Improved uplink lower layer splitting that supports Advanced CoMP

Abstract

Methods and systems for performing or assisting joint equalization, DMRS-based joint equalization, or maximum ratio synthesis are described. In a particular embodiment, the DU requests the RU to send both the equalized DMRS symbols and the equalized data symbols when indicated by the scheduler. The DU can use the equalized DMRS symbols to estimate the effective channels, including the equalization performed at the RU. The DU uses the effective channel estimation to perform joint equalization or DMRS-based joint equalization on the equalized data symbols received from one or more RUs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] <Cross-reference to Related Information> This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 457,021, entitled "Improved Uplink Lower Layer Split to Support Advanced CoMP," filed on April 4, 2023.

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for demodulation and equalization.

Background Art

[0003] Massive MIMO technology was first commercialized in LTE. It is one of the important technology elements that will be deployed on a much larger scale in 5G than in LTE. It features a large number of antennas used on the base station side, and the number of antennas is typically much larger than the number of user layers. For example, in frequency range 1 (FR1) including a frequency band of 410 - 7125 MHz, 64 antennas serve 8 or 16 user layers, and in FR2 including a frequency band of 24.25 GHz - 71 GHz, 256 / 512 antennas serve 2 or 4 layers., A user layer, as used herein, means, for example, an independent downlink or uplink data stream targeted at one user. One user or UE (user equipment) may have one or more user layers. A user layer is also called a layer, for example, in 3GPP (registered trademark) terminology. Massive MIMO is also called massive beamforming, which can form narrow beams by focusing in different directions to counter increased path loss in higher frequency bands. Also, it benefits multi-user MIMO, which enables simultaneous transmission from / to multiple users via spatial channels separated by massive MIMO technology, and high capacity can be maintained for each user. Therefore, it can significantly increase spectral efficiency and cell capacity.

[0004] On the base station side, the interface between the Distributed Unit (DU) and the Radio Unit (RU) is the fronthaul interface. The significant advantages of massive MIMO in air interfaces have presented new challenges for base stations. Legacy CPRI-type fronthaul transports time-domain IQ samples for each antenna branch. As the number of antennas scales up in massive MIMO systems, the required fronthaul capacity increases proportionally, significantly increasing fronthaul costs. To address this challenge, the fronthaul interface evolved from the packet-based fronthaul interface CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) to eCPRI (Enhanced or Evolved CPRI). eCPRI supports other functional split options between DU and RU, called different lower-layer split (LLS) options. In the eCPRI standard, the terms eREC (eCPRI Radio Equipment Control) and eRE (eCPRI Radio Equipment) are used instead of DU and RU. The basic idea is to move the frequency-domain beamforming function from the DU to the RU so that frequency samples or data from the user layer are transferred via the fronthaul interface. Note that frequency-domain beamforming is sometimes also called downlink (DL) precoding. Details on possible implementations of uplink frequency-domain beamforming are described below. By doing this, the required fronthaul capacity, and therefore the fronthaul cost, is significantly reduced because the number of user layers is typically much smaller than the number of antennas in massive MIMO. In O-RAN, the DU is called O-DU and the RU is called O-RU.

[0005] This disclosure focuses on the uplink direction of the fronthaul interface. Figure 1 shows an example implementation of the UL specification in the O-RAN WG4 standard. By providing beamforming functionality to the O-RU, the number of streams passing through the fronthaul interface is less than the number of antenna branches. However, beamforming weights are calculated by the O-DU based on the SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) signal returned from the O-RU. Since the SRS channel estimate corresponds to earlier channels, a much larger number of streams is required compared to using a CPRI-based fronthaul to avoid performance loss, compared to using a CPRI-based fronthaul. There is a trade-off between the number of streams used and performance.

[0006] Therefore, O-RAN WG4 is currently studying how to improve the current specification by introducing a new UL function split to achieve the best performance using the lowest fronthaul bitrate, i.e., to reduce the number of streams to the number of layers. Two solutions have been proposed to achieve such an improvement. Solution A is shown in Figure 2 and Solution B is shown in Figure 3. Both solutions move DMRS channel estimation and beamforming weight calculation to the O-RU. One difference is that Solution A has equalization in the O-RU, while Solution B has equalization in the O-DU. A second difference is that Solution A does not send DMRS from the O-RU to the O-DU, while Solution B does. Instead, Solution A sends SINR information from the O-RU to the O-DU to help the O-DU demodulate the equalized symbols. SINR information represents, for example, the measured / estimated SINR value for each PRB (Physical Resource Block) per layer, which is used by the demodulator for demodulating the symbols of each subcarrier per layer, such as in demodulation algorithms based on LLR (Log-Likelihood Ratio). Equalized symbols are often called soft values ​​in demodulation terminology. The third difference is that solution B performs a second channel estimation in the O-DU to calculate equalization weights in the O-DU, while solution A uses the received SINR information directly to demodulate the equalized symbols, thereby eliminating the need to perform channel estimation again in the O-DU.

[0007] In wireless communication, an equalizer performs an equalization operation on an input signal that inverts distortions caused by an end-to-end channel, including the transmitter chain, radio channels (including the desired channel and interference channels), and receiver chain. After equalization, the equalized signal can be demodulated by a demodulator. When the input signal comes from multiple transmitters transmitting different data, the equalizer can also mitigate interference between them. Equalizers can be linear or nonlinear. Examples of linear equalizers include zero-forcing equalizers and MMSE equalizers. Examples of nonlinear equalizers include decision feedback equalizers.

