Bandwidth-partial free-sounding reference signals for frequency-hopping positioning

Abstract

The present disclosure includes an apparatus having means for receiving, from a network entity, configuration information for indicating a window that is bandwidth portion free, and means for transmitting, to the network entity, a sounding reference signal with frequency hopping within the indicated window. The present disclosure also includes a method that may include receiving, from the network entity, the configuration information for indicating a window that is bandwidth portion free. The method may also include transmitting, to the network entity, a sounding reference signal with frequency hopping within the indicated window.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Some exemplary embodiments relate generally to mobile or wireless telecommunications systems, such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth-generation (5G) new radio (NR) access technologies, or 5G beyond, or other communications systems. For example, certain exemplary embodiments may relate to apparatus, systems, and / or methods for bandwidth portion (BWP) free-sounding reference signals (SRS) for frequency hopping positioning. [Background technology]

[0002] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunications systems may include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), LTE Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), MultiFire, LTE-A Pro, and / or fifth-generation (5G) radio access technology or NR access technology. 5G wireless systems refer to next-generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. 5G network technology is largely based on new radio (NR) technology, but 5G (or NG) networks can also be built on E-UTRAN radios. NR is estimated to provide bit rates of 10 to 20 Gbit / s or more and support at least enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC). NR is expected to bring extremely wideband, highly robust, low-latency connectivity, and large-scale networking to support the IoT. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Some example embodiments may be directed to a method. The method may include receiving, from a network entity, configuration information for indicating a window in which a bandwidth portion is free. The method may also include transmitting, to the network entity, a frequency-hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window.

[0004] Another example embodiment may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the apparatus to receive, from a network entity, configuration information for indicating a window in which a bandwidth portion is free. The apparatus may also cause the network entity to transmit a sounding reference signal with frequency hopping within the indicated window.

[0005] Another example embodiment may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include means for receiving configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window in which a bandwidth portion is free. The apparatus may also include means for transmitting a frequency hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window to the network entity.

[0006] According to another example embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be encoded with instructions that, when executed on hardware, may implement a method. The method may include receiving configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window in which a bandwidth portion is free. The method may also include transmitting, to the network entity, a frequency-hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window.

[0007] Another example embodiment may be directed to a computer program product embodying a method. The method may include receiving, from a network entity, configuration information for indicating a window in which a bandwidth portion is free. The method may also include transmitting, to the network entity, a frequency-hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window.

[0008] Another example embodiment may be directed to an apparatus that may include circuitry configured to measure radio altimeter signals at the apparatus. The apparatus may also include circuitry configured to receive configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion free. The apparatus may also include circuitry configured to transmit a frequency hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window to the network entity.

[0009] Some example embodiments may be directed to a method. The method may include providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The method may also include receiving from the user equipment a frequency-hopping uplink sounding reference signal transmitted within the indicated window. According to some example embodiments, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0010] Another exemplary embodiment may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the apparatus to provide, to a user equipment, configuration information for indicating at least a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The apparatus may also be caused to receive, from the user equipment, an uplink sounding reference signal with frequency hopping transmitted within the indicated window. According to an exemplary embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0011] Another example embodiment may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include means for providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The apparatus may also include means for receiving from the user equipment an uplink sounding reference signal with frequency hopping transmitted within the indicated window. According to an example embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0012] According to another example embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be encoded with instructions that, when executed on hardware, may implement a method. The method may include providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The method may also include receiving from the user equipment an uplink sounding reference signal with frequency hopping transmitted within the indicated window. According to an example embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0013] Another example embodiment may be directed to a computer program product embodying a method. The method may include providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The method may also include receiving from the user equipment a frequency-hopping uplink sounding reference signal transmitted within the indicated window. According to an example embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0014] Another example embodiment may be directed to an apparatus that may include circuitry configured to provide user equipment with configuration information for indicating a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The apparatus may also include circuitry configured to receive from the user equipment a frequency-hopping uplink sounding reference signal transmitted within the indicated window. According to an example embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0015] For a proper understanding of the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary implementation of RedCap positioning. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary phase alignment for SRS frequency hopping. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary bandwidth-less window (BLW) procedure, according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is an exemplary signaling diagram according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is an exemplary flow diagram of a method according to an example embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is an example flow diagram of another method according to an example embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 1 illustrates a set of devices, according to an example embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] It will be readily understood that the components of an exemplary embodiment, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Following are detailed descriptions of several exemplary embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for bandwidth portion (BWP) free-sounding reference signals (SRS) for frequency hopping positioning.

[0018] The features, structures, or characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, the use of the phrases “an embodiment,” “an exemplary embodiment,” “some embodiments,” or other similar phrases throughout this specification indicates that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of “an embodiment,” “an exemplary embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “another embodiment,” or other similar phrases throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same group of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, throughout this specification, the terms “base station,” “cell,” “node,” “gNB,” “network,” or other similar phrases may be used interchangeably. Furthermore, throughout this specification, the terms “broadcast,” “transmit,” or other similar phrases may be used interchangeably.

[0019] As used herein, "at least one of: " and "at least one of " and similar language, when a list of two or more elements is joined by "and" or "or", means at least any one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements.

