Successful PSCell report transfer

Abstract

A method and system for transmitting a Successful Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Report (SPR) and for indicating the availability of an SPR are described. In some embodiments, a first network node can receive SPR availability information from a UE. The first network node can then fetch the SPR from the UE and analyze whether the SPR should be shared with another network node. The SPR can then be shared if deemed necessary or appropriate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-references to related information This application claims the benefit of U.S. Priority Application No. 63 / 410,505, filed September 27, 2022, entitled "Successful PSCell Report Transfer."

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the technical field of wireless communication, and more particularly to PSCell modification. [Background technology]

[0003] 3GPP wireless communication system 1 shows a simplified wireless communication system with user equipment (UE) 102, which communicates with one or more access nodes 103-104, which are connected to a network node 106. The access nodes 103-104 are part of a radio access network (RAN) 100.

[0004] In a wireless communication system conforming to the 3GPP Evolved Packet System (EPS) standard (also known as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G), as specified in 3GPP TS36.300, and related specifications, the access nodes 103-104 generally correspond to Evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and the network nodes 106 generally correspond to either Mobility Management Entities (MMEs) and / or Serving Gateways (SGWs). The eNBs are part of a radio access network 100, which in this case is an E-UTRAN (Enhanced Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network), and the MME and SGW are both part of an EPC (Evolved Packet Core Network). The eNBs are interconnected via an X2 interface and connected to the EPC via an S1 interface, more specifically to the MME via S1-C and to the SGW via S1-U.

[0005] On the other hand, in a wireless communication system conforming to the 3GPP 5G System (5GS) standard specification (also referred to as New Radio (NR) or 5G) as specified in 3GPP TS38.300 and related specifications, the access nodes 103-104 generally correspond to 5G Node Bs (gNBs), and the network node 106 generally corresponds to either an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and / or a User Plane Function (UPF). The gNBs are part of a radio access network 100, which in this case is an NG-RAN (Next Generation Radio Access Network), and the AMF and UPF are both part of a 5G Core Network (5GC). The gNBs are interconnected via an Xn interface and connected to the 5GC via an NG interface, more specifically to the AMF via an NG-C and to the UPF via an NG-U.

[0006] To support fast mobility between NR and LTE and avoid core network changes, LTE eNBs can also be connected to the 5G-CN via the NG-U / NG-C and support the Xn interface. An eNB connected to 5GC is called a next-generation eNB (ng-eNB) and is considered part of the NG-RAN. While LTE connected to 5GC is not further described in this disclosure, it should be noted that most of the solutions / features described for LTE and NR in this disclosure also apply to LTE connected to 5GC. In this disclosure, the term LTE, when used without further specification, refers to the LTE-EPC.

[0007] Self-organizing networks in 3GPP Self-organizing networks (SON) are automated technologies designed to make planning, configuration, management, optimization, and repair of mobile radio access networks easier and faster. SON functions and behaviors are defined and specified in accepted mobile industry recommendations produced by organizations such as 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) and NGMN (Next Generation Mobile Networks).

[0008] In 3GPP, processes within the SON area are classified into self-configuration and self-optimization processes: a self-configuration process is a process in which a newly deployed node is configured by an automatic installation procedure to obtain the necessary basic configuration for system operation.

[0009] This process works in a pre-operational state, which is understood as the state from when the eNB is powered up and has backbone connectivity until the RF transmitter is switched on.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 2, the functions handled in the pre-operational state are covered by the self-configuration process: basic setup and initial radio configuration.

[0011] The self-optimization process is defined as a process in which UE and access node measurements and performance measurements are used to auto-tune the network. The self-optimization process works in an operational state, which is understood as a state in which the RF interface is also switched on.

[0012] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the following functions are covered by the self-optimization process: optimization / adaptation, which are handled in the operational state:

[0013] LTE specifies support for self-configuration and self-optimization as described in 3GPP TS36.300 section 22.2, including features such as dynamic configuration, automatic neighbor relations (ANR), mobility load balancing, mobility robustness optimization (MRO), RACH optimization and support for energy savings.

[0014] NR similarly specifies support for self-configuration and self-optimization, starting with self-configuration features such as dynamic configuration, automatic neighbor relations (ANR) in Rel-15, as described in 3GPP TS38.300 Section 15. NR Rel-16 specifies more SON capabilities, including self-optimization features such as mobility robustness optimization (MRO).

[0015] Successful Handover Report Successful Handover (HO) Reporting (SHR) is standardized as part of 3GPP Rel17 TS, see e.g. RRC Specification 38.331 (V17.0.0). The main purpose of successful HO reporting is to enable network nodes to infer suboptimal performance of the underlying procedures executed during the HO procedure.

[0016] If the network node is interested in SHR, it can configure the UE to report SHR after successful execution of HO if at least one of the SHR trigger conditions / thresholds is satisfied. The SHR trigger thresholds are defined as follows: · Whether the T304 timer value exceeds a certain threshold during a successful HO execution (thresholdPercentageT304), Whether the T310 timer value exceeds a certain threshold during a successful HO execution (thresholdPercentageT310), Whether the T312 timer value exceeds a certain threshold during a successful HO execution (thresholdPercentageT312), · Whether the UE experienced an RLF at the source node while performing DAPS HO (sourceDAPS-FailureReporting).

[0017] When storing the successful handover report, the UE may include various information to help the network optimize the handover, such as measurements of neighboring cells, the conditions met that triggered the successful handover report (e.g., exceeding a threshold for T310, a specific RLF problem at the source while performing DAPS HO), etc.

[0018] The SHR may be configured by a serving cell, and when the trigger condition for SHR logging is met, the UE stores the information until the NW requests this information. In particular, the UE may indicate the availability of SHR information in certain RRC messages such as RRCReconfigurationComplete, RRCReestablishmentComplete, RRCSetupComplete, RRCResumeComplete, etc., and the network may request such information via a UEInformationRequest message, at which time the UE sends the stored SHR in a UEInformationResponse message.

[0019] Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC), as described in TS 37.340, describes a scenario in which a UE capable of connecting to multiple nodes utilizes multiple resources to increase throughput. It is a generalization of E-UTRA (Enhanced Universal Terrestrial Radio Access) intra-dual connectivity, as described in TS 36.300.

[0020] When a UE is in DC mode, one node acts as a Master Node (MN) and the other node acts as a Secondary Node (SN). The MN and SN are connected via a network interface, and at least the MN is connected to the core network. Details regarding MR-DC can be found in TS38.401. The primary cell in the MN is known as the PCell, and the primary cell in the SN is known as the PSCell.

[0021] Successful PSCell Report (SPR) The ongoing Rel-18 work item "New WID on further extension of data collection for SON (Self-Organizing Network) / MDT (Minimized Drive Test) in NR Standalone and MR-DC (Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity)" has the objective of supporting SON / MDT extensions for reporting successful PScell ​​changes.

[0022] A successful PScell ​​(modification) report, or SPR, may have the same characteristics as the SHR described above, but is related to a PSCell modification / addition event. This means that if a network-configured event is triggered during a PSCell modification or PSCell addition, the UE will generate an SPR. The UE will provide the network with the presence of the SPR, and the network will fetch the SPR in return. Network signaling will then be used to send the SPR to the node that configured the event that triggered the creation of the SPR. This SPR will ultimately be used by the network node to optimize the PSCell modification / addition.

