing at least the following: receiving a request from another wireless device indicating an operation-related function that an apparatus should perform with respect to a passive wireless device; determining, based on the request, whether the operation-related function includes transmitting an operation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal; and, if so, determining characteristics related to transmitting the operation signal; and performing the operation-related function with respect to the passive wireless device.

[0023] According to a sixteenth aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the following: receive a request from another wireless device indicating an operation-related function that the apparatus should perform with respect to a passive wireless device; and, based on the request, determine whether the operation-related function includes transmitting an operation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determine characteristics related to transmitting the operation signal; and perform the operation-related function with respect to the passive wireless device.

[0024] According to a seventeenth aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions for performing at least the following: receiving a request from another wireless device indicating an operation-related function that an apparatus should perform with respect to a passive wireless device; determining, based on the request, whether the operation-related function includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal; and, if so, determining characteristics related to transmitting the activation signal; and performing the operation-related function with respect to the passive wireless device.

[0025] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to embodiments and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a radio access network. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment for activating and discovering passive wireless devices. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates a signaling chart according to an example embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of an apparatus. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of an apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The following embodiments are illustrative. Although the specification may refer to "an," "one," or "some" embodiments in several places throughout the text, this does not necessarily mean that each reference is to the same embodiment or that a particular feature applies only to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may be combined to provide other embodiments.

[0028] The term "circuitry" as used in this application refers to all of the following: (a) hardware-only circuit implementations, such as implementations using only analog and / or digital circuitry; (b) (where applicable) combinations of circuitry and software (and / or firmware), such as (i) a combination of processors, or (ii) a processor / software portion including a digital signal processor(s), software, and memory(s) that cooperate to cause a device to perform various functions; and (c) a circuit, such as a microprocessor(s) or portion of a microprocessor(s), that requires software or firmware for operation even when the software or firmware is not physically present. This definition of "circuitry" applies to all uses of the term in this application. As a further example, the term "circuitry" as used in this application also covers the implementation of a processor(s) or portion of a processor and its(their) accompanying software and / or firmware. The term "circuitry" also covers, for example, a baseband integrated circuit or an application processor integrated circuit in a mobile phone, or a similar integrated circuit in a server, cellular network device, or other network device, if applicable to the particular element. The circuit embodiments described above may also be considered as embodiments that provide means for carrying out method or process embodiments described in this document.

[0029] The techniques and methods described herein may be implemented by various means. For example, these techniques may be implemented in hardware (one or more devices), firmware (one or more devices), software (one or more modules), or a combination thereof. In a hardware implementation, the apparatus(es) of an embodiment may be implemented within one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), graphic processing units (GPUs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or a combination thereof. In the case of firmware or software, the implementation may be through modules (e.g., procedures, functions, etc.) of at least one chipset that perform the functions described herein. Software code may be stored in a memory unit and executed by a processor. The memory unit may be implemented within the processor or external to the processor. In the latter case, the memory unit may be communicatively coupled to the processor via suitable means. Additionally, the components of the systems described herein may be rearranged and / or supplemented by additional components to facilitate implementation of various aspects, etc., described with respect thereto, and as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, these components are not limited to the precise configurations shown in the given figures.

[0030] The embodiments described herein may be implemented in communication systems such as at least one of the following: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or any other second generation cellular communication system, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (MTS, 3G) based on basic wideband-code division multiple access (W-CDMA), high-speed packet access (HSPA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, systems based on the IEEE 802.11 specification, systems based on the IEEE 802.15 specification, and / or fifth generation (5G) mobile or cellular communication systems. However, the embodiments are not limited to the systems shown as examples, and one skilled in the art may also apply the solutions to other communication systems having the required characteristics.

[0031] Figure 1 shows a simplified example system architecture showing several elements and functional entities, all of which are logical units and may be implemented differently than those shown. The connections shown in Figure 1 are logical connections and the actual physical connections may differ. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a system may include functions and structures other than those shown in Figure 1. The example in Figure 1 shows a portion of an exemplary radio access network.

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates terminal devices 100 and 102 configured to wirelessly connect to an access node 104 (e.g., an (e / g)NodeB) that provides a cell over one or more communication channels within the cell. The access node 104 may also be referred to as a node. The wireless link from the terminal device to the (e / g)NodeB is referred to as an uplink or reverse link, and the wireless link from the (e / g)NodeB to the terminal device is referred to as a downlink or forward link. It should be understood that the (e / g)NodeB or its functionality may be implemented using any node, host, server, access point, entity, etc. suitable for such use. Also, while this exemplary embodiment describes one cell for simplicity, in some exemplary embodiments, one access node may provide multiple cells.

[0033] A communication system may include multiple (e / g)NodeBs, which may be configured to communicate with each other via wired or wireless links designed for that purpose. These links may be used for signaling purposes. An (e / g)NodeB is a computing device configured to control the radio resources of the communication system to which it is coupled. An (e / g)NodeB may also be referred to as a base station, an access point, or any other type of interfacing device, including a relay station operable in a wireless environment. An (e / g)NodeB includes or is coupled to a transceiver. The transceiver of the (e / g)NodeB provides a connection to an antenna unit that establishes a bidirectional wireless link with a user device. The antenna unit may include multiple antennas or antenna elements. The (e / g)NodeB is further connected to a core network 110 (CN or Next Generation Core NGC). Depending on the system, the counterpart on the CN side may be a serving gateway (S-GW, which routes and forwards user data packets), a packet data network gateway (P-GW) that provides connectivity from terminal devices (UE) to external packet data networks, or a mobile management entity (MME).