[0020] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) technical specifications describe native positioning support in NR and present various positioning solutions, including downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA), uplink time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA), downlink angle of arrival (DL-AoD), uplink angle of arrival (UL-AoA), and multi-cell round trip time (Multi-RTT). Based on the Rel-16 solution, 3GPP has initiated NR positioning enhancement work that focuses on improving accuracy, reducing latency, and improving efficiency (e.g., low complexity, low power consumption, and / or low overhead). Reduced capability (RedCap) devices are being designed and standardized in Rel-17. In Rel-17, RedCap NR devices are designed with a relatively long battery life compared to Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary implementation of RedCap positioning. Specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates a RedCap user equipment (UE) 100 measuring positioning reference signals (PRS) 115 from neighboring transmission / reception points (TRPs) 105 and / or a serving TRP 110 for positioning. According to 3GPP, positioning support for RedCap UEs may take into account evaluation of the positioning performance of existing positioning procedures and measurements using RedCap UEs. Possible enhancements for RedCap UE positioning may include enabling PRS / SRS frequency hopping to increase the effective BW for positioning while keeping the instantaneous bandwidth (BW) within the RedCap maximum (e.g., 20 MHz for Frequency Range 1 (FR1) and 100 MHz for Frequency Range 2 (FR2)).

[0022] UL frequency hopping (or BW switching) for SRS may require the UE to have some resource elements (REs) or resource blocks (RBs) overlapping between each hop to achieve phase alignment between hops. If alignment is not performed, the gNB may not be able to successfully combine the BWs of the hops to utilize the overall total BW (aggregated by multiple hops).

[0023] Figure 2 shows an example phase alignment for SRS frequency hopping. As shown in Figure 2, there is a switching delay between each hop 200-215, and phase alignment is performed between each hop 200-215 based on the overlap between the hops. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2, UE behavior involves BWP switching between hops, which can take time.

[0024] As specified by 3GPP and further shown in Table 1 below, downlink control information (DCI) and timer-based BWP switching requirements are provided. As shown in Table 1, a UE may require several ms or more to complete SRS frequency hopping. For example, a UE with a 15 kHz subcarrier spacing (SCS) may require more than 12 ms to transmit five 20 MHz hops (if the UE supports Type 2). This can be time-consuming and can cause problems with UE velocity when positioning estimation is required. Therefore, as described herein, certain example embodiments may provide a method for performing SRS frequency hopping without requiring the long switching times shown in Table 1. In other words, certain example embodiments may not necessarily eliminate the need for switching times, but rather may allow a smaller value to be used instead.

[0025] [Table 1]

[0026] In view of the aforementioned 3GPP figures presented herein, certain exemplary embodiments may provide the capability to transmit an SRS for positioning frequency hopping without the need for a BWP switch. This capability may also be referred to as fast RF switching. For example, according to certain exemplary embodiments, a RedCap UE may perform an SRS for positioning frequency hopping. The RedCap UE may also be configured with a BWP-less window (BLW) for transmitting an SRS for positioning frequency hopping. This configuration may include one or more of the following: a starting slot / symbol of the BLW, a starting slot / symbol of the first hop of SRS transmission in the BLW, an ending slot / symbol of the BLW, a duration of the BLW, a periodicity, an initial frequency location of the first hop, a number of hops to perform in the BLW, a time gap between hops within the BLW, a frequency overlap between hops within the BLW, and a BW for each hop.

[0027] 3 illustrates an exemplary BLW procedure, according to an exemplary embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment, the BLW may apply to an RRC inactive or RRC idle mode. As discussed in more detail herein, in such modes, the configuration may also include priority and / or interaction information with discontinuous reception (DRX) and / or paging. In some exemplary embodiments, there may be one or more intermediate points where the UE returns to a previous BWP, both of which are configured to check for DL ​​signals that may interrupt ongoing SRS frequency hopping (e.g., for higher priority data). In another exemplary embodiment, the BLW configuration may be determined by the network (e.g., gNB or LMF), taking into account device and gNB / TRP capabilities.

[0028] As further shown in FIG. 3, in some exemplary embodiments, the UE may operate according to normal rules (e.g., behavior specified in Rel-17) for how the UE should operate when it has a configured BWP. In other words, before the start of the BLW, the UE may already be configured with a BWP, and the UE may use the BWP to monitor a set of channels based on that BWP and follow the configured switching time. When the UE enters the BLW, the UE may start at a specific symbol and slot. During the BLW, the UE performs hopping with overlap in the frequency domain between hops (e.g., at least one PRB overlap). Once hopping is complete, the UE may return to operating under normal BWP rules (e.g., what BWP the UE was configured with before the BLW; BWP rules regarding already specified behavior regarding the time the UE needs to switch, and generally which signals the UE needs to monitor). For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the UE may return to the previous BWP (i.e., the previously configured BWP) before the end of the BLW.

[0029] According to an exemplary embodiment, the BLW may be configured by the gNB via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol, or by a Location Management Function (LMF) in coordination with the gNB (e.g., using the NR Positioning Protocol a (NRPPa)) via the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP). The BLW may be dynamically activated, for example, by a Medium Access Control (MAC) Element (CE). For example, a UE may be configured with a BLW at one point, but the UE may not use the BLW until it receives additional signals / indications from the network (i.e., the gNB). The network may instruct the UE to start using the (pre-)configured BLW. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment, the UE may be triggered by the network to use (i.e., activate) the BLW. The BLW may also be implicitly deactivated. For example, the BLW may be implicitly deactivated when the SRS configuration becomes invalid.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, the BLW configuration (or portions of the BLW configuration) may be shared with neighboring gNBs from the LMF as part of the UL measurement configuration / request. Furthermore, during the BLW, the UE behavior may differ from normal UE behavior in receiving / transmitting other signals. That is, certain signals and channels may be dropped by the UE for an active BWP with which the UE is configured before the start of the BLW. In an exemplary embodiment, different options or modes may be provided for how the UE drops signals and channels depending on whether the UE is in RRC connected mode or RRC inactive / idle mode.