[0023] Currently, several challenges exist. Contrary to SHR, SPR can be useful for both MN and SN optimization because PSCell changes can be MN-initiated or SN-initiated. Therefore, even if the SHR design is taken as the baseline for SPR, several questions are still open. It is not clear whether or how the SN will be able to fetch the SPR. Also, if the SN will be able to fetch the SPR, it is not clear how the SPR will be sent to the MN. It is also not clear how SPR availability will be signaled to the network. Furthermore, when SPR availability is signaled only to the SN in the RRC reconfiguration complete, it is not clear how the MN will know when / how to fetch the SPR. These questions need to be answered, and the corresponding solutions need to be standardized. Summary of the Invention

[0024] One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a method implemented by a UE for indicating SPR availability, the method including providing SPR availability information to a network node, and optionally transmitting the SPR to the network node.

[0025] Another embodiment of the method under the present disclosure is a method implemented by a first network node for transmitting an SPR. The method includes receiving SPR availability information from a UE, fetching the SPR from the UE, analyzing the received SPR, and determining that the SPR needs to be forwarded to a second network node. The method further optionally includes transmitting the SPR to the second network node.

[0026] Further embodiments under the present disclosure include a method implemented by a first network node for indicating availability of SPR. The method includes receiving SPR availability information from a UE and sending an indication to a second network node that SPR is available at the UE. The method can optionally further include receiving the SPR from the second network node.

[0027] Further embodiments under the present disclosure include a method implemented by a first network node for receiving an SPR. The method includes receiving an indication from a second network node that an SPR is available at the UE, fetching the SPR from the UE, and analyzing the fetched SPR to detect whether the SPR should be sent to the second network node. The method can optionally further include transmitting the SPR to the second network node.

[0028] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an indication of the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0029] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified wireless communication system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates self-configuring and self-optimizing functionality. [Figure 3] 1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 5]1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of messaging under the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 1 is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a user equipment embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a network node embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a host embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 16] 1 is a schematic diagram of a virtualization environment embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of one embodiment of communication between a node, a host, and user equipment under the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Before describing various embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the parameters of the particularly exemplified systems, methods, apparatus, products, processes, and / or kits, which parameters may, of course, vary. Thus, while some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to particular settings, parameters, components, elements, etc., the description is illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed embodiments. Moreover, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claimed embodiments.

[0032] Some aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the above-identified problems or other problems. Some possible embodiments include the following. The SN fetches the SPR and sends the SPR to the MN if the PSCell change is MN-initiated; The UE indicates SPR availability to the MN in the following message: The SN signals to the MN that the SPR should be fetched, and The MN fetches the SPR and sends the SPR to the SN if the PSCell change is SN-initiated.

[0033] These embodiments, as well as some of the other embodiments and variations contemplated herein, will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the embodiments are provided by way of example and to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0034] Some embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages: Under the present disclosure and its embodiments, both the MN and the SN should be able to receive the SPR when generated by the UE. Furthermore, the SHR design (the UE notifies the network of SPR availability in the RRCReconfigurationComplete message, and the MN fetches the SPR) may or may not be implemented by the user or the network, as needed.

[0035] In this disclosure, the terms network node and RAN node are used interchangeably. Furthermore, the terms MN and SN may differ from the UE perspective, i.e., the same network node can act as an MN and an SN simultaneously for different UEs. A successful PSCell report indicates a report from a UE in response to a successful PSCell reporting configuration and may have a different name in some systems and embodiments.

[0036] SN fetches SPR (MN-initiated PSCell change) In some embodiments, the SN fetches the SPR and sends it to the MN if the PSCell change was MN-initiated. The approach taken under these embodiments includes the possibility for the SN to fetch and analyze the SPR, for example, the SN determining whether the SPR needs to be forwarded by analyzing triggers included in the SPR. Another aspect is new inter-node signaling for forwarding the SPR from the SN to the MN, particularly via UE-related signaling. Figure 3 shows a possible method embodiment 400, including steps from the perspectives of the SN 402, the UE 401, and the MN 403.

[0037] Under method 400, one aspect may include steps performed by a network node acting as an SN for a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 410 is to receive SPR availability information from the UE. Step 420 is to fetch the SPR from the UE. Step 430 is to analyze the received SPR and determine that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the MN. Step 440 is to forward the SPR to the MN.

[0038] An alternative embodiment under method 400 includes steps performed by a network node acting as a master node (MN) for a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 480 is to receive an SPR from an SN.

[0039] Another aspect under method 400 may include steps performed by a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 460 is to provide SPR availability information to an SN. Step 470 is to send the SPR to the SN, or alternatively, to have the SN fetch the SPR.

[0040] Each of these method steps described above can include different variations.

[0041] Step 410 / 460, receiving / providing SPR availability information from the UE to the SN, can include different variations. In one embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in an RRCReconfigurationComplete message. In one variation, the RRCReconfigurationMessage can be sent directly from the UE to the SN (via SRB3). In another variation, the RRCReconfigurationMessage can be sent in an S-Node Reconfiguration Complete message from the MN to the SN via the MN (if received by the MN via SRB1). In another embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in an RRC message, for example, a ULInformationTransferMRDC message. In one variation, the ULInformationTransferMRDC can be sent directly from the UE to the SN (via SRB3). In another variation, the ULInformationTransferMRDC can be sent in an S-Node Reconfiguration Complete message from the MN to the SN via the MN (if received by the MN via SRB1). In a further embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in a UEAssistanceInformation message. In one variant, the UEAssistanceInformation may be sent directly from the UE to the SN (via SRB3). In another variant, the UEAssistanceInformation may be sent via the MN to the SN via SRB1. In an additional embodiment, the network node configures the UE how and on which signal to send the SPR availability indication, for example, on an RRCReconfigurationComplete message or a UEAssistanceInformation message. In one variant, the network requests the UE to send the SPR availability indication to the SN via an RRCReconfigurationComplete message. In another variant, the network requests the UE to send the SPR availability indication to the SN via a UEAssistanceInformation message, via SRB1, or via SRB3.

[0042] Step 430, analyzing the received SPR and determining that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the MN, can include different variations. In one embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the MN is represented by information that a PSCell change has been triggered by the MN, which information is included in the SPR itself. In another embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the MN is represented by one or more triggers included in the SPR, which triggers are set by the MN prior to SPR generation. In another embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the MN is represented by a flag that triggers the SN to send the SPR to the MN upon receipt of the SPR via SRB3.

[0043] Step 440 / 490, forwarding the SPR to the MN, can include different variations. In one embodiment, UE-related signaling is used, which can include, for example, a new UE-related XnAP message, an XnAP S-Node Modification Required message, or an XnAP RRC Forward message. In another embodiment, a non-UE-related message is used, which can include, for example, an XnAP Access and Mobility Indication message or a new non-UE-related message.

[0044] An example of a possible implementation in TS38.423 of aspects of the method 400 of FIG. 3 incorporating RRC forwarding is described below.

[0045] The purpose of the RRC forwarding procedure is to deliver a PDCP-C PDU encapsulating an LTE or NR RRC message to the S-NG-RAN-node, which can then be forwarded to the UE or, if it was received from the UE, from the S-NG-RAN-node. Also, a delivery status can be provided from the S-NG-RAN-node to the M-NG-RAN-node using RRC forwarding.

[0046] The procedure is also used to enable the transfer of one of the following messages from the M-NG-RAN node to the S-NG-RAN node when received from the UE: NR RRC message container with NR measurements, E-UTRA RRC message container with E-UTRA measurements, NR RRC message container with NR failure information, NR RRC message container with the RRCReconfigurationComplete message, NR RRC message container with UE assistance information, NR RRC message container with PSCell change report.

[0047] In the case of RACH-based SDT without UE context relocation, this procedure is also used to deliver PDCP-C PDUs encapsulating NR RRC messages between the new and old NG-RAN nodes. The procedure may use UE-related signaling.