[0034] A terminal device (also referred to as UE, user equipment, user terminal, user device, etc.) refers to one type of device to which resources on the air interface are allocated and granted, and therefore any features described herein with respect to a terminal device may be implemented with a corresponding device, such as a relay node. An example of such a relay node is a layer 3 relay (self-backhauling relay) toward a base station. Another example of such a relay node is a layer 2 relay. Such a relay node may include a terminal device part and a distributed unit (DU) part. A centralized unit (CU) may coordinate the operation of the DUs, for example, via an F1AP interface.

[0035] A terminal device may refer to a portable computing device, including wireless mobile communication devices that operate with or without a subscriber identity module (SIM) or embedded SIM (eSIM), including, but not limited to, mobile stations (cell phones), smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handsets, devices that use wireless modems (such as alarms or measurement devices), laptops and / or touchscreen computers, tablets, game consoles, notebooks, and multimedia devices. It should be understood that a user device may also be an exclusively or nearly exclusively uplink-only device, such as a camera or video camera that loads images or video clips onto a network. A terminal device may also be a device capable of operating within an Internet of Things (IoT) network, a scenario in which objects are equipped with the ability to transfer data over a network without the need for human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. A terminal device may also utilize the cloud. In some applications, a terminal device may include a small, portable device with wireless components (such as a watch, earphones, or glasses), with computations performed in the cloud. The terminal device (or in some embodiments a Layer 3 relay node) is configured to perform one or more user equipment functions.

[0036] The various techniques described herein can also be applied to cyber-physical systems (CPSs), systems of collaborating computational elements that control physical entities. CPSs can enable the implementation and utilization of large numbers of interconnected ICT devices (sensors, actuators, processor microcontrollers, etc.) embedded in physical objects in different locations. Mobile cyber-physical systems, where the physical systems in question have inherent mobility, are a subcategory of cyber-physical systems. Examples of mobile physical systems include mobile robots and electronic devices carried by humans or animals.

[0037] Also, although the device is shown as a single entity, it may be implemented with different units (not shown in FIG. 1), processors and / or memory units.

[0038] 5G will enable the use of multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, more base stations or nodes than LTE, including macro sites operating in cooperation with smaller base stations (the so-called small cell concept), and the adoption of various radio technologies depending on service needs, use cases, and / or available frequencies. 5G mobile communications will support a wide range of use cases and related applications, including video streaming, augmented reality, different data sharing methods, and various forms of machine-type applications such as vehicle safety, (massive) machine-type communications (mMTC), including different sensors and real-time control. 5G is expected to have multiple air interfaces, namely sub-6 GHz, cmWave, and mmWave, and to be able to integrate with existing legacy radio access technologies such as LTE. Integration with LTE, at least initially, can be implemented as a system in which LTE provides macro coverage and small cells aggregate to LTE to provide 5G air interface access. In other words, 5G is planned to support both inter-RAT operability (such as LTE-5G) and inter-RI operability (operability between air interfaces such as sub-6 GHz-cmWave, sub-6 GHz-cmWave-mmWave, etc.).One of the concepts considered for use in 5G networks is network slicing, which creates multiple independent and dedicated virtual sub-networks (network instances) within the same infrastructure to run services with different requirements regarding latency, reliability, throughput, and mobility.

[0039] The current architecture of LTE networks is one in which the radio is fully distributed and the core network is fully centralized. Low-latency applications and services in 5G require content to be closer to the radio, which can lead to local breakout and multi-access edge computing (MEC). 5G allows analytics and knowledge generation to occur at the source of the data. This approach requires leveraging resources that may not be continuously connected to the network, such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and sensors. MEC provides a distributed computing environment for hosting applications and services. MEC also has the ability to store and process content very close to mobile subscribers, resulting in faster response times. Edge computing covers a wide range of technologies, including wireless sensor networks, mobile data acquisition, mobile signature analysis, cooperative distributed peer-to-peer ad hoc networking, as well as local cloud / fog computing and grid / mesh computing, dew computing, mobile edge computing, processing (also categorized as cloudlets), distributed data storage and retrieval, autonomic self-healing networks, remote cloud services, augmented and virtual reality, data caching, the Internet of Things (where massive connectivity and / or latency are essential), and critical communications (autonomous vehicles, road safety, real-time analytics, time-critical control, healthcare applications).

[0040] The communications system may also communicate with and / or use services provided by other networks, such as the public switched telephone network or the Internet 112. The communications network may also support the use of cloud services, e.g., performing at least some of the operations of the core network as cloud services (this is illustrated in Figure 1 by "cloud" 114). The communications system may also include a central control entity, e.g., providing facilities for networks of different operators to cooperate in spectrum sharing.

[0041] By utilizing network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined networking (SDN), an edge cloud can also be incorporated into the radio access network (RAN). Using an edge cloud can mean that access node operations are performed at least in part in a server, host, or node operatively coupled to a remote radio head or base station that includes the radio part. It is also possible that node operations are distributed among multiple servers, nodes, or hosts. Applying the cloudRAN architecture allows RAN real-time functions to be performed on the RAN side (in the distributed unit DU 104) and non-real-time functions to be performed centrally (in the centralized unit CU 108).