[0008] The applicant believes that Solution A is a superior solution to Solution B. Solution A has the following advantages: ●The interface between equalization and demodulation used in Solution A is well understood. O-RU and O-DU can be tested individually. It requires far less integration effort than Solution B. In Solution B, the equalization weights and beamforming weights are computed in different units, namely O-DU and O-RU, respectively. This creates algorithmic dependencies, which leads to interoperability problems between O-RU and O-DU due to the disregard of the algorithm used by the other side. Performance cannot be guaranteed. Consequently, the complexity of testing and integration increases significantly. ●Solution A does not send DMRS symbols via the fronthaul interface. This further reduces the fronthaul bitrate.

[0009] However, Solution B is thought to better support CoMP (Cooperative Multipoint) when a DU is connected to multiple RUs, as shown in Figure 4 for an example of two RUs. A CoMP receiver in the DU can improve its performance by utilizing received signals from multiple RUs for the same UE.

[0010] Figure 5 shows the CoMP implementation of Solution A. This implementation is also known as MRC (Maximum Ratio Synthesis) CoMP. Equalized symbols from different RUs, already in phase by an equalizer at each RU, are scaled based on the received SINR information and then synthesized before demodulation. In this way, maximum ratio synthesis can be achieved. In this implementation, the use of equalized signals provides more energy available for demodulation after synthesis, and performance is improved by diversity gain.

[0011] Figure 6 shows the CoMP implementation of solution B. Joint equalization is performed in the DU using beamformed signals from two RUs. In this way, the signal dimension is expanded. The expanded dimension is utilized by the joint equalizer to further mitigate interference and obtain more energy. This is an advanced CoMP compared to the MRC CoMP. Therefore, this advanced CoMP can achieve better performance than the MRC CoMP.

[0012] Currently, a specific challenge exists. Solution A, an improved UL functionality solution, has other advantages over Solution B, but it cannot support Advanced CoMP. [Overview of the project]

[0013] One embodiment under this disclosure includes a method performed by a DU to perform equalization. The method comprises: requesting one or more equalized DMRS and one or more equalized data symbols from one or more radio units; receiving one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols; performing one or more channel estimations at least partially on one or more equalized DMRS symbols; performing equalization on one or more equalized data symbols at least partially on one or more channel estimations; computing one or more SINR data; and performing demodulation and decoding of one or more equalized data symbols at least partially on one or more SINR data.

[0014] Another embodiment is a method performed by a DU to perform DMRS-based joint equalization. This method comprises receiving scheduling information from a scheduler. If the scheduling information indicates the use of DMRS-based joint equalization, then one or more radio units perform the following steps: request one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols; receive one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols; perform one or more channel estimations based at least in part on one or more equalized DMRS symbols; perform equalization on one or more equalized data symbols based at least in part on one or more channel estimations; compute a first set of one or more SINR data; and perform demodulation and decoding of one or more equalized data symbols based at least in part on the first set of one or more SINR data. If the scheduling information does not indicate the use of DMRS-based joint equalization, the method comprises the steps of: requesting one or more equalized data symbols and a second one or more SINR data from one or more radio units; receiving one or more equalized data symbols and a second one or more SINR data; performing MRC CoMP and demodulation if the scheduling information indicates MRC CoMP; and performing demodulation separately for each of the one or more radio units if the scheduling information does not indicate MRC CoMP.

[0015] Another embodiment is a method performed by a DU to perform DMRS-based joint equalization. The method comprises requesting one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols from one or more radio units, and receiving one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols.

[0016] Another embodiment has a method performed by a RU to assist DMRS-based joint equalization in a DU. This method comprises receiving a request from a distributed unit for one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols; equalizing one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols to create one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols; and transmitting one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols to the DU for use in channel estimation and equalization by the DU.

[0017] Another embodiment has a method performed by one or more RUs to assist DMRS-based joint equalization in a DU, the DU receiving scheduling information from a scheduler. The method includes the steps of: one or more RUs receiving a request from the DU for one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols if the scheduling information indicates the use of joint equalization; one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols equalizing to create one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols; and one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols being sent to the DU for use by channel estimation and DMRS-based joint equalization. If the scheduling information does not indicate the use of joint equalization, the RU performs the steps of receiving a request from the DU for one or more equalized data symbols and one or more SINR data, equalizing one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols to create one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols, and sending one or more equalized data symbols and one or more SINR data to the DU, the one or more equalized data symbols and one or more SINR data being used for MRC CoMP and demodulation if the scheduling information indicates MRC CoMP, and if the scheduling information does not indicate MRC CoMP, the RU is used to perform modulation separately for each RU containing one or more RUs.

[0018] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, a selection of concepts that will be further explained in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify the main or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an indicator of the scope of the claimed subject matter. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] To more fully understand the present disclosure, reference is made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0020] [Figure 1] shows the current UL specification of O-RAN WG4.

[0021] [Figure 2] shows Solution A for an improved UL functional split.

[0022] [Figure 3] shows Solution B for an improved UL functional split.

[0023] [Figure 4] shows an example of two RUs connected to one DU.

[0024] [Figure 5] shows the MRC CoMP implementation of Solution A for a 2-RU example.

[0025] [Figure 6] shows the advanced CoMP implementation of Solution B for a 2-RU example.

[0026] [Figure 7] shows an embodiment of a possible method under the present disclosure of an advanced CoMP implementation for an improved Solution A for a 2-RU example.