[0048] UE indicates SPR availability As described above, another embodiment includes the UE indicating SPR availability to the MN in a following message. An approach taken under this embodiment may focus on the UE using an RRC message (e.g., UEInformationTransferMRDC) sent to the MN to notify the MN that SPR is available. Another aspect may include the MN analyzing the SPR to determine whether the SPR needs to be transferred by analyzing triggers included in the SPR. Figure 4 shows a possible method embodiment 600 including steps from the perspectives of the SN 602, the UE 601, and the MN 603.

[0049] Under one embodiment of method 600, an aspect may include steps performed by a network node acting as an MN for a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 610 is receiving SPR availability information from the UE. Step 620 is fetching the SPR from the UE. Step 630 is analyzing the received SPR and determining that the SPR needs to be transferred to the SN. Step 640 is transferring the SPR to the SN. Step 610 may include different variations. In one embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in a next RRCReconfigurationComplete message sent to the MN. In another embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in an RRC message, for example, a UEInformationTransferMRDC message. Step 630 may include different variations. In one embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be transferred to the SN is represented by information that a PSCell change has been triggered by the SN, and this information is included in the SPR itself. In another embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be transferred to the SN is represented by one or more triggers included in the SPR, which triggers are set by the SN prior to the SPR generation. Step 640 can include different variations. In one embodiment, UE-related signaling is used, such as a new UE-related XnAP message, an XnAP S-Node Modification Request message, or an XnAP RRC Transfer message. In another embodiment, a non-UE-related message is used, such as an XnAP Access and Mobility Indication message, or a new non-UE-related message.

[0050] Another embodiment under method 600 may include steps performed by a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 660 is providing SPR availability information to the MN. Step 670 may be the UE sending the SPR to the MN (alternatively, enabling the MN to fetch the SPR). Step 660 may include multiple variations. In one embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in a next RRCReconfigurationComplete message sent to the MN. In another embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in an RRC message, for example, a UEInformationTransferMRDC message.

[0051] Another embodiment under method 600 may include steps performed by a network node acting as an SN for a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 690 is receiving an SPR from the MN. In one embodiment of step 690, UE-related signaling is used, such as a new UE-related XnAP message, an XnAP S-Node Modification Required message, or an XnAP RRC Transfer message. In another embodiment, a non-UE-related message is used, such as an XnAP Access and Mobility Indication message, or a new non-UE-related message.

[0052] SN signals MN to fetch SPR Another embodiment may include the SN signaling the MN that the SPR should be fetched. An approach under this embodiment may include new inter-node signaling sent by the SN to notify the MN that the SPR is available at the UE. Alternative embodiments and variations may include, for example, UE-related signaling such as S-node-modification-needed, or the addition of a UE identifier, or inter-node signaling in which the MN forwards the SPR to the SN along with the UE identifier. Figure 5 shows a possible method embodiment 800, including steps from the perspectives of the SN 802, UE 801, and MN 803.

[0053] One embodiment under method 800 includes steps performed by a network node acting as SN 802 for a UE 801 in dual connectivity operation. Step 810 is receiving SPR availability information from the UE. Step 820 is notifying the MN that SPR is available at the UE. Optional step 830 is receiving the SPR from the MN.

[0054] Another embodiment under method 800 may include steps performed by a network node acting as an MN for a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 840 is to receive an indication from the SN that an SPR is available at the UE. Step 850 is to fetch the SPR from the UE. Step 860 is to analyze the received SPR and detect that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the SN. Step 870 is to forward the SPR to the SN.

[0055] Another embodiment under method 800 may include steps performed by a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 880 is to provide SPR availability information to the SN. Optional step 890 may be to send the SPR to the MN in response to an MN request / retrieval.

[0056] Steps 810 / 880 can take various embodiments or variations. In one embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in the RRCReconfigurationComplete message. In some variations, the RRCReconfigurationMessage can be sent directly from the UE to the SN (via SRB3), or the RRCReconfigurationMessage can be sent in an S-Node Reconfiguration Complete message from the MN to the SN via the MN (if received by the MN via SRB1).

[0057] Steps 820 / 840 can take various embodiments or variations. The SPR availability notification / indication can take multiple forms. In one embodiment, the SPR availability indication is included in an S-Node Modification Required message. In an alternative embodiment, the SPR availability indication is included in an Access and Mobility Indication message along with an identifier that uniquely identifies the UE for which SPR is available. In another alternative embodiment, the SPR availability indication is included in a new XnAP message (e.g., SON Report Availability) sent to the MN. In another embodiment, the SN requests the MN to collect SPRs for a list of UEs that have SPRs. The SN includes a list of UE identifiers in the request to the MN.

[0058] Steps 830 / 870 may take various embodiments or variations. In one embodiment, the SPR is included in an S-node modification confirmation message. In an alternative embodiment, the SPR is included in an access and mobility indication message together with an identifier that uniquely identifies the UE that generated the SPR.

[0059] Step 860 can take various embodiments or variations. In one embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be transferred to the SN is represented by information that a PSCell change has been triggered by the SN, and this information is included in the SPR itself. In another embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be transferred to the SN is represented by one or more triggers included in the SPR, and these triggers are set by the SN prior to SPR generation.

[0060] An example of a possible implementation of the method 800 in TS38.423 is shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 shows an embodiment of an access and mobility indication 1000. This message is sent by NG-RAN node 1 to NG-RAN node 2 to transfer access and mobility related information. The direction is from NG-RAN node 1 to NG-RAN node 2.

[0061] MN fetches SPR (SN-initiated PSCell change) Another embodiment may include the MN fetching the SPR and sending the SPR to the SN if necessary, where the PSCell change was SN-initiated. Such an embodiment may include the MN focusing on analyzing the SPR to determine whether the SPR needs to be forwarded by analyzing triggers included in the SPR. Figure 7 shows a possible method embodiment 1200, including steps from the perspectives of the SN 1202, the UE 1201, and the MN 1203.

[0062] One embodiment under method 1200 includes steps performed by a network node acting as a master node (MN) for a UE in dual connectivity operation. Step 1210 is to receive SPR availability information from the UE. Step 1220 is to fetch the SPR from the UE. Step 1230 is to analyze the received SPR and detect that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the SN. Step 1240 is to forward the SPR to the SN.

[0063] Another embodiment under method 1200 includes steps performed by a network node acting as an SN: Step 1250 is to receive an SPR from the MN.

[0064] Another embodiment under method 1200 includes steps performed by the UE. Step 1280 is to provide / notify the MN of SPR availability. Optional step 1290 is to respond to the fetch of the SPR by the MN or to send the SPR to the MN.

[0065] Steps 1210 / 1280 may include different embodiments or variations. In one embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in an RRCReconfigurationComplete message. The RRCReconfigurationMessage may be sent directly from the UE to the MN (via SRB1). In another embodiment, the SPR information availability is included in an RRC message, for example, a UEInformationTransferMRDC message. The UEInformationTransferMRDC may be sent directly from the UE to the MN (via SRB1).

[0066] Step 1230 may include different embodiments or variations. In one embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the SN is represented by information that a PSCell change has been triggered by the SN, which information is included in the SPR itself. In another embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the SN is represented by one or more triggers included in the SPR, which triggers are set by the SN prior to SPR generation. In another embodiment, the information that the SPR needs to be forwarded to the SN is represented by a flag that triggers the MN to send the SPR to the SN upon receipt of the SPR via SRB1.

[0067] Steps 1240 / 1250 may include different embodiments or variations. In one embodiment, UE-related signaling is used, such as a new UE-related XnAP message, an XnAP S-Node Modification Request message, or an XnAP RRC Transfer message. In other embodiments, a non-UE-related message is used, such as an XnAP Access and Mobility Indication message, or a new non-UE-related message.