[0031] When the UE is in RRC connected mode, in a first option / mode, the UE may drop (or skip or is not expected to measure) all DL and UL signals and channels other than SRS during the BLW. In an exemplary embodiment, this option / mode may be the default UE behavior if the UE is not part of a configuration with a gNB or LMF. In a second option / mode, the UE may drop (or skip or is not expected to measure) all DL and UL signals and channels other than SRS except for synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) during the BLW. In a third option / mode, the UE may drop (or skip or is not expected to measure) all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels (i.e., dynamically scheduled non-physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs) or physical uplink shared channels (PUSCHs)). In this third option / mode, dynamically scheduling may refer to the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and PDSCH scheduled by DCI format 1_1 or 1_2, for example, with the priority indicator field in the corresponding DCI format set to 1. Alternatively, in another exemplary embodiment, dynamic scheduling may refer to a configured grant PUSCH or semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) in DL. In a fourth option / mode, the UE may not be expected to measure or monitor all DL signals, but the UE may transmit all UL signals (i.e., reference signals and channels). According to certain exemplary embodiments, in the second and third options / modes, the UE may drop part or all of the SRS frequency-hopping transmission if the UE does not need to transmit / receive higher priority signals / channels than the SRS.

[0032] When the UE is in RRC inactive / idle mode, the UE may drop (or skip) paging reception (and even early paging indicator (EPI) reception) and instead transmit SRS during the BLW. When the UE is in RRC inactive / idle mode, the UE may also stop inter / intra-frequency measurements during the BLW. Furthermore, when the UE is in RRC inactive / idle mode, the UE may stop SRS transmission when the BLW overlaps (partially) with an ongoing discontinuous reception (DRX). In an exemplary embodiment, any of the aforementioned operations performed when the UE is in RRC inactive / idle mode may be performed individually or in some combination.

[0033] According to certain exemplary embodiments, the various options described above in connection with a UE in RRC connected mode and RRC inactive / idle mode may be configurable for the UE by the gNB or LMF (e.g., by RRC or MAC CE signaling) or may be dependent on UE capabilities. That is, the various options / operations of the UE may depend on how they are configured for the UE by the gNB or LMF or on the particular use case or deployment options of the UE. For example, if positioning services have the highest priority, a first operation / mode may be configured, whereas if there are other matters that have a higher priority or a lower tolerance for delay than positioning services, options / modes 2-4 may be configured. In some exemplary embodiments, the gNB may also determine which option will have a higher priority than any other option.

[0034] In one example embodiment, assuming no contention as described above, UE behavior within the BLW may be to transmit SRS over several hops without changing the BWP configuration. The UE may perform fast radio frequency (RF) switching between hops without changing the BWP configuration. After the UE performs a hop, the UE may realign to the BWP configuration before the BLW by the time the BLW ends. At this point, the UE may resume normal UE operation for monitoring / receiving / transmitting signals and channels (FIG. 3).

[0035] FIG. 4 shows an example signaling diagram according to an example embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, at 415, an SRS for frequency hopping positioning may be initiated between the LMF 400, the gNB 405, and the RedCap UE 410. At 420, the gNB 465 may configure a BLW for the RedCap UE 410. However, in another example embodiment, the LMF 400 may configure a BLW for the RedCap UE 410, for example, using LPP. At 425, the BLW may be initiated, and the RedCap UE 410 may follow specified UE behavior within the BLW. For example, the specified UE behavior may include any of the aforementioned options / modes or operations depending on whether the UE is in an RRC connected mode or an RRC inactive / idle mode. At 430, the RedCap UE 430 may transmit a frequency hopped (FH) SRS for positioning within a window defined by the BLW. In some exemplary embodiments, the window defined by the BLW may include time and frequency components. In other words, the RedCap UE 410 may transmit an FH SRS for positioning within the BLW. At 435, when the BLW ends, the RedCap UE 410 may return to normal UE behavior. As mentioned above, normal UE behavior may refer to UE behavior for already specified BWP operations (e.g., Rel-17 and earlier NR). For example, the RedCap UE 410 may proceed to transmit / receive signals / channels in accordance with the configured BWP (previously configured for the RedCap UE), the required BWP switching time mentioned above, and the already specified UE behavior.

[0036] 5 shows an example flow diagram of a method according to an example embodiment. In an example embodiment, the method of FIG. 5 may be performed by a network entity or a group of network elements in a 3GPP system, such as LTE or 5G-NR. For example, in an example embodiment, the method of FIG. 5 may be performed by a UE similar to one of the devices 10 or 20 shown in FIG. 7.

[0037] 5 may include, at 500, receiving configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window in which a bandwidth portion is free. The method may also include, at 505, transmitting to the network entity a frequency-hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window.