[0027] [Figure 8] shows a flowchart of the improved Solution A of the present disclosure.

[0028] [Figure 9] shows simulation results when two RUs and 64 antennas are provided per RU.

[0029] [Figure 10]This shows the simulation results for the case where 2 RUs and 16 antennas are provided per RU.

[0030] [Figure 11] The following is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method according to this disclosure.

[0031] [Figure 12] The following is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method according to this disclosure.

[0032] [Figure 13] This shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method described herein.

[0033] [Figure 14] This shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method described herein.

[0034] [Figure 15] This shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method described herein.

[0035] [Figure 16] This outlines an embodiment of the communication system described herein.

[0036] [Figure 17] This shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the user device in this disclosure.

[0037] [Figure 18] This shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a network node in this disclosure.

[0038] [Figure 19] This shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the host in this disclosure.

[0039] [Figure 20] This shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the virtualization environment in this disclosure.

[0040] [Figure 21] This diagram shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of communication between a node, a host, and user equipment in this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0041] Before describing in detail the various embodiments of this disclosure, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the parameters of the systems, methods, apparatus, products, processes, and / or kits particularly exemplified, and that these parameters are naturally subject to change. Accordingly, while specific embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail with reference to specific configurations, parameters, components, elements, etc., the descriptions are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed embodiments. In addition, the terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claimed embodiments.

[0042] As described above, certain challenges currently exist. Solution A for the improved UL function split has other advantages over Solution B, but it cannot support Advanced CoMP. In this disclosure, a method and system are proposed to extend Solution A to support Advanced CoMP, which is more advanced than MRC CoMP, and enables a joint equalizer in the DU to further improve performance.

[0043] The present disclosure and certain aspects of its embodiments may provide solutions to these or other problems. In certain embodiments, when the scheduler decides to use Advanced CoMP, the DU requests the RU to send both equalized DMRS symbols and equalized data symbols. The DU uses the equalized DMRS symbols to estimate the effective channels, including the equalization performed at the RU. The DU then uses the effective channel estimate to perform joint equalization on the equalized data symbols received from multiple RUs. When the scheduler decides to use MRC CoMP or not to use CoMP, the DU requests only the equalized data symbols. Specific embodiments, including the flowchart in Figure 8 and the description in Figure 7, are further described below.

[0044] A particular embodiment may provide one or more of the following technical advantages. The proposed embodiment extends Solution A to support Advanced CoMP, which is more advanced than MRC, and further improves performance. The joint equalization enabled by the proposed embodiment can take advantage of the extended signal dimension for performance improvement. Simulation results show that the embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve the same CoMP performance as Solution B. The improved Solution A can achieve such performance simply by performing Advanced CoMP processing on demand. The overall complexity is lower than Solution B because Solution B always has to perform additional channel estimation in the DU.

[0045] Herein, some embodiments contemplated herein will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided as examples to convey the scope of the subject to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that throughout the description of this disclosure and the figures referenced herein, in certain respects, MMSE (Least Mean Squares Error) receiver algorithms are given as examples. In practice, this disclosure is not limited to the exemplified MMSE receiver or specific equalization algorithm. This disclosure can be applied to other types of receivers and other equalization algorithms.

[0046] Figure 7 shows one possible embodiment of the present disclosure that extends Solution A to support Advanced CoMP. System 1000 has DU 1015 connected to two RU 1020, 1025, which have a fronthaul interface 1010 at the interface between DU 1015 and RU 1020, 1025. As can be seen from the figure, when data is received from the UE, each RU 1020, 1025 performs CP (cyclic prefix) removal and FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) at 1030, 1035. The data and DMRS symbols are then transmitted to MMSE receivers 1070, 1055. From the data stream of data and DMRS symbols, DMRS symbols are obtained at 1040, 1050, and DMRS channel estimation is performed at 1045, 1060. When Advanced CoMP is used, each RU 1020, 1025 equalizes both the data symbols and DMRS symbols in the MMSE receivers 1055, 1070. Then, each RU 1020, 1025 transmits the equalized DMRS symbols and equalized data symbols to DU 1015. DU 1015 extracts the equalized DMRS symbols at 1065 and uses the equalized DMRS symbols at 1075 to estimate the effective channels visible from the DU, i.e., the effective channels from the UE to DU 1015, including the air channels and RU processing (including equalization in O-RU). The channel estimates of the effective channels are then used to calculate the weights of the joint equalizer 1080 (and possibly the MMSE receiver). The received equalized data symbols are joint-equalized via the joint equalizer 1080. The joint-equalized data symbols are then demodulated at 1085 using the SINR information calculated by the joint equalizer. The data can then be decoded in 1090 and, if necessary, processed further. The joint equalizer 1080 can have various equalizer or receiver types.