[0068] Additional Embodiments A possible method embodiment under the present disclosure is shown in Figure 8. Method 1400 includes a method implemented by a UE for indicating SPR availability. Step 1410 is providing SPR availability information to a network node. Method 1400 also optionally includes step 1420, transmitting the SPR to the network node. Method 1400 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps.

[0069] Another possible embodiment of a method under the present disclosure is shown in Figure 9. Method 1600 is a method performed by a first network node for transmitting an SPR. Step 1610 is receiving SPR availability information from a UE. Step 1620 is fetching the SPR from the UE. Step 1630 is analyzing the received SPR and determining that the SPR needs to be forwarded to a second network node. Method 1600 further optionally includes step 1640, transmitting the SPR to the second network node. Method 1600 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps.

[0070] A further possible embodiment under the present disclosure is shown in Figure 10. Method 1800 includes a method performed by a first network node for indicating availability of SPR. Step 1810 is receiving SPR availability information from the UE. Step 1820 is sending an indication to a second network node that SPR is available at the UE. Method 1800 may optionally further include step 1830, receiving SPR from the second network node. Method 1800 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps.

[0071] A further embodiment under the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 11. Method 2000 includes a method implemented by a first network node for receiving an SPR. Step 2010 is receiving an indication from a second network node that an SPR is available at the UE. Step 2020 is fetching the SPR from the UE. Step 2030 is analyzing the fetched SPR and detecting whether the SPR should be sent to the second network node. Method 2000 may optionally further include step 2040, transmitting the SPR to the second network node. Method 2000 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps. One or more reselection priorities may be included.

[0072] 12 illustrates an example of a communications system 2100 according to some embodiments. In this example, the communications system 2100 includes a communications network 2102 including an access network 2104, such as a RAN, and a core network 2106 including one or more core network nodes 2108. The access network 2104 includes one or more access network nodes (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2110), such as network nodes 2110a and 2110b, or any other similar Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP access points. The network nodes 2110 facilitate direct or indirect connectivity of UEs 2112a, 2112b, 2112c, and 2112d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2112) to the core network 2106 over one or more wireless connections.

[0073] Exemplary wireless communication over a wireless connection includes sending and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, communication system 1100 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in communication of data and / or signals, whether via wired or wireless connections. Communication system 2100 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, wireless network, and / or other similar type systems.

[0074] The UE 2112 may be any of a wide variety of communications devices, including a wireless device configured, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network node 2110 and other communications devices. Similarly, the network node 2110 is configured, capable of, configured, and / or operable to communicate, directly or indirectly, with the UE 2112 and / or with other network nodes or equipment in the communications network 2102 to enable and / or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and / or to perform other functions, such as administration, in the communications network 2102.

[0075] In the illustrated example, the core network 2106 connects the network node 2110 to one or more hosts, such as the host 2116. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, the network node may be directly coupled to the host. The core network 2106 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., the core network node 2108) structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, and therefore, those descriptions are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 2108. Exemplary core network nodes include one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a Session Management Function (SMF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a Subscription Identifier De-concealing Function (SIDF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), a Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), a Network Publishing Function (NEF), and / or a User Plane Function (UPF).

[0076] The host 2116 may be owned or under the control of, and operated by or on behalf of, a service provider other than the operator or provider of the access network 2104 and / or the communications network 2102. The host 2116 may host various applications to provide one or more services. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data about various ambient conditions detected by multiple UEs, analytics functions, social media, functions for controlling or possibly interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

[0077] 12 enables connectivity between UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as a particular standard, including, but not limited to, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G), a wireless local area network (WLAN) standard such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (WiFi), and / or any other suitable wireless communication standard, such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communications (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any low power wide area network (LPWAN) standard such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0078] In some examples, the communication network 2102 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Thus, the communication network 2102 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to the communication network 2102. For example, the communication network 2102 may provide Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs and / or providing Massive Machine-Based Communications (mMTC) / Massive IoT services to still further UEs.

[0079] In some examples, the UE 2112 is configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, the UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 2104 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to a request from the access network 2104. Furthermore, the UE may be configured to operate in a single or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, the UE may operate in any one or a combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Enhanced UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio-Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0080] In this example, the hub 2114 communicates with the access network 2104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UEs 2112c and / or 2112d) and a network node (e.g., network node 2110b). In some examples, the hub 2114 may be a controller, a router, a content source, and content analysis, or any of the other communication devices described herein with respect to UEs. For example, the hub 2114 may be a broadband router that enables access to the core network 2106 for the UE. As another example, the hub 2114 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UE. The commands or instructions may be received from the UE, the network node 2110, or may be due to executable code, scripts, processes, or other instructions in the hub 2114. As another example, the hub 2114 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 2114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker, or other media distribution device, the hub 2114 may retrieve, via a network node, VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information, which the hub 2114 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In yet another example, the hub 2114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, particularly in the case where one or more of the UEs are low-energy IoT devices.

[0081] The hub 2114 may have a constant / permanent or intermittent connection to the network node 2110b. The hub 2114 may also enable different communication schemes and / or schedules between the hub 2114 and the UEs (e.g., UEs 2112c and / or 2112d) and between the hub 2114 and the core network 2106. In other examples, the hub 2114 is connected to the core network 2106 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 2114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 1104 and / or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, a UE may establish a wireless connection with the network node 2110 while still connected via a wired or wireless connection through the hub 2114. In some embodiments, the hub 2114 may be a dedicated hub, i.e., a hub whose primary function is to route communications from / to the UE to / from the network node 2110b. In other embodiments, the hub 2114 may be a non-dedicated hub, i.e., a device that is capable of operating to route communications between the UE and the network node 2110b, but that is further capable of operating as a communication initiation and / or termination point for some data channels.

[0082] 13 illustrates a UE 2200, according to some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable of, set up, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless camera, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a tablet, a laptop computer, a laptop embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer premises equipment (CPE), a vehicle-mounted or vehicle-embedded / integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UE, a Machine Type Communications (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

[0083] A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communications, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for sidelink communications, dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE does not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates an associated device. Instead, a UE may represent a device (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller) that is intended for sale to or operation by a human user, but may not be associated with or initially associated with a particular human user. Alternatively, a UE may represent a device (e.g., a smart power meter) that is not intended for sale to or operation by an end user, but may be associated with or operated for the user's benefit.

[0084] The UE 2200 includes a processing circuit 2202 operably coupled to an input / output interface 2206, a power source 2208, a memory 2210, a communication interface 2212, and / or any other components, or any combination thereof, via a bus 2204. Some UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in FIG. 10. The level of integration between components may vary from UE to UE. Additionally, some UEs may include multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0085] The processing circuit 2202 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operable to execute instructions stored in memory 2210 as a machine-readable computer program. The processing circuit 2202 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.), programmable logic together with appropriate firmware, one or more stored computer programs such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) together with appropriate software, a general-purpose processor, or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuit 2202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0086] In this example, the input / output interface 2206 may be configured to provide one or more interfaces to an input device, an output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smart card, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 2200. Examples of input devices include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a webcam, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smart card, etc. A presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor for detecting input from a user. The sensor may be, for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, a light sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as the input device. For example, a universal serial bus (USB) port may be used to accommodate input and output devices.

[0087] In some embodiments, the power source 2208 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources may be used, such as an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a battery. The power source 2208 may further include power circuitry for delivering power to various portions of the UE 2200 from the power source 2208 itself and / or from an external power source via an input circuit or an interface such as a power cable. Delivering power may be for charging the power source 2208, for example. The power circuitry may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modification on the power from the power source 2208 to make it suitable for the respective component of the UE 2200 being powered.