[0038] According to certain example embodiments, the indication may configure the device to dynamically or implicitly activate or deactivate the window. According to some example embodiments, the configuration information includes at least one of: a starting slot or symbol of the window, a starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the sounding reference signal within the window, an ending slot or symbol of the window, a duration of the window, a periodicity of the window, an initial frequency location of the first hop, a number of hops to perform within the window, a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals or indicating a radio resource control state, sounding reference signal configuration information, a time gap between hops within the window, a frequency overlap between hops within the window, or a bandwidth of each hop within the window.

[0039] In certain exemplary embodiments, the method may further include switching to operating under a previously activated bandwidth portion rule within the window when the window ends or when transmission of the sounding reference signal is completed before the window ends. In some exemplary embodiments, the method may include operating in at least one of a radio resource control connected mode, a radio resource control inactive mode, or a radio resource control idle mode within the window. In another embodiment, in the radio resource control connected mode, the method may further include dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal during the window, dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal except for a synchronization signal block during the window, dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels, or transmitting all uplink signals and channels.

[0040] According to certain example embodiments, when a dropping rule is not configured in the network entity, all downlink and uplink signals and channels except for sounding reference signals during the window may be dropped. According to some example embodiments, in a radio resource control inactive mode, the method may further include dropping paging reception and transmitting sounding reference signals during the window, stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements during the window, or stopping sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception.

[0041] 6 illustrates an example of a flow diagram of another method according to an exemplary embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment, the method of FIG. 6 may be performed by a network entity or a group of network elements in a 3GPP system, such as LTE or 5G-NR. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the method of FIG. 6 may be performed by a network, cell, gNB, LMF, or any other device similar to one of apparatuses 10 or 20 shown in FIG. 7.

[0042] 6 may include, at 600, providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The method may also include, at 605, receiving from the user equipment an uplink sounding reference signal with frequency hopping transmitted within the indicated window. According to an example embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0043] According to certain example embodiments, the method may also include receiving a request from a network element to provide configuration information for the window to the user equipment, and receiving a request from the user equipment to provide configuration information for the window to the user equipment. According to some example embodiments, the configuration includes at least one of a starting slot or symbol of the window, a starting slot or symbol of a first hop of a reference signal within the window, an ending slot or symbol of the window, a duration of the window, a periodicity of the window, an initial frequency location of the first hop, a number of hops to perform within the window, a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals or indicating a radio resource control state, a time gap between hops within the window, a frequency overlap between hops within the window, or a bandwidth of each hop within the window.

[0044] In certain exemplary embodiments, the user equipment may be configured via a Radio Resource Control Protocol or via a Long-Term Evolution positioning protocol. In some exemplary embodiments, the window is configured to be dynamically activated and implicitly deactivated without explicit indication. In another embodiment, the window may be shared with one or more neighboring elements in the network.

[0045] According to certain example embodiments, the method may further include configuring the user equipment to operate in one of a radio resource control connected mode, a radio resource control inactive mode, or a radio resource control idle mode within the window. According to some example embodiments, when the user equipment is configured to operate in the radio resource control connected mode, the method may further include dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than sounding reference signals within the window, dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than sounding reference signals except for synchronization signal blocks within the window, dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels, or transmitting all uplink signals and channels.

[0046] In certain example embodiments, when the user equipment is configured to operate in a radio resource control inactive mode, the method may further include dropping paging reception and transmitting a sounding reference signal within the window, stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements within the window, or stopping sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception.

[0047] In one exemplary embodiment, apparatus 10 may include at least one processor 12 and at least one memory 14 containing computer program code. The at least one memory 14 and the computer program code, together with the instructions stored therein, when executed by at least one processor 12 may be configured to cause apparatus 10 to receive, from a network entity, configuration information for indicating a window in which a bandwidth portion is free (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4). According to another exemplary embodiment, apparatus 10 may also cause the network entity to transmit a sounding reference signal with frequency hopping within the indicated window (e.g., step 430 of FIG. 4).

[0048] In an example embodiment, the indication may configure the device to dynamically or implicitly activate or deactivate the window (e.g., third option / mode). In another embodiment, the configuration information may include at least one of: a starting slot or symbol of the window, a starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the sounding reference signal within the window, an ending slot or symbol of the window, a duration of the window, a periodicity of the window, an initial frequency location of the first hop, a number of hops to perform within the window, a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals or indicating a radio resource control state, sounding reference signal configuration information, a time gap between hops within the window, a frequency overlap between hops within the window, or a bandwidth of each hop within the window (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4).

[0049] According to an example embodiment, apparatus 10 may also be caused to switch to operating under the previously activated bandwidth portion rule within the window when the window ends or when transmission of the sounding reference signal is completed before the window ends (e.g., step 435 of FIG. 4). According to another example embodiment, apparatus 10 may operate in one of a radio resource control connected mode, a radio resource control inactive mode, or a radio resource control idle mode within the window (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4). According to further exemplary embodiments, when device 10 is in the radio resource control connected mode, device 10 may also be caused to drop all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than sounding reference signals during the window (e.g., the first operation / mode and step 425 of FIG. 4), drop all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than sounding reference signals except for synchronization signal blocks during the window (e.g., the second operation / mode and step 425 of FIG. 4), drop all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels (e.g., the third operation / mode and step 425 of FIG. 4), or transmit all uplink signals and channels (e.g., the fourth operation / mode and step 425 of FIG. 4).