[0042] It should also be understood that the division of labor between core network operations and base station operations may differ from that of LTE or may not exist. Other technologies that may be used include, for example, Big Data and all-IP, which may change the way networks are built and managed. 5G (or New Radio, NR) networks are designed to support multiple hierarchies, and MEC servers may be located between the core and base stations or Node Bs (gNBs). It should also be understood that MEC may be applied in 4G networks as well.

[0043] 5G can also use satellite communications to enhance or complement 5G service coverage, for example, by providing backhaul or service availability in areas without terrestrial coverage. Satellite communications can utilize geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite systems as well as low earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems, such as mega-constellations. Satellites 106 included in a constellation can carry gNBs, or at least some of them, that form a terrestrial cell. Alternatively, a satellite 106 can be used to relay signals of one or more cells to Earth. A terrestrial cell can be formed through a terrestrial relay node 104 or by gNBs located on the ground or in a satellite, or some gNBs can be located on the satellite, e.g., a DU, and some gNBs can be located on the ground, e.g., a CU. Additionally or alternatively, a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) system can be utilized.

[0044] It should be noted that the illustrated system is an example of a portion of a radio access system, and the system may include multiple (e / g)NodeBs, terminal devices may access multiple radio cells, and the system may also include other devices such as physical layer relay nodes or other network elements. At least one of the (e / g)NodeBs may be a Home(e / g)NodeB. Furthermore, multiple different types of radio cells and multiple radio cells may be provided in the geographical area of ​​the radio communication system. Radio cells may be macrocells (or umbrella cells), which are large cells typically having a diameter of up to tens of kilometers, or small cells such as microcells, femtocells, or picocells. The (e / g)NodeB in FIG. 1 may provide any type of these cells. A cellular radio system may be implemented as a multi-tier network including multiple types of cells. In some exemplary embodiments, one access node in a multi-tier network provides one or more cells of one type, and therefore multiple (e / g)NodeBs are required to provide such a network structure.

[0045] To meet the need to improve the deployment and performance of communication systems, the concept of "plug-and-play" (e / g) NodeB is introduced. A network that can use plug-and-play (e / g) NodeBs can include a Home NodeB Gateway, or HNB-GW (not shown in FIG. 1), in addition to Home (e / g) NodeBs (H(e / g)nodeBs). The HNB Gateway (HNB-GW), which can be installed in an operator's network, can back-aggregate traffic from many HNBs to the core network.

[0046] The Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to grow rapidly. Therefore, the IoT, which can utilize 5G connectivity, can include passive radios, which can be understood as devices that are passive wireless devices, such as tags and / or sensors. Passive wireless devices can also be understood as IoT devices when they are part of an IoT use case. These passive wireless devices require power to enable data transmission and / or reception. For example, passive wireless devices may consume tens or hundreds of milliwatts of power during transmission and reception. Therefore, it is beneficial to consider how to optimize power consumption and obtain power to enable the realization of the Internet of Everything. Therefore, it is desirable to have passive wireless devices with 10 or 100 times lower cost and power consumption. Furthermore, for IoT applications, 3GPP has specified NB-IoT / eMTC and NR reduced capability (RedCap) to meet the requirements of low-cost, low-power devices for wide-area IoT communications.

[0047] One aspect to consider for target use cases involving passive wireless devices is their ability to work with energy harvesting, given the limited device size. Cellular devices can consume tens or hundreds of milliwatts of power for transmission and reception. Taking an NB-IoT module as an example, the current consumption for reception is approximately 60 mA at a supply voltage higher than 3.1 V, and 70 mA for transmission at a transmit power of 0 dBm. The output power provided by the energy harvester can often be less than 1 milliwatt, given the small size of practical devices, which are only a few square centimeters. Because the available power is much smaller than the power consumption, it may be impractical to directly power a cellular device with energy harvesting in some use cases.

[0048] As more and more things are expected to be interconnected to improve production efficiency and life comfort, further reductions in the size, cost, and power consumption of passive wireless devices are expected. Furthermore, some IoT applications will require battery-less passive wireless devices. This is because, for example, replacing batteries in passive wireless devices is considered impractical due to the enormous consumption of materials and manpower. Therefore, applications involving a huge number of devices, such as ID tags and sensors, can utilize energy harvesting to power passive wireless devices for autonomous communication.

[0049] One option for battery-less passive devices such as tags is to utilize radio frequency identification (RFID). In some examples, RFID tags can have power consumption as low as 1 microwatt. Technologies that enable such low power consumption include envelope detection for downlink data reception and backscatter communication for uplink data transmission. RFID can utilize envelope detection for downlink data reception and backscatter communication for uplink data transmission. In an example embodiment, there can be passive communication between a reader device and the tag. The reader device includes a unit configured to transmit and receive signals. In this example embodiment, the unit includes a transmitter for wideband transmission, followed by a power amplifier and an antenna to transmit a carrier wave. The tag then includes an antenna to receive the carrier wave. The tag then modifies one or more characteristics of the carrier wave. These characteristics include, for example, amplitude, phase, and / or center frequency. The tag can include various units capable of performing the modifications. In this example embodiment, the tag includes at least an RF harvester that harvests electromagnetic energy from a received RF signal, a detection unit that detects the received RF signal, a clock that generates a clock signal, and a logic unit that controls the operation of the tag. The tag then reflects the modified signal as an uplink reflected signal. The uplink reflected signal is received by the reader's antenna, which then amplifies the signal using a low-noise amplifier, and then the receiver receives the reflected signal. Thus, data transmission can be obtained without generating a carrier wave by the tag, reducing the necessary energy demands and costs.