[0047] Figure 8 shows one embodiment under this disclosure of Method 1200 of an improved solution A that supports Advanced CoMP. In step 1210, the DU receives scheduling information from the scheduler (note that the scheduler is also part of the DU). In step 1220, it is determined whether Advanced CoMP (e.g., the embodiment under this disclosure) will be used. Advanced CoMP here refers to a CoMP receiver that performs joint equalization on signals received from multiple RUs. If the scheduler decides to use Advanced CoMP, in step 1230, the DU requests the RU to transmit both the equalized DMRS symbols and the equalized data symbols. In a further step, the DU performs Advanced CoMP processing as shown in Figure 7. In step 1240, the DU receives both the equalized data symbols and DMRS symbols from multiple RUs. In step 1250, the DU performs channel estimation based on the received DMRS symbols. In step 1260, the DU performs joint equalization based on the channel estimates and calculates SINR information. In step 1270, the DU demodulates and decodes the equalized data symbols. Returning to step 1220, if the scheduler decides to use MRC CoMP or not use CoMP at all, in step 1280, the DU requests only the equalized data symbols and SINR information. The DU then performs the processing shown in Figure 5 for MRC CoMP and the processing shown in Figure 2 for Non-CoMP. For example, in step 1290, if MRC CoMP is used, the DU performs MRC CoMP and associated demodulation. Alternatively, if CoMP is not used, in step 1290, the DU performs demodulation etc. separately for different RUs. Note that advanced CoMP is more beneficial in strong interference. In weaker interference, MRC CoMP may not accurately estimate interference information, which degrades the performance of advanced CoMP, so advanced CoMP can perform even better.

[0048] Figures 9 and 10 show the CoMP simulation results for two RUs with eight layers having eight strong interferences. In Figure 9, measurements were taken when each RU had 64 antennas. In Figure 10, measurements were taken when each RU had 16 antennas. The results show that improved solution A using advanced CoMP achieves the same performance as solution B using advanced CoMP. It also shows that the performance improvement of advanced CoMP over MRC CoMP decreases as the number of antennas per RU increases.

[0049] Embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in a cloud environment. For example, DU can be implemented as a virtualized network function operating in a cloud environment. Other embodiments can be implemented in O-RAN or other network embodiments.

[0050] Another embodiment of a possible method under this disclosure is shown in Figure 11. Method 1500 includes a method performed by a DU to perform equalization. Step 1510 requests one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols from one or more radio units. Step 1520 receives one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Step 1530 performs one or more channel estimations based at least partially on one or more equalized DMRS symbols. Step 1540 performs equalization on one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on one or more channel estimations. Step 1550 computes one or more SINR data. Step 1560 performs demodulation and decoding of one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on one or more SINR data. Method 1500 may include a plurality of variations and embodiments, and / or additional steps and / or alternative steps.

[0051] Figure 12 shows another embodiment of a method possible under this disclosure. Method 1700 includes a method performed by a DU to perform DMRS-based joint equalization. Step 1710 receives scheduling information from a scheduler. Next, if the scheduling information indicates the use of joint equalization, step 1720 requests one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols from one or more radio units. Step 1730 receives one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Step 1740 performs one or more channel estimations based at least partially on one or more equalized DMRS symbols. Step 1750 performs equalization on one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on one or more channel estimations. Step 1760 computes one or more first SINR data. Step 1770 performs demodulation and decoding of one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on one or more first SINR data. If the scheduling information does not indicate the use of joint equalization, step 1780 requests one or more equalized data symbols and a second set of one or more SINR data from one or more radio units. Step 1785 receives one or more equalized data symbols and a second set of one or more SINR data. If the scheduling information indicates MRC CoMP, 1790 performs MRC CoMP and demodulation. If the scheduling information does not indicate MRC CoMP, step 1795 performs demodulation separately for each of the one or more radio units. Method 1700 may include a number of variations and embodiments, and / or additional and / or alternative steps.

[0052] Another embodiment of a possible method under this disclosure is shown in Figure 13. Method 1800 includes a method performed by a DU to perform DMRS-based joint equalization. Step 1810 requests one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols from one or more radio units. Step 1820 receives one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Method 1800 may include a plurality of variations and embodiments, and / or additional steps and / or alternative steps.

[0053] Another possible embodiment of the method under this disclosure is shown in Figure 14. Method 1900 includes a method performed by a RU to assist DMRS-based joint equalization in a DU. Step 1910 receives a request from the DU for one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Step 1920 equalizes one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols to generate one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Step 1930 is to send one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols to the DU for use by the DU for channel estimation and equalization. Method 1900 may include a number of variations and embodiments, and / or additional steps and / or alternative steps.

[0054] Another possible embodiment of the method under this disclosure is shown in Figure 15. Method 2000 comprises a method performed by one or more RUs to assist DMRS-based joint equalization in a DU, the DU receiving scheduling information from a scheduler. If the scheduling information indicates the use of joint equalization, one or more RUs perform step 2010 and receive a request from the DU for one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Step 2020 equalizes one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols to generate one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Step 2030 sends one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols to the DU for use by channel estimation and equalization. If the scheduling information does not indicate the use of joint equalization, the RUs perform step 2040 and receive a request from the DU for one or more equalized data symbols and one or more SINR data. Step 2050 equalizes one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols to generate one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols. Step 2060 transmits one or more equalized data symbols and one or more SINR data to the DU, where one or more equalized data symbols and one or more SINR data are used for MRC CoMP and demodulation in step 2070 if the scheduling information indicates MRC CoMP, and in step 2080 if the scheduling information does not indicate MRC CoMP, they are used to perform modulation separately for each RU having one or more RUs. Method 2000 may include a number of alternative embodiments having additional or alternative steps.

[0055] Figure 16 shows examples of communication systems 2100 according to several embodiments. In this example, the communication system 2100 has a communication 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, such as network nodes 2110a and 2110b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as network nodes 2110), or any other similar Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP®) access nodes or non-3GPP® access points. Network nodes 2110 enable direct or indirect connectivity of UEs, such as by connecting UEs 2112a, 2112b, 2112c, and 2112d (one or more of which may generally be referred to as UE 2112) to the core network 2106 via one or more radio connections.