[0088] The memory 2210 may be or be configured to include memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disk, optical disk, hard disk, removable cartridge, flash drive, etc. In one example, the memory 2210 includes one or more application programs 2214, such as an operating system, a web browser application, a widget, a gadget engine, or other applications, and corresponding data 2216. The memory 2210 may store any of a variety of different operating systems or combinations of operating systems for use by the UE 2200.

[0089] The memory 2210 may be configured to include several physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard disk drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, an internal hard disk drive, a Blu-ray optical disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), an external micro-DIMM SDRAM, a smart card memory such as a tamper-resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and / or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC, commonly known as a "SIM card." The memory 2210 may enable the UE 2200 to access, offload, or upload data, instructions, application programs, etc. stored on a temporary or non-transitory memory medium. An article of manufacture, such as an article of manufacture utilizing a communication system, may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 2210, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

[0090] The processing circuit 2202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other networks using a communication interface 2212. The communication interface 2212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2222. The communication interface 2212 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or network node in the access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2218 and / or a receiver 2220 suitable for providing network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). Moreover, the transmitter 2218 and receiver 2220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2222) and may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or may alternatively be implemented separately.

[0091] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication capabilities of communication interface 2212 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location, another similar communication capability, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in accordance with one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.

[0092] Regardless of the type of sensor, the UE may provide an output of data captured by the UE's sensors to a network node via a wireless connection through the UE's communications interface 2212. Data captured by the UE's sensors may be communicated to a network node via another UE over a wireless connection. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes when reporting sensed temperature), in response to a triggering event (e.g., an alert is sent when humidity is detected), in response to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0093] As another example, the UE may include an actuator, motor, or switch associated with a communications interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input, the state of the actuator, motor, or switch may change. For example, the UE may include a motor that adjusts a control surface or rotor of a drone in flight according to the received input, or a robotic arm that performs a medical procedure according to the received input.

[0094] When in the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the UE may be a device for use in one or more application areas, including, but not limited to, urban wearable technology, augmented industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices are devices that are or are embedded in a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an energy meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice-controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, a water / humidity sensor, an electric door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system such as a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), a wearable for haptic augmentation or sensory augmentation, a water sprinkler, an animal or product tracking device, a sensor for monitoring plants or animals, an industrial robot, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and any type of medical device such as a heart rate monitor or a remote-controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an IoT device comprises, in addition to the other components described with respect to UE 2200 shown in FIG. 10, circuitry and / or software depending on the intended application of the IoT device.

[0095] As yet another particular example, in an IoT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements and transmits results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or network node. The UE, in this case, may be an M2M device, which may be referred to as an MTC device in a 3GPP context. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, bus, truck, ship, and airplane, or other equipment capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operating status or other functions related to its operation.

[0096] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together for a single use case. For example, a first UE may be a drone or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone's speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller that operates the drone. When a user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust a throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone's speed. The first and / or second UE may also include two or more of the functions described above. For example, a UE may include a sensor and an actuator and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuator.

[0097] 14 illustrates a network node 3300 according to some embodiments. As used herein, a network node refers to a device capable of, set up, configured, and / or operable to communicate, directly or indirectly, with UEs and / or other network nodes or devices in a communication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., wireless access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and NR Node Bs (gNBs)).

[0098] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated another way, their transmit power level) and may therefore be referred to as femto, pico, micro, or macro base stations depending on the amount of coverage provided. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node that controls a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU), sometimes referred to as a remote radio head (RRH). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna, as in an antenna-integrated radio. Portions of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0099] Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, MSR equipment such as a multi-standard radio (MSR) BS, a network controller such as a radio network controller (RNC) or base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a transmission point, a transmitting node, a multi-cell / multicast coordination entity (MCE), an operation and maintenance (O&M) node, an operation support system (OSS) node, a self-organizing network (SON) node, a positioning node (e.g., an evolved serving mobile location center (E-SMLC)), and / or a minimization of drive test (MDT).

[0100] The network node 3300 includes a processing circuit 3302, a memory 3304, a communication interface 3306, and a power source 3308. The network node 3300 may be assembled from multiple physically separate components (e.g., a Node B component and an RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In some scenarios in which the network node 3300 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., a BTS component and a BSC component), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple Node Bs. In such scenarios, each unique Node B and RNC pair may, in some instances, be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 3300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 3304 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 3310 may be shared by different RATs). Network node 3300 may also include multiple sets of the various shown components for different wireless technologies, e.g., GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, radio frequency identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies, integrated into network node 1300. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or sets of chips and other components within network node 1300.

[0101] The processing circuit 3302 may comprise one or more combinations of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or coded logic operable to provide the network node 3300 functionality, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 3300 components such as memory 3304.

[0102] In some embodiments, the processing circuit 3302 comprises a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuit 3302 includes one or more of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuit 3312 and a baseband processing circuit 3314. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuit 3312 and the baseband processing circuit 3314 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units such as a radio unit and a digital unit. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the RF transceiver circuit 3312 and the baseband processing circuit 3314 may be on the same chip or set of chips, board, or unit.

[0103] The memory 3304 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including, but not limited to, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drive, compact disc (CD) or digital video disc (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by the processing circuit 3302. The memory 3304 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including applications including one or more of computer programs, software, logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions that can be executed by the processing circuit 3302 and utilized by the network node 3300. The memory 3304 may be used to store computations performed by the processing circuit 3302 and / or data received via the communications interface 3306. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 3302 and the memory 3304 are integrated.

[0104] The communications interface 3306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As shown, the communications interface 3306 comprises port(s) / terminal(s) 3316 for sending and receiving data to and from a network, e.g., over a wired connection. The communications interface 3306 also includes radio front-end circuitry 3318, which is coupled to an antenna 3310 or, in some embodiments, may be part of the antenna 3310. The radio front-end circuitry 3318 comprises a filter 3320 and an amplifier 3322. The radio front-end circuitry 3318 may be connected to the antenna 3310 and the processing circuit 3302. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna 3310 and the processing circuit 3302. The radio front-end circuitry 3318 may receive digital data to be sent to another network node or UE via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 3318 may convert the digital data into radio signals having appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 3320 and / or amplifiers 3322. The radio signals may then be transmitted via the antenna 3310. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 3310 may collect the radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 3318. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 3302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0105] In some alternative embodiments, the network node 3300 does not include a separate radio front-end circuit 3318; instead, the processing circuit 3302 includes the radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 3310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or a portion of the RF transceiver circuitry 3312 is part of the communications interface 3306. In still other embodiments, the communications interface 3306 includes one or more ports or terminals 3316, the radio front-end circuitry 3318, and the RF transceiver circuitry 3312 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communications interface 3306 communicates with baseband processing circuitry 3314 that is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0106] The antenna 3310 may include one or more antennas or an antenna array configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. The antenna 3310 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 3318 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, the antenna 3310 is separate from the network node 3300 and connectable to the network node 3300 through an interface or port.

[0107] The antenna 3310, the communication interface 3306, and / or the processing circuit 3302 may be configured to perform any receiving operation and / or some obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from a UE, another network node, and / or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 3310, the communication interface 3306, and / or the processing circuit 3302 may be configured to perform any transmitting operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node, and / or any other network equipment.

[0108] The power supply 3308 provides power to the various components of the network node 3300 in a form suitable for each component (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required for each respective component). The power supply 3308 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry for supplying power to the components of the network node 3300 for performing the functions described herein. For example, the network node 3300 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., a power grid, an electrical outlet) via an input circuit or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source provides power to the power circuitry of the power supply 3308. As a further example, the power supply 3308 may comprise a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack connected to or integrated in the power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power in the event that the external power source fails.

[0109] 14 to provide certain aspects of the network node's functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and / or functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 3300 may include user interface devices to enable input of information into the network node 3300 and output of information from the network node 3300. This may enable a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 3300.