[0050] Some studies have shown that passive tags based on or with slightly modified air interfaces can support power consumption of a few microwatts or even tens of microwatts. Some of this research has targeted long-distance communication. Long-range (LoRa) tags implemented with commercially available off-the-shelf components can transmit sensing data to a receiver as far as 381 meters away.

[0051] In applications involving passive devices, there may be devices with different roles that can be understood as radio devices. An activation radio device, which may also be called an activator, can be understood as a device that transmits an NR activation signal targeted at one or more passive radios, such as tags or sensors. The activator can be a terminal device, an access node such as a gNB, a transmit receive point (TRP), etc. A passive radio device, which may also be called a passive radio device, can harvest energy from the NR activation signal and generate a response signal, which may be called a backscatter signal, at the same or a different frequency in the NR spectrum as the activation signal. Thus, the activation signal can provide a trigger for the passive radio device to transmit the response signal, and optionally, the passive radio device can also harvest energy from the activation signal. The response signal can encode information specific to the passive radio device, such as the identity (ID) of the passive radio device. A reading radio device (which may also be called a reader) can be understood as a radio device that listens for response signals from one or more tags and attempts to detect the IDs of the active tags. The reader can be a terminal device, an access node such as a gNB, a TRP, etc.

[0052] A passive wireless device, such as a tag or a sensor, can operate in at least two modes. One mode is an energy harvesting mode, in which the passive wireless device collects energy from radio signals transmitted to it on a given spectrum. Another mode is a data transfer mode, in which the passive wireless device can generate a unique signal. This unique signal carries data unique to the passive wireless device, such as its ID or data collected by the passive wireless device. These two modes can be implemented in a half-duplex or full-duplex manner, in other words, sequentially or simultaneously. To support interaction between the passive wireless device and the 5G network infrastructure, the passive wireless device should obtain enough energy to be discoverable even when the passive wireless device does not have a power source.

[0053] For a network to support and integrate passive wireless devices such as tags within the network infrastructure, one initial task is to discover them, since there is no active (i.e., powered) element on the passive wireless device and therefore no way to make itself visible or audible. For example, this problem can be difficult at mmWave frequencies, since active entities such as access nodes and end devices can receive and transmit directionally.

[0054] 2 illustrates an example embodiment for activating and discovering passive wireless devices. In this example embodiment, at least one wireless device is a passive wireless device, at least one wireless device has the role of an activator, and at least one wireless device has the role of a reader. In this example embodiment, the passive wireless device is a tag 210, the wireless device acting as a reader is a terminal device 212, and the wireless device acting as an activator is a terminal device 214. However, in some other example embodiments, the activator 214 can be another wireless device, e.g., an access node such as an eNB or gNB, and / or the reader 212 can similarly be another wireless device, e.g., an access node such as an eNB or gNB. The activator 214 transmits an activation signal 220 to the tag 210, and the tag 210 responds by transmitting a signal indicating its presence, which is received by the reader 212. Note that in other example embodiments, there may be multiple tags to which the terminal device 214 transmits activation signals, and the reader 212 may receive responses from multiple tags.

[0055] Due to the inherent nature of passive radios, discovering and / or ranging passive wireless devices can be a challenging task. For example, as mentioned above, passive radios may not have a power source, may be mobile, and their ability to detect other wireless devices may be limited to a nearby location, such as within a 5-10 meter radius. Furthermore, the mobility and operation of passive radios, such as how much data they have collected, can be transparent to the network. These limitations may preclude the use of paging operations applicable to terminal devices, and thus having an activator in close proximity to the passive tag can be beneficial.

[0056] As described above, other wireless devices can discover a passive wireless device if the passive wireless device receives an activation signal and transmits a response signal indicating its presence, allowing other wireless devices to receive the response signal. However, in some cases, this procedure can involve interference. An example of such interference is passive-to-passive wireless device interference, which occurs when signals from multiple tags collide at a reader that cannot distinguish between them. This situation can occur when multiple passive wireless devices are activated and respond simultaneously, causing a passive wireless device closer to the reader to drown out the signal from a passive wireless device located farther away. Another example of interference is activator-passive wireless device interference, which occurs when an activation signal drowns out the signal from a passive wireless device received by the reader. This situation can occur when an activation signal that is much stronger than the signal from the passive wireless device drowns out the response signal transmitted by the passive wireless device, preventing the reader from detecting the passive wireless device. In both cases, the interference is observed by the reader.

[0057] Therefore, it is beneficial to reduce the interference observed by the reader. One approach that can be used is to coordinate the functions related to the activation of the activators when multiple activators are present. For example, when multiple passive wireless devices are present, the reader can rank different passive wireless devices and trigger subsequent functions of the activators (e.g., off, retransmission pattern, etc.) in relation to the ranking of the passive wireless devices.

[0058] In one example embodiment, a reader can rank multiple passive wireless devices from which it receives response signals indicating the presence of each passive wireless device by the quality of the discovery results based on the quality of the received response signals. Thus, the reader can rank the passive wireless devices based on the quality of their respective received response signals. The reader can then prioritize and co-schedule retransmission of activation signals for one or more passive wireless devices by one or more activators based on the rankings. In this example embodiment, the reader is informed of the association between activator IDs and lists of passive wireless devices targeted by the activators. In other words, the reader is informed of which passive wireless devices are assigned to which activators.