[0056] Exemplary wireless communication via a wireless connection involves transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared rays, and / or other types of signals suitable for carrying information without using wires, cables, or other material conductors. Furthermore, in various embodiments, the communication system 1100 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals, whether via a wired or wireless connection. The communication system 2100 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, wireless network, and / or other similar types of systems.

[0057] UE 2112 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices that are positioned, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network node 2110 and other communication devices. Similarly, network node 2110 may communicate directly or indirectly with UE 2112 and / or other network nodes or devices in the communication network 2102, enabling and / or providing network access such as wireless network access, and / or performing other functions such as management within the communication network 2102.

[0058] In the illustrated example, the core network 2106 connects network node 2110 to one or more hosts, such as host 2116. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 2106 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2108) composed of hardware and software components. The characteristics of these components may be substantially the same as those described for the UE, network nodes, and / or hosts, and therefore, their descriptions are generally applicable to the corresponding components of core network node 2108. An exemplary core network node includes one or more functions from among the following: Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscriber Identifier Deconcealment Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protected Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and / or User Plane Function (UPF).

[0059] Host 2116 may be owned or controlled by a service provider other than the operator or provider of the access network 2104 and / or the communication network 2102, and may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. Host 2116 may host a variety of 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 on various ambient conditions detected by multiple UEs, analytical functions, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for alarm and monitoring centers, or any other such functions performed by the server.

[0060] Overall, the communication system 2100 in Figure 16 enables connectivity between the UE, network nodes, and hosts. In this sense, the communication system may be configured to operate in accordance with predetermined rules or procedures, such as certain standards, including but not limited to, the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM®), Universal Mobile Communications System (UMTS), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future-generation standard (e.g., 6G), wireless local area network (WLAN) standards such as the IEEE 802.11 standard (WiFi), and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards such as World Wide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Bluetooth®, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any low-power wide area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0061] In some examples, the communication network 2102 is a cellular network that implements features standardized by 3GPP®. Therefore, 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 URLLC (Ultra-High Reliability Ultra-Low Latency Communication) services to some UEs, while providing eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband) services to other UEs, and / or mMTC (Massive Machine Type Communication) / Massive IoT services to further UEs.

[0062] 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 single, multi-RAT, or multi-standards mode. For example, the UE can operate with any one or a combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., it may be configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0063] 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, router, content source and analysis, or any other communication device described herein with respect to the UE. For example, the hub 2114 may be a broadband router that enables access to the core network 2106 for the UE. In another example, the hub 2114 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators within the UE. Commands or instructions may be received from the UE, network node 2110, or by executable code, scripts, processes, or other instructions within the hub 2114. In yet another example, the hub 2114 may be a data collector acting as temporary storage for UE data, and in some embodiments may perform data analysis or other processing. In yet another example, the hub 2114 may be a content source. For example, in the case of a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker, or other media distribution device, the hub 2114 can retrieve data related to VR assets, video, audio, or other media or sensory information via network nodes, and then the hub 2114 provides it directly to the UE either 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, especially if one or more of the UEs are low-energy IoT devices.

[0064] Hub 2114 may have a permanent / persistent or intermittent connection to network node 2110b. Hub 2114 may also enable different communication methods and / or schedules between Hub 2114 and UEs (e.g., UEs 2112c and / or 2112d), and between Hub 2114 and the core network 2106. In other examples, Hub 2114 connects to the core network 2106 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Furthermore, Hub 2114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider via the access network 1104 and / or to another UE via a direct connection. In some scenarios, a UE may establish a wireless connection with network node 2110 while still connected via Hub 2114 via wired or wireless. In some embodiments, Hub 2114 may be a dedicated hub, i.e., a hub whose primary function is to route communications from network node 2110b to UEs and from UEs to network node 2110b. In other embodiments, the hub 2114 may be a non-dedicated hub, i.e., a device that can operate to route communication between the UE and the network node 2110b, but can also operate as a communication start and / or end point for a specific data channel.

[0065] Figure 17 shows UE 2200 in several embodiments. As used herein, UE refers to a device that is capable of communicating wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs, is deployed, configured, and / or operable. Examples of UEs include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cell phones, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablets, laptops, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop onboard devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), automotive or embedded / integrated wireless devices, and others. Other examples include any UE identified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP®), including narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UEs, machine-type communications (MTC) UEs, and / or enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs.

[0066] A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP® standards for side-link communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-anything (V2X). In other examples, a UE does not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the device in question. Instead, a UE may represent a device (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller) that is not associated with, or is not initially associated with, a particular human user, and is intended to be sold to or operated by a human user. Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended to be sold to or operated by an end user, but is associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart electricity meter).

[0067] The UE 2200 includes processing circuitry 2202 that is operably coupled via bus 2204 to an input / output interface 2206, a power supply 2208, memory 2210, a communication interface 2212, and / or any other components, or any combination thereof. A particular UE may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 10. The level of integration between components may differ between one UE and another. Furthermore, a particular UE may include multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, and receivers.

[0068] The processing circuit 2202 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine capable of executing instructions stored in memory 2210 as machine-readable computer programs. The processing circuit 2202 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), one or more stored computer programs such as programmable logic with appropriate firmware, microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs) with appropriate software, general-purpose processors, or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuit 2202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0069] In this example, the input / output interface 2206 may be configured to interface to an input device, an output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include speakers, sound cards, video cards, displays, monitors, printers, actuators, emitters, smart cards, other output devices, or any combination thereof. Input devices may allow a user to capture information to the UE 2200. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-aware display devices, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital video cameras, webcams, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, directional keys, trackpads, scroll wheels, smart cards, etc. Presence-aware display devices may include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to sense input from the user. Sensors may include, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, light sensors, proximity sensors, biosensors, etc., or any combination thereof. Output devices may use the same type of interface port as input devices. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide input and output devices.