[0110] 15 is a block diagram of a host 4400, which may be an embodiment of the host 2116 of FIG. 12, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 4400 may be or comprise various combinations of hardware and / or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, a container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 4400 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0111] The host 4400 includes a processing circuit 4402 operably coupled to an input / output interface 4406, a network interface 4408, a power supply 4410, and a memory 4412 via a bus 4404. In other embodiments, other components may be included. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 13 and 14, and therefore those descriptions are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 4400.

[0112] The memory 4412 may include one or more computer programs, including one or more host application programs 4414 and data 4416, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by the UE for the host 4400 or data generated by the host 4400 for the UE. An embodiment of the host 4400 may utilize only a subset or all of the shown components. The host application programs 4414 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UE (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host application program 4414 may also provide user authentication and license checks, and may periodically report health, route, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in the core network or a device on the edge of the core network. Thus, the host 4400 may select and / or direct different hosts for over-the-top services for the UE. The host application program 4414 may support various protocols, such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0113] FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 5500 in which functionality implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In this context, virtualizing means creating a virtual version of an apparatus or device, which may include virtualizing a hardware platform, storage devices, and networking resources. Virtualization, as used herein, may apply to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to implementations in which at least a portion of functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functionality described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 5500 hosted by one or more of the hardware nodes, such as a network node, a UE, a core network node, or a hardware computing device acting as a host. Furthermore, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require wireless connectivity (e.g., to a core network node or host), the node may be fully virtualized.

[0114] An application 5502 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, a virtual appliance, a network function, a virtual node, a virtual network function, etc.) is run in the virtualized environment 5500 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0115] The hardware 5504 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices described herein, such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, etc. Software is executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 5506 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 5508a and 5508b (one or more of which may be referred to generically as VMs 5508), and / or implement any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described with respect to some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 5506 may present to the VMs 5508 a virtual operating platform that appears to be networking hardware.

[0116] The VMs 5508 may comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces, and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 5506. Different embodiments of the virtual appliance 5502 instance may be implemented on one or more of the VMs 5508, and the implementation may be done in different ways. Hardware virtualization is referred to in some contexts as network functions virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry-standard high-volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which may be located in data centers and customer premises equipment.

[0117] In the context of NFV, a VM 5508 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if those programs were running on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each VM 5508 and the portion of the hardware 5504 on which it runs, whether hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with other VMs, form a separate virtual network element. Further, in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling a particular network function running in one or more VMs 5508 on the hardware 5504 and corresponds to the application 5502.

[0118] The hardware 5504 may be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. The hardware 5504 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, the hardware 5504 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g., as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes cooperate and are managed via a management and orchestration 5510 that, among other things, oversees the lifecycle management of the application 5502. In some embodiments, the hardware 5504 is coupled to one or more radio units, each including one or more transmitters and one or more receivers, which may be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with virtual components to provide a virtual node with wireless capabilities, such as a wireless access node or base station. In some embodiments, some signaling may be provided using a control system 5512, which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes and the radio units.

[0119] 17 shows a communication diagram of a host 6602 communicating with a UE 6606 via a network node 6604 over a partial wireless connection, according to some embodiments. Exemplary implementations according to various embodiments of a UE (such as the UE 2112a of FIG. 12 and / or the UE 2200 of FIG. 13), a network node (such as the network node 2110a of FIG. 12 and / or the network node 3300 of FIG. 14), and a host (such as the host 2116 of FIG. 12 and / or the host 4400 of FIG. 15) described in the previous paragraphs will now be described with reference to FIG. 17.

[0120] Similar to the host 4400, an embodiment of the host 6602 includes hardware such as a communications interface, processing circuitry, and memory. The host 6602 also includes software stored on or accessible by the host 6602 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that may be operable to provide services to a remote user, such as a UE 6606 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 6650 extending between the UE 6606 and the host 6602. In providing services to the remote user, the host application may provide user data that is transmitted using the OTT connection 6650.

[0121] The network node 6604 includes hardware that enables the network node 6604 to communicate with the host 6602 and the UE 6606. The connection 6660 may be direct or may pass through one or more other intermediate networks, such as a core network (similar to the core network 2106 of FIG. 12 ) and / or one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, the intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0122] The UE 6606 includes hardware and software stored on or accessible by the UE 6606 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or operator-specific "app," which, with the support of the host 6602, may be operable to provide services to a human or non-human user via the UE 6606. An executing host application on the host 6602 may communicate with an executing client application via an OTT connection 6650 that terminates at the UE 6606 and the host 6602. In providing services to the user, the UE's client application may receive request data from the host application on the host and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 6650 may transfer both request data and user data. The UE's client application may interact with the user to generate user data that the UE's client application provides to the host application through the OTT connection 6650.

[0123] The OTT connection 6650 may extend via a connection 6660 between the host 6602 and a network node 6604 and via a wireless connection 6670 between the network node 6604 and the UE 6606 to provide connectivity between the host 6602 and the UE 6606. The connections 6660 and wireless connections 6670 over which the OTT connection 6650 may be provided are depicted abstractly to show communication between the host 6602 and the UE 6606 via the network node 6604, without explicit reference to intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages through these devices.

[0124] As an example of transmitting data over the OTT connection 6650, in step 6608, the host 6602 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with the UE 6606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with the UE 6606 sharing data with the host 6602 without explicit human interaction. In step 6610, the host 6602 initiates a transmission carrying the user data toward the UE 6606. The host 6602 may initiate the transmission in response to a request sent by the UE 6606. The request may be caused by human interaction with the UE 6606 or by the operation of a client application executing on the UE 6606. The transmission may proceed via the network node 6604 in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Thus, in step 6612, the network node 6604 transmits the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the host 6602 to the UE 6606, in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 6614, the UE 6606 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executing on the UE 6606 associated with the host application executed by the host 6602.

[0125] In some examples, the UE 6606 executes a client application that provides user data to the host 6602. The user data may be provided in reaction or response to data received from the host 6602. Thus, in step 6616, the UE 6606 may provide the user data, which may be performed by executing the client application. In providing the user data, the client application may further consider user input received from a user via an input / output interface of the UE 6606. Regardless of the particular manner in which the user data is provided, the UE 6606 initiates transmission of the user data towards the host 6602 via the network node 6604 in step 6618. In step 6620, the network node 6604 receives the user data from the UE 6606 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards the host 6602, in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 6622, the host 6602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the UE 6606.

[0126] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of the OTT service provided to the UE 6606 using the OTT connection 6650, of which the wireless connection 6670 forms the final segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve data rate, latency, and / or power consumption, thereby providing benefits such as reduced user latency, relaxed restrictions on file size, improved content resolution, increased responsiveness, and / or extended battery life.

[0127] In an example scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by the host 6602. As another example, the host 6602 may process audio and video data that may have been retrieved from UEs for use in creating maps. As another example, the host 6602 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicular congestion (e.g., controlling traffic signals). As another example, the host 6602 may store surveillance video uploaded by UEs. As another example, the host 6602 may store or control access to media content, such as video, audio, VR or AR, that the host 6602 may broadcast, multicast, or unicast to UEs. As other examples, the host 6602 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time-critical electrical loads to balance power generation needs, location services, presentation services (such as compiling diagrams, etc. from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing, and / or transmitting data.