[0059] At this time, the message that the reader can send to prioritize and inter-schedule the retransmission of the activation signal can be a request including flags for the passive wireless devices, a delay, and optionally the result of the first attempt to discover the passive wireless devices, such as the received power. For example, the flag for the passive wireless devices can be a high flag indicating that the activator should treat the reactivation of the passive wireless devices with high priority, or a low flag indicating that this reactivation can be treated after the reactivation of all high-priority passive wireless devices. The delay can indicate when, after receiving the message sent by the reader, the respective activator should send another activation signal to the passive wireless devices, which can be called a retransmission of the activation signal. The message can be sent using various means depending on whether the activator is included in an access node or a terminal device and whether the reader is included in an access node or a terminal device. For example, the message may be transmitted using an information element in a physical sidelink shared channel (SL PSSCH IE), using a downlink or uplink small data transmission (DL / UL SDT) or using a payload in a physical downlink or uplink shared channel (PD / USCH). Note that flags, delays and / or transmission powers to be used for other activation signals may be understood to be characteristics of the activation signal. Additionally or alternatively, the characteristics of the activation signal may include other indications regarding when and if the activation signal should be transmitted.

[0060] Based on the ranking, the leader can terminate the function associated with the operation of one or more activators. Termination can be achieved by sending an indication, such as a short message indicator, carrying a list of IDs of the passive wireless devices and the associated termination flag associated with the group, e.g., terminate=TRUE for {tag1, ...tagX}, and this message can be sent over the SL or U / DL data channel.

[0061] 3 illustrates a signaling diagram according to an example embodiment in which a reader 310 can rank passive wireless devices and modify functionality related to the activation of multiple activators, which in this example embodiment are activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328. In this example embodiment, the reader 310 can be any suitable wireless device, such as an end device or an access node. In this example embodiment, a coordinating entity, such as a location management function (LMF) or an end device included in a network, such as a 5G network, can select activator-reader pairs for multiple passive wireless devices, such as tags. The coordinating entity in this example embodiment informs the reader 310 of the identities of the activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328 and the one or more passive wireless devices assigned to each activator. The coordinator grants the reader 310 the right to coordinate functions related to the operation of the activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328, and may also require the reader 310 to collect target key performance indicators (KPIs) for each passive wireless device and test at least one of the KPIs against a threshold, which may be referred to as T1. The KPIs may relate to one or more signal measurements obtained from the response signals, such as time of arrival, received power, etc.

[0062] In this example embodiment, activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328 transmit activation signals to one or more passive wireless devices assigned to them, referred to as target passive wireless devices. The target passive wireless devices then receive their respective activation signals and respond with a specific response signal associated with each passive wireless device, which may be referred to as a passive wireless signal or a backscattered response signal. The reader 310 then receives one or more response signals from the passive wireless devices, thus detecting a subset of passive wireless devices that is less than or equal to the amount of the target passive wireless devices. Thus, as shown in block 330, the reader 310 detects at least one passive wireless device included in the target passive wireless devices.

[0063] Next, the reader 310 performs ranking of the target passive wireless devices, i.e., the passive wireless devices assigned to be detected, as shown in block 332. Ranking can be performed such that the passive wireless devices are assigned to categories. Various categories, such as high-quality passive wireless devices or low-quality passive wireless devices, can exist for ranking. Note that other categories can also be used. High-quality passive wireless devices can include passive wireless devices that are determined to be successfully detected and whose target KPI is higher than a threshold T1. The target KPI can include one or more of the following: arrival time, received power, etc. Also, T1 can be predetermined by the coordinator or can be autonomously determined in advance by the reader 310. Low-quality passive wireless devices can be successfully detected wireless devices whose KPI is below the threshold T1. There can also be a third category of failed detection, including passive wireless devices that are part of the target passive wireless devices but were not detected. Note that although three different categories are referred to herein, a different number of categories can exist in some other example embodiments. For example, if there are N categories, there may be N different functions for an activator to act upon the passive wireless device to which it is assigned. There may also be multiple KPIs to be tested against respective target values. Passive wireless devices may be assigned to different categories based on the results of testing one or more KPIs against their respective target values.

[0064] Next, in block 334, the reader 310 determines a subsequent function for activation of the activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328 based on the ranking, i.e., based on the category of one or more passive wireless devices assigned to the activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328. Activators of passive wireless devices assigned to the high quality category are determined to be requested to stop transmitting activation signals to passive wireless devices in this category. Activators of passive wireless devices assigned to the low quality category are determined to be requested to retransmit activation signals to passive wireless devices in this category. Activators of passive wireless devices assigned to the failure category are determined to be requested to retransmit activation signals to passive wireless devices in this category, with the retransmissions being performed at maximum power and with the highest priority.

[0065] In this example embodiment, there are two passive wireless devices ID3 and ID4, whose respective activators 322 and 320 are assigned to the second category, which is a low-quality category. In this example embodiment, the reader 310 determines that the activators 322 and 320 should retransmit an activation signal to their respective passive wireless devices. The reader 310 may also attach a delay indicator for each activator 322 and 320 that indicates the timing for when the activator should start transmitting the activation signal. This may be beneficial to avoid a situation in which the activators simultaneously retransmit activation signals to assigned passive wireless devices in the same category, thus minimizing both activator-passive wireless device and passive wireless device-passive wireless device interference. For example, the reader 310 may determine that the activation device 326 should retransmit its activation signal dt4 seconds after receiving the request, and that the activation device 324 should retransmit its activation signal dt3≠dt4 seconds after receiving the request. It may also be determined that the activation signal should be retransmitted at full power and highest priority to indicate that the tag was not detected. Optionally, information regarding the KPIs of the passive wireless devices assigned to the activator 324 may also be transmitted.