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, when no dropping rules are configured from the network entity, all downlink and uplink signals and channels except for sounding reference signals during the window may be dropped. In another embodiment, when device 10 is in a radio resource control inactive mode, device 10 may be caused to drop paging reception and transmit sounding reference signals during the window, stop inter- or intra-frequency measurements during the window, or stop sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception (e.g., steps 420 and 425 of FIG. 4).

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, apparatus 20 may include at least one processor 22 and at least one memory 24 containing computer program code. The at least one memory 24 and the computer program code, together with the instructions stored therein, when executed by at least one processor 22 may be configured to cause apparatus 20 to provide configuration information to user equipment for indicating a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmissions (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4). According to another exemplary embodiment, apparatus 20 may also be caused to receive from user equipment a frequency-hopping uplink sounding reference signal transmitted within the indicated window (e.g., step 430 of FIG. 4). In an exemplary embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without a bandwidth portion.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, apparatus 20 may also be caused to receive a request from a network element to provide configuration information for the window to the user equipment and a request from the user equipment to provide configuration information for the window to the user equipment. In another embodiment, the configuration may include at least one of a starting slot or symbol of the window, a starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the reference signal within the window, an ending slot or symbol of the window, a duration of the window, a periodicity of the window, an initial frequency location of the first hop, a number of hops to perform within the window, a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals or indicating a radio resource control state, a time gap between hops within the window, a frequency overlap between hops within the window, or a bandwidth of each hop within the window (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4).

[0053] According to an exemplary embodiment, the user equipment may be configured via a radio resource control protocol or via a Long-Term Evolution positioning protocol. According to another exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 20 may also be configured with a window to be dynamically activated and implicitly deactivated without an explicit indication (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4). According to a further exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 20 may also be configured with the user equipment to operate in one of a radio resource control connected mode, a radio resource control inactive mode, or a radio resource control idle mode within the window (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4).

[0054] In certain exemplary embodiments, configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control connected mode may include configuring the user equipment to drop all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than sounding reference signals within the window (e.g., a first option / mode), drop all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than sounding reference signals except for synchronization signal blocks within the window (e.g., a second option / mode), drop all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels (e.g., a third option / mode), or transmit all uplink signals and channels (e.g., a fourth option / mode). In some exemplary embodiments, configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control inactive mode may include configuring the user equipment to drop paging reception, transmit sounding reference signals within the window, stop inter- or intra-frequency measurements within the window, or stop sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception (e.g., step 420 of FIG. 4).

[0055] 7 illustrates a set of apparatuses 10 and 20 according to an exemplary embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment, apparatus 10 may be an element in a communication network or an element associated with such a network, such as a UE, a mobile equipment (ME), a mobile station, a mobile device, a fixed device, an IoT device, or other device. It should be noted that one skilled in the art would understand that apparatus 10 may include components or features not illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0056] In some exemplary embodiments, device 10 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more wireless access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some exemplary embodiments, device 10 may be configured to operate using one or more wireless access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other wireless access technology. Note that one skilled in the art would understand that device 10 may include components or features not shown in FIG. 7 .

[0057] As shown in the example of FIG. 8, device 10 may include or be coupled to processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 12 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In practice, processor 12 may include, by way of example, one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. While a single processor 12 is shown in FIG. 7, multiple processors may be utilized according to other exemplary embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in certain exemplary embodiments, device 10 may include two or more processors that may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiprocessing (e.g., processor 12 may represent a multiprocessor in this case). According to certain exemplary embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0058] Processor 12 may perform functions related to the operation of device 10, including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and the overall control of device 10, including the processes and examples shown in Figures 1-7.

[0059] Apparatus 10 may further include or be coupled to memory 14 (internal or external), which may be coupled to processor 12 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by processor 12. Memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, memory 14 may be comprised of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a magnetic or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 12, enable apparatus 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

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

[0061] In some exemplary embodiments, device 10 may include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for receiving downlink signals and transmitting from device 10 over the UL. Device 10 may further include a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 18 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to antenna 15. The radio interface may support multiple radio access technologies, including one or more of GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The radio interface may include other components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols, such as OFDMA symbols, carried by the downlink or UL.

[0062] For example, transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna 15 and demodulate information received via antenna 15 for further processing by another element of device 10. In another embodiment, transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, device 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In an exemplary embodiment, device 10 may further include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, memory 14 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality for device 10. Components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an exemplary embodiment, device 10 may be configured to communicate with device 20 via a wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

[0064] According to certain exemplary embodiments, the processor 12 and memory 14 may be included within or form part of processing or control circuitry. Additionally, in some exemplary embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included within or form part of transceiver circuitry.

[0065] For example, in one exemplary embodiment, device 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to receive configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window in which a bandwidth portion is free. Device 10 may also be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to transmit a frequency-hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window to the network entity.

[0066] As shown in the example of Figure 7, the device 20 may be a network, a core network element, or an element within or associated with a communication network, such as a gNB, an LMF, a BS, a cell, a NW, etc. It should be noted that one skilled in the art would understand that the device 20 may include components or features not shown in Figure 7.

[0067] As shown in the example of FIG. 7 , device 20 may include processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 22 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. For example, processor 22 may include, by way of example, one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. While a single processor 22 is shown in FIG. 7 , multiple processors may be utilized according to other exemplary embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in certain exemplary embodiments, device 20 may include two or more processors that may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiprocessing (e.g., processor 22 may represent a multiprocessor in this case). In certain exemplary embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0068] According to an exemplary embodiment, processor 22 may perform functions related to the operation of device 20, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 20, including the processes and examples shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 6.