[0128] In some examples, measurement procedures may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rates, latency, and other factors that one or more embodiments improve upon. There may further be optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 6650 between the host 6602 and the UE 6606 in response to fluctuations in the measurement results. The measurement procedures and / or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 6602 and / or the UE 6606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 6650 passes, and the sensors may participate in the measurement procedures by providing values ​​of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or other physical quantities from which software may calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 6650 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc., and the reconfiguration need not directly change the operation of the network node 6604. Such procedures and functionality may be known and practiced in the art. In some embodiments, the measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements by the host 6602 of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. The measurements may be implemented in software causing messages, particularly empty or "dummy" messages, to be sent using the OTT connection 6650 while monitoring propagation time, errors, etc.

[0129] While the computing devices (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) described herein may include the depicted combinations of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It should be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The determining, calculating, obtaining, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, transforming the obtained information to other information, comparing the obtained or transformed information to information stored in a network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained or transformed information and as a result of the processing making a decision. Moreover, while a component is illustrated as a single box located within a larger box or nested within multiple boxes, in reality the computing device may comprise multiple different physical components that make up the single depicted component, and functionality may be partitioned among the separate components. For example, a communications interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of those components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communications interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functionality of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware, and computationally intensive functionality may be implemented in hardware.

[0130] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by a processing circuit executing instructions stored in a memory, which in some embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuit without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hardwired manner. In any of these particular embodiments, the processing circuit may be configured to perform the described functionality, regardless of whether or not it executes instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuit alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole and / or by end users and wireless networks generally.

[0131] It will be appreciated that computer systems take an increasingly wide variety of forms. In this description and in the claims, the terms “controller,” “computer system,” or “computing system” are broadly defined to include any device or system, or combination thereof, that includes at least one physical and tangible processor and physical and tangible memory capable of having computer-executable instructions thereon that can be executed by the processor. By way of example and not limitation, the term “computer system” or “computing system,” as used herein, is intended to include devices not traditionally considered computing systems, such as personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, handheld devices (e.g., cell phones, PDAs, pagers), microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, multiprocessor systems, network PCs, distributed computing systems, data centers, message processors, routers, switches, and even wearables (e.g., eyeglasses).

[0132] A computing system also has multiple structures thereon that are often referred to as “executable components.” For example, a computing system's memory can include executable components. The term “executable component” is a name for a structure well understood by those skilled in the art of computing as being a structure that may be software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, when implemented in software, those skilled in the art will understand that the structure of an executable component may include software objects, routines, methods, etc. that can be executed by one or more processors on a computing system, regardless of whether such executable component resides in the computing system's heap or whether the executable component resides on a computer-readable storage medium. The structure of an executable component resides on a computer-readable medium in a form that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, is operable to cause the computing system to perform one or more functions, such as the functions and methods described herein. Such a structure may be directly computer-readable by a processor, such as when the executable component is binary. Alternatively, the structure may be structured to be interpretable and / or compiled, whether in a single step or multiple steps, to generate a binary that is directly interpretable by a processor.

[0133] Terms such as "component," "service," "engine," "module," "control," "generator," etc. may also be used in this description. These terms, as used in this description and in the present case, whether expressed with or without a modifying clause, are also intended to be synonymous with the term "executable component," and thus have the same structure well understood by those of ordinary skill in the computing arts.

[0134] With respect to computer implementations, a computer will generally be understood to include one or more processors or one or more controllers, and the terms computer, processor, and controller may be employed interchangeably. When provided by a computer, processor, or controller, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated computer or processor or controller, by a single shared computer or processor or controller, or by multiple individual computers or processors or controllers, some of which may be shared or distributed. Moreover, the term "processor" or "controller" may refer to other hardware capable of performing such functions and / or running software, such as the exemplary hardware recited above.

[0135] In general, various exemplary embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special-purpose chips, circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects may be implemented in hardware, and other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software that may be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device, although the present disclosure is not limited thereto. While various aspects of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be shown or described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other graphical representation, it should be appreciated that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may be implemented in, by way of non-limiting example, hardware, software, firmware, special-purpose circuits or logic, general-purpose hardware or controller or other computing device, or some combination thereof.

[0136] Although not all computing systems require a user interface, in some embodiments, a computing system includes a user interface for use in communicating information to and from a user. A user interface may include output mechanisms as well as input mechanisms. The principles described herein are not limited to the exact output or input mechanism and thus depend on the nature of the device. However, output mechanisms may include, for example, speakers, displays, haptic output, projections, holograms, etc. Examples of input mechanisms may include, for example, microphones, touchscreens, projections, holograms, cameras, keyboards, styluses, mouse or other pointer inputs, any type of sensor, etc.

[0137] Abbreviations and Specific Terms To aid in understanding the scope and content of the specification and appended claims, certain selected terms are defined directly below. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0138] As used herein, the terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" refer to an amount or condition that is close to a particular stated amount or condition that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" can refer to an amount or condition that deviates from the specifically stated amount or condition by less than 10%, or by less than 5%, or by less than 1%, or by less than 0.1%, or by less than 0.01%.

[0139] Various aspects of the present disclosure, including devices, systems, and methods, may be presented with reference to one or more embodiments or implementations that are exemplary in nature. As used herein, the term "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments disclosed herein. Furthermore, reference to an "implementation" of the present disclosure or an embodiment includes specific reference to one or more embodiments thereof, and vice versa, and is intended to provide illustrative examples without limiting the scope of the disclosure, which is dictated by the appended claims rather than by this specification.

[0140] As used herein, words appearing in the singular include their plural equivalents, and words appearing in the plural include their singular equivalents, unless implicitly or explicitly understood or stated otherwise. Accordingly, it should be noted that, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, a reference to a singular referent (e.g., "a widget") includes one, two, or more referents, unless implicitly or explicitly understood or stated otherwise. Similarly, a reference to a plural referent should be construed as including a single referent and / or multiple referents, unless the content and / or context clearly dictate otherwise. For example, a reference to a plural referent (e.g., "widgets") does not necessarily require a plurality of such referents. Instead, unless otherwise stated, it will be appreciated that one or more referents are contemplated herein regardless of the inferred number of referents.

[0141] References herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," etc. indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described with respect to an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic with respect to other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0142] Although terms such as "first" and "second" may be used herein to describe various elements, it will be understood that these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms.

[0143] It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "has," "having," "includes," and / or "including," as used herein, specify the presence of stated features, elements, and / or components, etc., but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0144] conclusion The present disclosure includes either any novel feature or combination of features explicitly disclosed herein or any generalization thereof. Various modifications and adaptations to the above exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, any and all modifications will still fall within the scope of the non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0145] It should be understood that for a given component or embodiment described herein, any of the possible candidates or alternatives listed for that component may generally be used individually or in combination with one another, unless otherwise understood or stated, either implicitly or explicitly. It will further be understood that the listing of such candidates or alternatives is exemplary only and not limiting, unless otherwise understood or stated, either implicitly or explicitly.

[0146] Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, numbers expressing quantities, components, distances, or other measurements used in the specification and claims should be understood to be modified by the term "about" as that term is defined herein. Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and appended claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained by the subject matter presented herein. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the subject matter presented herein are approximations, the numerical values ​​set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. However, any numerical value inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements.

[0147] Any headings and subheadings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present specification or the claims. The terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms of description, not terms of limitation, and the use of such terms and expressions is not intended to exclude equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, and it should be recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, although the present disclosure has been specifically disclosed in part by certain embodiments and optional features, it should be understood that modifications and variations of the concepts disclosed herein may be employed by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and variations are deemed to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0148] It will also be appreciated that systems, devices, articles of manufacture, kits, methods, and / or processes according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include, incorporate, or otherwise comprise properties or features (e.g., components, members, elements, parts, and / or portions) described in other embodiments disclosed and / or described herein. Accordingly, various features of some embodiments may be compatible with, combinable with, included in, and / or incorporated into other embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure of some features for a particular embodiment of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the application or inclusion of said features to the particular embodiment. Rather, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can also include said features, members, elements, parts, and / or portions without necessarily departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0149] Moreover, unless a feature is described as requiring another feature in combination with it, any feature herein may be combined with any other feature of the same or different embodiments disclosed herein. Moreover, various well-known aspects of example systems, methods, apparatuses, etc. will not be described in particular detail herein to avoid obscuring aspects of the example embodiments. However, such aspects are also contemplated herein.