[0066] Therefore, the reader 310 sends a request 340 to the activator 326. The request 340 is a request to retransmit an activation signal to the passive wireless device ID4 assigned to the activator 326. The request may further indicate a delay dt4, a KPI associated with the passive wireless device ID4 assigned to the activator 326, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the highest priority and maximum power.

[0067] Also, the reader 310 transmits a request 342 to the activator 324. The request 342 is a request to retransmit an activation signal to the passive wireless device ID3 assigned to the activator 324. The request can further indicate a delay dt3, a KPI associated with the passive wireless device ID3 assigned to the activator 326, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the highest priority and maximum power.

[0068] In this exemplary embodiment, there exist two passive wireless devices, ID1 and ID2, each of the activators 326 and 324 being assigned to a third category which is a failure category. In this exemplary embodiment, the reader 310 determines that the activators 326 and 324 should retransmit an activation signal to their respective assigned passive wireless devices. Also, the reader 310 can attach a delay indicator for each of the activators 322 and 320 indicating the timing as to when the activator should start transmitting the activation signal. For example, the reader 310 can determine that the activator 322 should retransmit the activation signal dt2 seconds after receiving this request, and the activator 320 should retransmit the activation signal dt1≠dt2 seconds after receiving this request. The reader 310 can also determine that the activation signal should be retransmitted with the lowest priority. Optionally, information regarding the KPI of the passive wireless device assigned to the active devices 322 and 320 can also be transmitted. Note that in this exemplary embodiment, dt3 << min{dt1, dt2} and dt4 ≠ dt3 and dt4 << min{dt1, dt2}.

[0069] Therefore, the reader 310 transmits a request 344 to the activator 322. The request 342 is a request to retransmit an activation signal to the passive wireless device ID2 assigned to the activator 322. The request can further indicate a delay dt2, a KPI associated with the passive wireless device ID2 assigned to the activator 322, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the lowest priority.

[0070] The reader 310 also sends a request 346 to the activator 320. The request 346 is a request to retransmit the activation signal to the passive wireless device ID1 assigned to the activator 320. The request may further indicate a delay dt1, a KPI associated with the passive wireless device ID1 assigned to the activator 320, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the lowest priority.

[0071] In this example embodiment, there is one passive wireless device ID0, with each activator 328 assigned to a first category, the high-quality category. When the reader 310 determines that the passive wireless device ID0 has been successfully detected, it sends a request 348 to the activator 328 to which the passive wireless device ID0 is assigned. The request 348 includes a request to stop transmitting activation signals to the passive wireless device ID0. The stoppage thus helps reduce interference between the activator and the passive wireless device by preventing the activation signals of the passive wireless device in the high-quality category from interfering with the reception of response signals from other passive wireless devices. The request 348 includes at least the identification information of the passive wireless device in this category and, optionally, the measurement KPIs of the passive wireless device. This can be useful, for example, if the activator 328 needs KPIs for further processing related to the passive wireless device.

[0072] The above-described example embodiments may have advantages such as optimizing activator transmission, minimizing passive wireless device-to-passive wireless device interference, and / or minimizing activator-to-passive wireless device interference.

[0073] 4 illustrates an apparatus 400 that may be a device such as a terminal device or a device included in a terminal device, and may embody the activator or reader described above, according to an example embodiment. The apparatus 400 includes a processor 410. The processor 410 interprets computer program instructions and processes data. The processor 410 may include one or more programmable processors. The processor 410 may include programmable hardware with embedded firmware, and may additionally or alternatively include one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

[0074] The processor 410 is coupled to the memory 420. The processor is configured to read and write data from and to the memory 420. The memory 420 may include one or more memory units. The memory units may be volatile or nonvolatile. Note that in some example embodiments, there may be one or more nonvolatile memory units and one or more volatile memory units, or one or more nonvolatile memory units, or one or more volatile memory units. The volatile memory may be RAM, DRAM, SDRAM, or the like. The nonvolatile memory may be ROM, PROM, EEPROM, flash memory, optical storage, magnetic storage, or the like. In general, memory may be referred to as a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The memory 420 stores computer-readable instructions that are executed by the processor 410. For example, the non-volatile memory stores the computer-readable instructions, and the processor 410 executes the instructions using the volatile memory for temporary storage of data and / or instructions.

[0075] The computer readable instructions may be pre-stored in memory 420 or may additionally or alternatively be received by the device via an electromagnetic carrier signal and / or copied from a physical entity such as a computer program product. Execution of the computer readable instructions causes device 400 to perform the functions described above.

[0076] A "memory" or "computer-readable medium" in the context of this document can be any non-transitory medium or means capable of containing, storing, conveying, propagating, or transmitting instructions used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device such as a computer.

[0077] The device 400 further includes or is connected to an input unit 430. The input unit 430 includes one or more interfaces for receiving user input. The one or more interfaces may include one or more motion sensors and / or orientation sensors, one or more cameras, one or more acceleration sensors, one or more microphones, one or more buttons, and one or more touch detection units, etc. Furthermore, the input unit 430 may include an interface to which an external device can be connected.