[0069] Apparatus 20 may further include or be coupled to memory 24 (internal or external), which may be coupled to processor 22 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by processor 22. Memory 24 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, memory 24 may be comprised of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a magnetic or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 22, enable apparatus 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0070] In certain exemplary embodiments, device 20 may further include or be coupled to a drive or port (internal or external) configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, any other storage medium, etc. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by processor 22 and / or device 20 to implement the methods and examples shown in FIGS.

[0071] In certain exemplary embodiments, device 20 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for transmitting and receiving signals and / or data to and from device 20. Device 20 may further include or be coupled to a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 28 may include, for example, multiple air interfaces that may be coupled to antenna 25. The air interfaces may support multiple radio access technologies, including one or more of GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, radio frequency identification (RFID), ultra-wideband (UWB), MulteFire, etc. The air interfaces may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), mappers, fast Fourier transform (FFT) modules, etc., to generate symbols for transmission over one or more downlinks and receive symbols (e.g., via UL).

[0072] Thus, transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna 25 and demodulate information received via antenna 25 for further processing by another element of apparatus 20. In another embodiment, transceiver 18 may be capable of transmitting and receiving signals or data directly. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, apparatus 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices).

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment, memory 24 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality for device 20. Components of device 20 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0074] According to some exemplary embodiments, the processor 22 and memory 24 may be included within or form part of processing or control circuitry. Additionally, in some exemplary embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be included within or form part of transceiver circuitry.

[0075] As used herein, the term “circuitry” may refer to a hardware-only circuit implementation (e.g., analog and / or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor (including a digital signal processor) with software that works together to cause a device (e.g., devices 10 and 20) to perform various functions, and / or a hardware circuit and / or processor, or portion thereof, that uses software for operation but may be absent when not necessary for operation. As another example, as used herein, the term “circuitry” may also encompass a simple hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors), or portion of a hardware circuit or processor, and its associated software and / or firmware implementation. The term circuitry may also encompass, for example, a baseband integrated circuit within a server, a cellular network node or device, or other computing or network device.

[0076] For example, in one exemplary embodiment, apparatus 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to provide configuration information to user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. Apparatus 20 may also be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to receive from the user equipment a frequency-hopping uplink sounding reference signal transmitted within the indicated window. According to one exemplary embodiment, the sounding reference signal may be received without a bandwidth portion.

[0077] In some exemplary embodiments, an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and / or apparatus 20) may include means for performing any of the methods, processes, or variations discussed herein. Examples of means may include one or more processors, memories, controllers, transmitters, receivers, and / or computer program code for causing the performance of operations.

[0078] Certain example embodiments may be directed to an apparatus including means for performing any of the methods described herein, including, for example, means for receiving, from a network entity, configuration information for indicating a window that is bandwidth portion free. The apparatus may also include means for transmitting, to the network entity, a sounding reference signal with frequency hopping within the indicated window.

[0079] Certain example embodiments may also be directed to an apparatus including means for providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion-free for uplink transmission. The apparatus may also include means for receiving from the user equipment a frequency-hopping uplink sounding reference signal transmitted within the indicated window. According to certain example embodiments, the sounding reference signal may be received without the bandwidth portion.

[0080] Certain example embodiments described herein provide several technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages. For example, in some example embodiments, it may be possible to achieve faster SRS (reduced latency) for positioning frequency hopping. In other embodiments, it may also be possible to achieve higher positioning accuracy due to less UE movement affecting measurements.

[0081] A computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components configured to implement some exemplary embodiments when the program is executed. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one software code or portions thereof. Changes and configurations required to implement the functionality of an exemplary embodiment may be implemented as routines, and the routines may be implemented as additional or updated software routines. The software routines may be downloaded into a device.

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

[0083] In another embodiment, the functions may be implemented by hardware or circuitry contained within a device (e.g., device 10 or device 20), for example, through the use of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the functions may be implemented as signals that are non-tangible means that may be carried by electromagnetic signals downloaded from the internet or other network.

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

[0085] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the disclosure discussed above may be implemented with a different order of steps and / or with hardware elements in different configurations than those disclosed. Thus, while the present disclosure has been described based on these example embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative configurations will be apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the example embodiments. While the above embodiments refer to 5G NR and LTE technologies, the above embodiments may also be applied to any other current or future 3GPP technologies, such as LTE Advanced and / or fourth-generation (4G) technologies.

[0086] Partial glossary: 3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project 5G (5th Generation) 5GCN 5G Core Network 5GS 5G System BLW BWP-less window BS base station BW Bandwidth BWP Bandwidth Portion DCI Downlink Control Information DRX Discontinuous Reception eNB Enhanced Node B E-UTRAN Evolved UTRAN gNB 5G or Next Generation NodeB LPP LTE Positioning Protocol LMF location management function LTE Long Term Evolution MAC CE Media Access Control - Control Element NR new radio NRPPa new radio positioning protocol a NW Network PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel PRS Positioning Reference Signal PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel RedCap Reduced Capability RRC Radio Resource Control SPS Semi-persistent scheduling SRS Sounding Reference Signal TRP Transmitting / Receiving Point UE User Equipment UL Uplink

Claims

1. at least one processor; at least one memory containing computer program code; An apparatus comprising: The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: receiving configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window in which a bandwidth portion is free; transmitting a frequency hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window to the network entity; An apparatus configured to cause

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the indication configures the device to dynamically or implicitly activate or deactivate the window.