[0070] In some embodiments, the power supply 2208 is configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources can be used, such as an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a power cell. The power supply 2208 may further include power circuits for delivering power to various parts of the UE 2200 from the power supply 2208 itself and / or from an external power source via an interface such as an input circuit or a power cable. Power transmission may be, for example, for charging the power supply 2208. The power circuits may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications to the power from the power supply 2208 to make power suitable for each component of the UE 2200 being powered.

[0071] Memory 2210 may be or may be configured to include 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 disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and other types of memory. In one example, 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. Memory 2210 may store any or a combination of various operating systems for use by the UE 2200.

[0072] Memory 2210 may be configured to include several physical drives, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disk (HD-DVD) optical disk drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-ray optical disk drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disk drive, external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external microDIMM SDRAM, smart card memory such as a tamper-resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) containing one or more subscriber identification modules (SIMs) such as USIM and / or ISIM, or any combination of other memories. The UICC may be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC commonly known as a "SIM card". Memory 2210 may enable UE 2200 to access instructions, application programs, etc., stored on temporary or non-temporary memory media, offload data, or upload data. Products that utilize communication systems, etc., may be device-readable storage media, or may be tangibly embodied within a memory 2210 that may include a device-readable storage medium.

[0073] The processing circuit 2202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using a communication interface 2212. The communication interface 2212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems, which may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2222. The communication interface 2212 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, for example, by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another wirelessly wireless device (e.g., another UE or network node in the access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2218 and / or receiver 2220 suitable for providing network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). Furthermore, the transmitter 2218 and receiver 2220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2222), which may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or may be implemented separately.

[0074] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the 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 the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location, other similar communication functions, or any combination thereof. The communication 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 Network Working (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

[0075] Regardless of the sensor type, the UE may provide output of data captured by its sensor through its communication interface 2212 via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by the UE's sensor may be communicated via another UE through a wireless connection to a network node. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes when reporting a sensed temperature), random (e.g., to equalize the load from reports from several sensors), in response to a trigger event (e.g., when moisture is detected, when an alert is sent), a request (e.g., a user start request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0076] As another example, the UE may have actuators, motors, or switches associated with a communication interface configured to receive radio input from a network node via a wireless connection. The state of the actuators, motors, or switches may change in response to the received radio input. For example, the UE may have motors that adjust the control surface or rotor of a drone in flight, in accordance with the received input, or in a robotic arm that performs a medical procedure in accordance with the received input.

[0077] When UE is the formation of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, it can be a device for use in one or more application domains, which include, but are not limited to, urban wearable technology, augmented industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-exclusive examples of such IoT devices include, or are incorporated into, devices such as connected refrigerators or freezers, TVs, connected lighting fixtures, electric meters, robotic vacuum cleaners, voice-controlled smart speakers, home security cameras, motion detectors, thermostats, smoke detectors, door / window sensors, moisture detectors (flood / moisture sensors), electric door locks, connected doorbells, air conditioning systems such as heat pumps, autonomous vehicles, surveillance systems, weather monitoring devices, vehicle parking monitoring devices, electric vehicle charging stations, smartwatches, fitness trackers, head-mounted displays for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), wearables for haptic enhancement or sensory enhancement, water sprinklers, animal or object tracking devices, sensors for monitoring plants or animals, industrial robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and any type of medical device such as heart rate monitors or remotely controlled surgical robots. The UE in the form of an IoT device has circuitry and / or software that depends on the intended application of the IoT device, in addition to other components such as those described in relation to the UE 2200 shown in Figure 10.

[0078] In yet another specific example, in an IoT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another UE and / or network node. In this case, the UE may be an M2M device, which may be called an MTC device in the 3GPP® context. In one specific example, the UE may implement the 3GPP® NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, the UE may represent a vehicle such as a car, bus, truck, ship, and aircraft, or other equipment that can monitor and / or report its operating status or other functions related to its operation.

[0079] In practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, the first UE may be a drone, or be integrated into a drone, and may provide a second UE, which is a remote controller operating the drone, with drone speed information (obtained via a speed sensor). When a user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE can adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling actuators) to increase or decrease the drone's speed. The first and / or second UEs may also include two or more of the functions described above. For example, the UE may be equipped with sensors and actuators and be able to handle data communication for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0080] Figure 18 shows network node 3300 according to several embodiments. As used herein, a network node refers to a configured, deployed, and / or operable device in a communications network that is capable of communicating directly or indirectly with a UE and / or other network nodes or devices. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, node B, advanced node B (eNB), and NR node B (gNB)).

[0081] Base stations may be classified based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, in other words, their transmit power level), and therefore may be called femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations depending on the amount of coverage they provide. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node that controls relaying. A network node may include one or all of the parts of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized digital unit, a distributed unit, and / or a remote radio unit (RRU) sometimes called a remote radio head (RRH). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna, such as an antenna-integrated radio. Some of the distributed radio base stations may be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0082] Other examples of network nodes include multi-TRP 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BS, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmit points, transmit nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), operation and maintenance (O&M) nodes, operation support system (OSS) nodes, self-organizing network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., evolved serving mobile location centers (E-SMLCs)), and / or drive test minimization (MDT).