[0078] The device 400 also includes an output unit 440. The output unit includes or is connected to one or more displays capable of rendering visual content, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) display. The output unit 440 further includes one or more audio outputs. The one or more audio outputs can be speakers, a headphone set, or the like.

[0079] The device 400 may further include a connectivity unit 450. The connectivity unit 450 allows for wired and / or wireless connection to an external network. The connectivity unit 450 may include one or more antennas and one or more receivers that may be integrated into the device 400 or to which the device 400 may be connected. The connectivity unit 450 may include an integrated circuit or set of integrated circuits that provide the device 400 with wireless communication capabilities. Alternatively, the wireless connectivity functionality may be a hardwired application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0080] It should be noted that the device 400 may further include various components not shown in Figure 4. The various components may be hardware components and / or software components.

[0081] Apparatus 500 of FIG. 5 illustrates an example embodiment of an apparatus that is an access node or is included in an access node and that can embody the activator or reader described above. The apparatus can be, for example, a circuit or chipset applicable to an access node to implement the described embodiments. Apparatus 500 can be an electronic device including one or more electronic circuits. Apparatus 500 can include communication control circuitry 510, such as at least one processor, and at least one memory 520 containing computer program code (software) 522, which, together with the at least one processor, are configured to cause apparatus 500 to execute any one of the example access node embodiments described above.

[0082] The memory 520 may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed and removable memory, etc. The memory may include a configuration database for storing configuration data. For example, the configuration database may store a current neighbor cell list and, in some example embodiments, the frame structure used in detected neighbor cells.

[0083] The apparatus 500 may further include a communication interface 530, including hardware and / or software, that provides communication connectivity according to one or more communication protocols. The communication interface 530 may provide the apparatus with wireless communication capabilities for communicating in a cellular communication system. The communication interface may, for example, provide an air interface to a terminal device. The apparatus 500 may further include another interface toward a core network, such as a network coordinator apparatus, and / or to an access node of the cellular communication system. The apparatus 500 may further include a scheduler 540 configured to allocate resources.

[0084] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is clear that the present invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments, but can be modified in a number of ways within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, all words and expressions should be interpreted broadly and are intended to illustrate, not limit, the embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways as technology advances. Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, although not necessarily, the described embodiments can be combined with other embodiments in various ways.

[0085] List of Abbreviations AD: Assistance Data ASIC: Application Specific Integrated System CA: Carrier aggregation CB-TT: Cross beam cross barrier tap tracking CL: Careerist CN: Core Network CP: Career Phase CPS: Cyber-Physical Systems CU: Centralized Unit DL: Downlink DL-AoD: Downlink angle of departure DL-TDOA: Downlink Time Difference of Arrival DRAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory DSP: Digital Signal Processing DSPD: Digital Signal Processing Device DU: Distributed Unit E-CID: Enhanced Cell ID EEPROM: Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory eSIM: Embedded Subscriber Identity Module FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array FR1: Frequency range 1 FR2: Frequency range 2 GEO: Geostationary Earth Orbit gNB: gNode B GPU: Graphics Processing Unit GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications HAPS: High Altitude Platform Station HNB: Home Node B HSPA: High Speed ​​Packet Access ICT: Interconnection ID: Identity IE: Information Element IoT: Internet of Things KPI: Key Performance Indicator LED: Light-emitting diode LEO: Low Earth Orbit LCD: Liquid crystal display LCoS: Reflective liquid crystal element LMF: Location management function LoRa: Long Range LOS: Line of sight LPP: LTE Positioning Protocol LTE: Long Term Evolution MEC: Multi-access Edge Computing MIMO: Multiple Input Multiple Output MME: Mobile Management Entity mMTC: Large-scale machine-type communication Multi-RTT: Multi-cell round trip time NB-IoT: Narrowband Internet of Things NFV: Network Functions Virtualization NGC: Next Generation Core NLOS: Non-Line-of-Sight NR:New Radio PDA: Personal Digital Assistant PDSCH: Physical Downlink Shared Channel P-GW: Packet Data Network Gateway PLD: Programmable Logic Device PROM: Programmable Read-Only Memory PRS: Positioning Reference Signal PSSCH: Physical Sidelink Shared Channel PUSCH: Physical Uplink Shared Channel RAM: Random Access Memory RAN: Radio Access Network RAT: Radio Access Technology RF: Radio Frequency RI: Radio Interface ROM: Read-only memory Rx: Receive SDN: Software-Defined Networking SDRAM: Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory SDT: Small Data Transmission SGW: Serving Gateway SIM: Subscriber Identity Module SL: Side link TRP: Transmitting / receiving point Tx: Send UE: User Equipment UL: Uplink UL-AoA: Uplink Angle of Arrival. UL-TDOA: Uplink Time Difference of Arrival. UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System W-CDMA: Wideband Code Division Multiple Access [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 310 Leader 320 Activator 1 322 Activator 2 324 Activator 3 326 Activator 4 328 Activator 5 330 Detect Passive Wireless Device(s) 332 Ranking 334 Decision to reactivate 340~348 Request reactivation

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code operating in conjunction with the at least one processor to: receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about which respective wireless devices the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining an operational function to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; sending a request to the wireless device indicating the function for which the wireless device is to perform an operation; The apparatus is configured to cause the apparatus to perform the following:

2. the apparatus is further configured to test one or more key performance indicators against respective thresholds, the key performance indicators relating to one or more signal measurements obtained from the received response signals; 10. The apparatus of claim 1.