3. The configuration information is the starting slot or symbol of said window, a starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the sounding reference signal within the window; the end slot or symbol of said window, the duration of said window; the periodicity of said window; the initial frequency position of the first hop, the number of hops to perform within the window; a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals, or indicating a radio resource control state; sounding reference signal configuration information; the time gap between hops within said window; the frequency overlap between hops within said window, or The bandwidth of each hop within the window 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

4. The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: When the window ends or when the transmission of the sounding reference signal is completed before the window ends, switching to operate under the previously activated bandwidth portion rule within the window. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further configured to:

5. The device, in the window, Radio Resource Control Connection Mode, Radio Resource Control inactive mode, or Radio Resource Control Idle Mode The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which operates in one of the following modes:

6. When the device is in the radio resource control connected mode, the at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal during the window; dropping all said downlink and uplink signals and channels other than said sounding reference signal except for synchronization signal blocks during said window; Dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels, or Transmitting all uplink signals and channels The apparatus of claim 5 , further configured to:

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein when a dropping rule is not configured in the network entity, all the downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal during the window are dropped.

8. When the device is in the radio resource control inactive mode, the at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: dropping paging reception and transmitting the sounding reference signal during the window; stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements during said window; or stopping said sounding reference signal transmission when said window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception; The apparatus of claim 5 , further configured to:

9. at least one processor; at least one memory containing computer program code; An apparatus comprising: The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window in which bandwidth portions are free for uplink transmissions; receiving from the user equipment an uplink sounding reference signal with frequency hopping transmitted within the indicated window, wherein the sounding reference signal is received without a bandwidth portion; An apparatus configured to cause

10. The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: receiving a request from a network element to provide the user equipment with the configuration information for the window; receiving a request from the user equipment to provide the configuration information for the window to the user equipment; The apparatus of claim 9 , further configured to:

11. The configuration: the starting slot or symbol of said window, the starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the reference signal within the window; the end slot or symbol of said window, the duration of said window; the periodicity of said window; the initial frequency position of the first hop, the number of hops to perform within the window; a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals, or indicating a radio resource control state; the time gap between hops within said window; the frequency overlap between hops within said window, or The bandwidth of each hop within the window 11. The apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, comprising at least one of:

12. The apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the user equipment is configured via a Radio Resource Control Protocol or via a Long-Term Evolution positioning protocol.

13. The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: Configuring the window to be dynamically activated and implicitly deactivated without explicit indication The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 12, further configured to:

14. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the window is shared with one or more neighbouring elements in a network.

15. The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the instructions they store, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to: In the window, Radio Resource Control Connection Mode, Radio Resource Control inactive mode, or Radio Resource Control Idle Mode [0023] configuring the user equipment to operate in one of The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 14, further configured to:

16. configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control connected mode, dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal within the window; dropping all said downlink and uplink signals and channels other than said sounding reference signal except for synchronization signal blocks within said window; Dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels, or Transmitting all uplink signals and channels 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: configuring the user equipment to:

17. configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control inactive mode, dropping paging reception and transmitting the sounding reference signal within the window; Stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements within said window; or and stopping the sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: configuring the user equipment to:

18. receiving configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window in which a bandwidth portion is free; transmitting a frequency hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window to the network entity; A method comprising:

19. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the indication configures a device to dynamically or implicitly activate or deactivate the window.

20. The configuration information is the starting slot or symbol of said window, a starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the sounding reference signal within the window; the end slot or symbol of said window, the duration of said window; the periodicity of said window; the initial frequency position of the first hop, the number of hops to perform within the window; a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals, or indicating a radio resource control state; sounding reference signal configuration information; the time gap between hops within said window; the frequency overlap between hops within said window, or The bandwidth of each hop within the window 20. The method of claim 18 or 19, comprising at least one of:

21. When the window ends or when the transmission of the sounding reference signal is completed before the window ends, switching to operate under the previously activated bandwidth portion rule within the window. The method of any of claims 18 to 20, further comprising:

22. In the window, Radio Resource Control Connection Mode, Radio Resource Control inactive mode, or Radio Resource Control Idle Mode The method of any of claims 18 to 21, further comprising operating in one of:

23. When operating in the radio resource control connected mode, dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal during the window; dropping all said downlink and uplink signals and channels other than said sounding reference signal except for synchronization signal blocks during said window; Dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels, or Transmitting all uplink signals and channels 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

24. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein when a dropping rule is not configured in the network entity, all the downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal during the window are dropped.

25. When operating in the radio resource control inactive mode, dropping paging reception and transmitting the sounding reference signal during the window; stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements during said window; or and stopping the sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

26. providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window in which bandwidth portions are free for uplink transmissions; receiving from the user equipment an uplink sounding reference signal with frequency hopping transmitted within the indicated window, wherein the sounding reference signal is received without a bandwidth portion; A method comprising:

27. receiving a request from a network element to provide the user equipment with the configuration information for the window; receiving a request from the user equipment to provide the configuration information for the window to the user equipment; 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

28. The configuration: the starting slot or symbol of said window, the starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the reference signal within the window; the end slot or symbol of said window, the duration of said window; the periodicity of said window; the initial frequency position of the first hop, the number of hops to perform within the window; a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals, or indicating a radio resource control state; the time gap between hops within said window; the frequency overlap between hops within said window, or The bandwidth of each hop within the window 28. The method of claim 26 or 27, comprising at least one of:

29. The method according to any of claims 26 to 28, wherein the user equipment is configured via a Radio Resource Control Protocol or via a Long-Term Evolution positioning protocol.