[0150] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that methods, devices, device elements, materials, procedures, and techniques other than those specifically described herein can be adapted to the practice of the described embodiments as broadly disclosed herein without resort to undue experimentation. All art-known functional equivalents of the methods, devices, device elements, materials, procedures, and techniques specifically described herein are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

[0151] When a group of materials, compositions, components, or compounds is disclosed herein, it is understood that all individual members of that group and all subgroups thereof are separately disclosed. When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of that group, and all possible combinations and subcombinations of that group, are intended to be individually included in the disclosure.

[0152] The above-described embodiments are examples only. Alterations, modifications, and variations of the particular embodiments may be effected by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the description, which is defined solely by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. 1. A method implemented by a user equipment (UE) for indicating availability of a successful Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Report (SPR), the method comprising: Providing SPR availability information to network nodes A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the SPR to the network node.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the network node includes at least one of a secondary node (SN), a master node (MN).

4. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the SPR availability information is included in at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, an Uplink Information Transfer Multiple Radio Access Technology Dual Connectivity (ULInformationTransferMRDC) message, an S-Node Reconfiguration Complete message from a master node to a secondary node, a Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1), or a UE Assistance Information message.

5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a secondary node via Signaling Radio Bearer 3 (SRB3).

6. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a master node via Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1).

7. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the SPR availability information is received by a master node (MN) via signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1), the SPR availability information is sent in an S-node reconfiguration complete message from the MN to a secondary node via the MN.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the SPR availability information configuration from one or more of a master node (MN), a secondary node (SN).

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request to send the SPR availability information.

10. 10. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein the receiving is performed for at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, or a UE Assistance Information message.

11. 1. A method implemented by a first network node for transmitting a successful Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Report (SPR), the method comprising: receiving SPR availability information from a UE; fetching the SPR from the UE; analyzing the received SPR and determining that the SPR needs to be forwarded to a second network node; A method comprising:

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting the SPR to the second network node.

13. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the first network node comprises a master node (MN) and the second network node comprises a secondary node (SN).

14. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the second network node comprises a master node (MN) and the first network node comprises a secondary node (SN).

15. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the SPR availability information is included in at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, an Uplink Information Transfer Multiple Radio Access Technology Dual Connectivity (ULInformationTransferMRDC) message, an S-Node Reconfiguration Complete message from a master node to a secondary node, a Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1), or a UE Assistance Information message.

16. 16. The method of any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein the SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a secondary node via Signaling Radio Bearer 3 (SRB3).

17. 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a master node via Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1).

18. 18. The method according to claim 11, wherein if the SPR availability information is received by a master node (MN) via signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1), the SPR availability information is sent in an S-node reconfiguration complete message from the MN to a secondary node via the MN.

19. 19. The method of claim 11, wherein the UE receives the SPR availability information configuration from one or more of a Master Node (MN), a Secondary Node (SN).

20. 20. The method of claim 11, wherein the UE receives a request to send the SPR availability information.

21. 21. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein the receiving by the UE is performed for at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, or a UE Assistance Information message.

22. 1. A method implemented by a first network node for indicating availability of a successful Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Report (SPR), the method comprising: receiving SPR availability information from a UE; sending an indication to a second network node that the SPR is available at the UE; A method comprising:

23. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving the SPR from the second network node.

24. 24. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein the first network node comprises a master node (MN) and the second network node comprises a secondary node (SN).

25. 24. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein the second network node comprises a master node (MN) and the first network node comprises a secondary node (SN).

26. 26. The method of claim 22, wherein the SPR availability information is included in at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, an Uplink Information Transfer Multiple Radio Access Technology Dual Connectivity (ULInformationTransferMRDC) message, an S-Node Reconfiguration Complete message from a master node to a secondary node, a Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1), or a UE Assistance Information message.

27. 27. The method of any one of claims 22 to 26, wherein the SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a secondary node via Signaling Radio Bearer 3 (SRB3).

28. 27. The method of any one of claims 22 to 26, wherein the SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a master node via Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1).

29. 27. The method of claim 22, wherein if the SPR availability information is received by a master node (MN) via signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1), the SPR availability information is sent in an S-node reconfiguration complete message from the MN to a secondary node via the MN.

30. 30. The method of any one of claims 22 to 29, wherein the UE receives the SPR availability information configuration from one or more of a Master Node (MN), a Secondary Node (SN).

31. 31. The method of any one of claims 22 to 30, wherein the UE receives a request to send the SPR availability information.

32. 32. The method of claim 30 or 31, wherein the receiving by the UE is performed for at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, or a UE Assistance Information message.

33. 1. A method implemented by a first network node for receiving a successful Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Report (SPR), the method comprising: receiving an indication from a second network node that SPR is available at a user equipment (UE); fetching the SPR from the UE; analyzing the fetched SPR to detect whether the SPR should be sent to the second network node; A method comprising:

34. 34. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting the SPR to the second network node.

35. 35. The method of claim 33 or 34, wherein the first network node comprises a master node (MN) and the second network node comprises a secondary node (SN).

36. 35. The method of claim 33 or 34, wherein the second network node comprises a master node (MN) and the first network node comprises a secondary node (SN).

37. 37. The method of claim 33, wherein the SPR availability information is included in at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, an Uplink Information Transfer Multiple Radio Access Technology Dual Connectivity (ULInformationTransferMRDC) message, an S-Node Reconfiguration Complete message from the master node to the secondary node, a Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1), or a UE Assistance Information message.

38. 38. The method of any one of claims 33 to 37, wherein SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a secondary node via Signaling Radio Bearer 3 (SRB3).

39. 39. The method of any one of claims 33 to 38, wherein SPR availability information is sent directly from the UE to a master node via Signaling Radio Bearer 1 (SRB1).

40. 40. The method of any one of claims 33 to 39, wherein if SPR availability information is received by a master node (MN) via signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1), the SPR availability information is sent in an S-node reconfiguration complete message from the MN to a secondary node via the MN.

41. 41. The method of any one of claims 33 to 40, wherein the UE receives configuration of SPR availability information from one or more of a Master Node (MN), a Secondary Node (SN).

42. 42. The method of any one of claims 33 to 41, wherein the UE receives a request to send SPR availability information.

43. 43. The method of claim 41 or 42, wherein the receiving by the UE is performed for at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, or a UE Assistance Information message.

44. 1. A user equipment (UE) for indicating availability of a successful primary secondary cell (PSCell) report (SPR), comprising: a processing circuit configured to perform any of the steps of any one of claims 1 to 10; a power supply circuit configured to supply power to the processing circuit; A user equipment (UE) comprising:

45. 1. A user equipment (UE) for indicating availability of a successful Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Report (SPR), the UE comprising: an antenna configured to transmit and receive radio signals; a radio front-end circuit connected to the antenna and processing circuit and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuit, the radio front-end circuit configured to perform any of the steps of any one of claims 1 to 10; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuit and configured to output information processed by the processing circuit from the UE; a battery connected to the processing circuit and configured to power the UE; A user equipment (UE) comprising:

46. 1. A network node for indicating availability of a successful Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) Report (SPR) or for transmitting said SPR, said network node comprising: a processing circuit configured to perform any of the steps of any one of claims 11 to 43; and a power supply circuit configured to supply power to the processing circuit; A network node comprising:

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