3. the apparatus is further configured to determine a category of the passive wireless device from which the response signal was received based on the testing of the one or more key performance indicators against respective thresholds.

3. The apparatus of claim 2.

4. The device comprises: receiving a first response signal from a first passive wireless device included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining that at least one key performance indicator obtained from the received first response signal has a value greater than a first threshold, and classifying the first passive wireless device into a first category based on the determination; determining that a function related to activation of a first wireless device to which the first passive wireless device is assigned includes ceasing retransmission of a first activation signal to the first passive wireless device; The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

5. The device comprises: receiving a second response signal from a second passive wireless device included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining that at least one key performance indicator obtained from the received second response signal has a value lower than the first threshold, and classifying the second passive wireless device into a second category based on the determination; determining that a function related to activation of a second wireless device to which the second passive wireless device is assigned includes retransmitting a second activation signal to the second passive wireless device; The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

6. the function relating to activation of a second wireless device to which the second passive wireless device is assigned includes a first delay for retransmission of the second activation signal; 6. The apparatus of claim 5.

7. The device comprises: determining that a third response signal has not been received from a third passive wireless device included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; classifying the second passive wireless device into a third category; determining that a function related to activation of a third wireless device to which the third passive wireless device is assigned includes retransmitting a third activation signal to the second passive wireless device; The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

8. the function relating to activation of a second wireless device to which the second passive wireless device is assigned includes a second delay for retransmission of the second activation signal; 8. The apparatus of claim 7.

9. the first delay is greater than the second delay; 9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8.

10. the retransmission of the third activation signal to the second passive wireless device includes performing the retransmission at maximum power and with highest priority.

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

11. the request includes information regarding key performance indicators of the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; 11. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. the request is included in one of an information element in a physical sidelink shared channel, a small data transmission in the downlink or uplink, or a payload in a physical downlink or uplink shared channel.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about which respective wireless devices the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining an operational function to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; sending a request to the wireless device indicating the function for which the wireless device is to perform an operation; A method comprising:

14. at least, receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about which respective wireless devices the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining an operational function to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; sending a request to the wireless device indicating the function for which the wireless device is to perform an operation; comprising instructions for causing the device to execute A computer program characterized by:

15. 1. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about which respective wireless devices the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; means for determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; means for determining a function related to an operation to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined category of the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; means for transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the function for which the wireless device is to perform an operation; An apparatus comprising:

16. 1. A system including at least a first wireless device, a second wireless device, and a third wireless device, means for receiving, by the first wireless device, association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about whether the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to the second wireless device or the third wireless device, wherein the second wireless device and the third wireless device are configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the second wireless device and the third wireless device; means for determining, by the first wireless device, categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; a means for the first wireless device to determine a function related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device based on a category determined for a passive wireless device assigned to the second wireless device, and a means for the first wireless device to determine a function related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device based on a category determined for a passive wireless device assigned to the third wireless device; means for the first wireless device to send a request to the second wireless device indicating the functions related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device, and for the first wireless device to send another request to the third wireless device indicating the functions related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device; A system comprising:

17. 1. A system including at least a first wireless device, a second wireless device, and a third wireless device, the first wireless device is configured to receive association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about whether the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to the second wireless device or the third wireless device, and the second wireless device and the third wireless device are configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the second wireless device and the third wireless device; determining, by the first wireless device, categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; The first wireless device determines a function related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device based on a category determined for a passive wireless device assigned to the second wireless device, and the first wireless device determines a function related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device based on a category determined for a passive wireless device assigned to the third wireless device; the first wireless device sending a request to the second wireless device indicating the functions related to an operation to be performed by the second wireless device, and the first wireless device sending another request to the third wireless device indicating the functions related to an operation to be performed by the third wireless device; A system characterized by being configured as follows.

18. 1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code operating in conjunction with the at least one processor to: receiving a request from another wireless device indicating a function related to an operation that the apparatus is to perform with respect to the passive wireless device; determining, based on the request, whether the function relating to activation includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining a characteristic relating to transmitting the activation signal; performing said function relating to an operation relating to said passive wireless device; The apparatus is configured to cause the apparatus to perform the following:

19. the actuation signal causes the passive wireless device to further harvest energy from the actuation signal; 20. The apparatus of claim 18.

20. receiving a request from another wireless device indicating a function related to an operation that the apparatus is to perform with respect to the passive wireless device; determining, based on the request, whether the function relating to activation includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining a characteristic relating to transmitting the activation signal; performing said function relating to an operation relating to said passive wireless device; A method comprising:

21. at least, receiving a request from another wireless device indicating a function related to an operation that the apparatus is to perform with respect to the passive wireless device; determining, based on the request, whether the function relating to activation includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining a characteristic relating to transmitting the activation signal; performing said function relating to an operation relating to said passive wireless device; comprising instructions for causing the device to execute A computer program characterized by:

22. 1. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving a request from another wireless device indicating a function related to an operation that the apparatus should perform with respect to the passive wireless device; means for determining, based on the request, whether the function relating to activation includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive wireless device that causes the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining a characteristic relating to transmitting the activation signal; means for performing said functions relating to operations relating to said passive wireless device; An apparatus comprising:

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