30. Configuring the window to be dynamically activated and implicitly deactivated without explicit indication The method of any one of claims 26 to 29, further comprising:

31. A method according to any of claims 26 to 30, wherein the window is shared with one or more neighbouring elements in a network.

32. In the window, Radio Resource Control Connection Mode, Radio Resource Control inactive mode, or Radio Resource Control Idle Mode The method of any of claims 26 to 31, further comprising configuring the user equipment to operate in one of:

33. configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control connected mode, dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal within the window; dropping all said downlink and uplink signals and channels other than said sounding reference signal except for synchronization signal blocks within said window; Dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels, or Transmitting all uplink signals and channels 33. The method of claim 32, comprising configuring the user equipment to:

34. configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control inactive mode, dropping paging reception and transmitting the sounding reference signal within the window; Stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements within said window; or and stopping the sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception.

33. The method of claim 32, comprising configuring the user equipment to:

35. means for receiving configuration information from a network entity to indicate a window in which a bandwidth portion is free; means for transmitting a frequency hopping sounding reference signal within the indicated window to the network entity; An apparatus comprising:

36. 36. The device of claim 35, wherein the indication configures the device to dynamically or implicitly activate or deactivate the window.

37. The configuration information is the starting slot or symbol of said window, a starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the sounding reference signal within the window; the end slot or symbol of said window, the duration of said window; the periodicity of said window; the initial frequency position of the first hop, the number of hops to perform within the window; a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals, or indicating a radio resource control state; sounding reference signal configuration information; the time gap between hops within said window; the frequency overlap between hops within said window, or The bandwidth of each hop within the window 37. The apparatus of claim 35 or 36, comprising at least one of:

38. means for switching to operating under a previously activated bandwidth portion rule within said window when said window ends or when said transmission of said sounding reference signal is completed before said window ends.

38. The apparatus of any of claims 35 to 37, further comprising:

39. In the window, Radio Resource Control Connection Mode, Radio Resource Control inactive mode, or Radio Resource Control Idle Mode 39. Apparatus according to any of claims 35 to 38, further comprising means for operating in one of:

40. When operating in the radio resource control connected mode, means for dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than said sounding reference signal during said window; means for dropping all said downlink and uplink signals and channels other than said sounding reference signal except for a synchronization signal block during said window; means for dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels; or Means for transmitting all uplink signals and channels 40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:

41. 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein when a dropping rule is not configured in the network entity, all the downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal during the window are dropped.

42. When operating in the radio resource control inactive mode, means for dropping paging reception and transmitting the sounding reference signal during the window; means for stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements during said window; or means for stopping said sounding reference signal transmission when said window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception; 40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:

43. means for providing configuration information to a user equipment to indicate a window that is bandwidth portion free for uplink transmission; means for receiving from the user equipment an uplink sounding reference signal with frequency hopping transmitted within the indicated window, wherein the sounding reference signal is received without a bandwidth portion; and An apparatus comprising:

44. means for receiving a request from a network element to provide the user equipment with the configuration information for the window; means for receiving a request from the user equipment to provide the configuration information for the window to the user equipment; 44. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

45. The configuration: the starting slot or symbol of said window, the starting slot or symbol of the first hop of the reference signal within the window; the end slot or symbol of said window, the duration of said window; the periodicity of said window; the initial frequency position of the first hop, the number of hops to perform within the window; a mode operation number indicating different dropping rules between the sounding reference signal and other downlink or uplink channels or signals, or indicating a radio resource control state; the time gap between hops within said window; the frequency overlap between hops within said window, or The bandwidth of each hop within the window 45. The apparatus of claim 43 or 44, comprising at least one of:

46. The apparatus of any of claims 43 to 45, wherein the user equipment is configured via a Radio Resource Control Protocol or via a Long-Term Evolution positioning protocol.

47. Means for configuring said window to be dynamically activated and implicitly deactivated without explicit indication 47. The apparatus of any of claims 43 to 46, further comprising:

48. Apparatus according to any of claims 43 to 47, wherein the window is shared with one or more neighbouring elements in a network.

49. In the window, Radio Resource Control Connection Mode, Radio Resource Control inactive mode, or Radio Resource Control Idle Mode 49. Apparatus according to any of claims 43 to 48, further comprising means for configuring the user equipment to operate in one of:

50. configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control connected mode, dropping all downlink and uplink signals and channels other than the sounding reference signal within the window; dropping all said downlink and uplink signals and channels other than said sounding reference signal except for synchronization signal blocks within said window; Dropping all non-dynamically scheduled signals and channels, or Transmitting all uplink signals and channels 50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising configuring the user equipment to:

51. Configuring the user equipment to operate in the radio resource control inactive mode comprises: dropping paging reception and transmitting the sounding reference signal within the window; Stopping inter- or intra-frequency measurements within said window; or and stopping the sounding reference signal transmission when the window at least partially overlaps with ongoing discontinuous reception.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising configuring the user equipment to:

52. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program instructions for carrying out the method of any of claims 18 to 34.

53. Apparatus comprising circuitry configured to cause the apparatus to carry out a process according to any one of claims 18 to 34.

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