[0083] Network node 3300 includes a processing circuit 3302, a memory 3304, a communication interface 3306, and a power supply 3308. Network node 3300 may consist of multiple physically distinct components (e.g., NodeB components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components), each of which may have its own distinct components. In certain scenarios where network node 3300 has multiple distinct components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the distinct components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair may, in some cases, be considered a single distinct network node. In some embodiments, network node 1300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memories 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 various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1300, such as GSM®, WCDMA®, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or sets of chips and other components within network node 1300.

[0084] 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 coding logic, which can operate alone or in conjunction with other network node 3300 components such as memory 3304 to provide the functionality of the network node 3300.

[0085] In some embodiments, the processing circuit 3302 includes a system-on-a-chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuit 3302 includes one or more of the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuit 3312 and the 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.

[0086] Memory 3304 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including, but not limited to, persistent memory, solid-state memory, remote-mount 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-temporary device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device for storing information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuit 3302. Memory 3304 may store any appropriate instructions, data, or information, including applications that include one or more of the following: computer programs, software, logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions that can be executed by processing circuit 3302 and made available to network node 3300. Memory 3304 may be used to store any operations performed by processing circuit 3302 and / or any data received via communication interface 3306. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 3302 and the memory 3304 are integrated.

[0087] The communication interface 3306 is used in wired or wireless signaling and / or data transmission between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As shown in the figure, the communication interface 3306 has, for example, a port / terminal 3316 for sending and receiving data to and from the network via a wired connection. The communication interface 3306 also includes a wireless front-end circuit 3318 which may be coupled to the antenna 3310, or, in certain embodiments, to that part. The wireless front-end circuit 3318 has a filter 3320 and an amplifier 3322. The wireless front-end circuit 3318 may be connected to the antenna 3310 and the processing circuit 3302. The wireless front-end circuit may be configured to adjust signals communicated between the antenna 3310 and the processing circuit 3302. The wireless front-end circuit 3318 can receive digital data sent to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The wireless front-end circuit 3318 may use the combination of the filter 3320 and / or the amplifier 3322 to convert the digital data into a wireless signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal can then be transmitted via antenna 3310. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 3310 can collect the radio signal, which is then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuit 3318. The digital data can then be passed to the processing circuit 3302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0088] In certain 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 circuit and is connected to the antenna 3310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuits 3312 are part of the communication interface 3306. In yet another embodiment, the communication interface 3306, as part of a radio unit (not shown), includes one or more ports or terminals 3316, the radio front-end circuit 3318, and the RF transceiver circuit 3312, and the communication interface 3306 communicates with a baseband processing circuit 3314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0089] Antenna 3310 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive radio signals. Antenna 3310 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuit 3318 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In certain embodiments, antenna 3310 is separate from the network node 3300 and can be connected to the network node 3300 via an interface or port.

[0090] The antenna 3310, the communication interface 3306, and / or the processing circuit 3302 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or specific acquisition operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from the 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 operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be transmitted to the UE, another network node, and / or any other network equipment.

[0091] The power supply 3308 provides power to 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 component). The power supply 3308 may further include, or be coupled to, a power management circuit for supplying power to the components of the network node 3300 to perform 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, thereby supplying power to the power circuit of the power supply 3308. As a further example, the power supply 3308 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack, which is connected to or integrated into the power circuit. In the event of a failure of the external power source, the battery may provide backup power.

[0092] Embodiments of the network node 3300 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 18 to provide a particular aspect of the network node's functionality, including any of the functions described herein and / or any functions necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 3300 may include user interface equipment that enables input of information to and output of information from the network node 3300. This may enable a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions of the network node 3300.

[0093] Figure 19 is a block diagram of a host 4400, which may be an embodiment of host 2116 of Figure 16, according to various aspects described herein. As used herein, host 4400 may be or comprise a variety of hardware and / or software, including standalone servers, blade servers, cloud implementation servers, distributed servers, virtual machines, containers, or processing resources within a server farm. Host 4400 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0094] The host 4400 includes processing circuitry 4402 operably coupled via bus 4404 to an input / output interface 4406, a network interface 4408, a power supply 4410, and memory 4412. Other components may be included in other embodiments. The characteristics of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices in previous figures, such as Figures 17 and 18, so that their description may be generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 4400.

[0095] Memory 4412 may include one or more host application programs 4414 and data 4416, which may include user data, for example, data generated by the UE for host 4400, or data generated by host 4400 for the UE. Embodiments of host 4400 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application program 4414 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., VVC (Versatile Video Coding), HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), AVC (Advanced Video Coding), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host application program 4414 can also provide user authentication and licensing checks and can periodically report health, routing, and content availability to a central node such as a device within the core network or on the edge of the core network. Thus, host 4400 can select and / or indicate different hosts for over-the-top services for UEs. The host application program 4414 may support various protocols such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH).

[0096] Figure 20 is a block diagram showing a virtualization environment 5500 in which functions implemented by several embodiments can be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating a device or a virtual version of a device, which may include a virtualization hardware platform, storage devices, and network resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device or component thereof described herein and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functions are implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtualization environments 5500 hosted by one or more hardware nodes, such as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hardware computing devices acting as hosts. Furthermore, in embodiments in which the virtual nodes do not require wireless connectivity (e.g., core network nodes or hosts), the nodes may be fully virtualized.

[0097] Application 5502 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, virtual appliance, network function, virtual node, virtual network function, etc.) runs in the virtualized environment 5500 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0098] Hardware 5504 includes processing circuits, memory for storing software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuits, and / or other hardware devices described herein, such as network interfaces and input / output interfaces. The software is executed by the processing circuits to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 5506 (also called hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VM5508a and 5508b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as VM5508), and / or perform any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described herein in relation to some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 5506 can present a virtual operating platform to the VM5508 that looks like networking hardware.

[0099] VM5508 provides virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networkwork or interfaces, and virtual storage, and may be run by the corresponding virtualization layer 5506. Various embodiments of instances of the virtual appliance 5502 may be implemented on one or more of VM5508, and the implementation may be carried out in different ways. Hardware virtualization is referred to as network function virtualization (NFV) in some contexts. NFV can be used to integrate many types of network equipment with industry-standard high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage (which can be located in data centers), as well as customer premises equipment.

[0100] In the context of NFV, VMs 5508 can be software implementations of physical machines that run programs as if they were running on physical, non-virtualized machines. Each VM5508, and that portion of the hardware 5504 running that VM, is hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with others in the VM, forming separate virtual network elements. Furthermore, in the context of NFV, virtual network functions run in one or more VMs 5508 on the hardware 5504 and are responsible for handling specific network functions corresponding to applications 5502.

[0101] Hardware 5504 may be implemented in a standalone network node having general-purpose or specific components. Hardware 5504 may implement several functions through virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 5504 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g., in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed, among other things, through management and orchestration 5510 that oversees the lifecycle management of application 5502. In some embodiments, hardware 5504 is coupled to one or more radio units, each having one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that can be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units can communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more suitable network interfaces and can be used in combination with virtual components to provide radio functions to virtual nodes, such as radio access nodes or base stations. In some embodiments, some signaling may be provided with the use of a control system 5512 which can be used alternatively for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0102] Figure 21 shows a communication diagram of host 6602 communicating with UE 6606 via network node 6604 over a partial wireless connection, according to several embodiments. Exemplary implementations of various embodiments of the UEs (such as UE 2112a in Figure 16 and / or UE 2200 in Figure 17), network nodes (such as network node 2110a in Figure 16 and / or network node 3300 in Figure 18), and hosts (such as host 2116 in Figure 16 and / or host 4400 in Figure 19), as described in the preceding paragraphs, will be explained with reference to Figure 21.

[0103] Similar to host 4400, embodiments of host 6602 include hardware such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 6602 also includes software that is stored in or accessible by host 6602 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that may be capable of operating to serve remote users, such as UE 6606, connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 6650 extending between UE 6606 and host 6602. When serving remote users, the host application may provide user data transmitted using the OTT connection 6650.

[0104] Network node 6604 includes hardware that enables communication with host 6602 and UE 6606. Connection 6660 may be direct or may pass through the core network (such as core network 2106 in Figure 16) and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as public, private, or host networks. For example, the intermediate network may be a backbone network or the internet.

[0105] The UE 6606 includes hardware and software stored in or accessible by the UE 6606 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. The software includes client applications, such as a web browser or operator-specific “apps,” which may be capable of operating to serve human or non-human users through the UE 6606 with the support of the host 6602. On the host 6602, a running host application can communicate with a running client application via an OTT connection 6650 that terminates at the UE 6606 and host 6602. When serving a user, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host's host application and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 6650 can transfer both the request data and the user data. The UE's client application can interact with the user to generate user data to provide to the host application via the OTT connection 6650.

[0106] The OTT connection 6650 may provide a connection between host 6602 and UE 6606 via connection 6660 between host 6602 and network node 6604, and via wireless connection 6670 between network node 6604 and UE 6606. Connections 6660 and wireless connection 6670, which the OTT connection 6650 may provide, are depicted abstractly to illustrate communication between host 6602 and UE 1606 via network node 6604, and no intermediate devices or exact routing of messages through these devices are explicitly referenced.

[0107] As an example of transmitting data over the OTT connection 6650, in step 6608, host 6602 provides user data that can be executed by running a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE 6606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE 6606 that shares data with host 6602 without explicit human interaction. In step 6610, host 6602 initiates a transmission that carries the user data toward UE 6606. Host 6602 may initiate a transmission in response to a request sent by UE 6606. The request may be triggered by human interaction with UE 6606 or by the operation of a client application running on UE 6606. The transmission may pass through network node 6604 in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 6612, network node 6604 transmits user data carried in the transmission initiated by host 6602 to UE 6606 in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 6614, UE 6606 receives user data carried in the transmission, which may be executed by a client application running on UE 6606 related to a host application running by host 6602.

[0108] In some examples, UE 6606 runs a client application that provides user data to host 6602. User data may be provided in response to or in reaction to data received from host 6602. Thus, in step 6616, UE 6606 may provide user data that can be provided by running a client application. When providing user data, the client application may further consider user input received from the user via the input / output interface of UE 6606. Regardless of the particular way in which the user data is provided, in step 6618, UE 6606 initiates transmission of the user data to host 6602 via network node 6604. In step 6620, in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 6604 receives user data from UE 6606 and initiates transmission of the received user data to host 6602. In step 6622, host 6602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 6606.

[0109] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of the OTT service provided to the UE 6606 using the OTT connection 6650, in which the wireless connection 6670 forms the final segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments can improve data rate, latency, and / or power consumption, thereby providing benefits such as reduced user latency, relaxed file size limitations, improved content resolution, better responsiveness, and / or extended battery life.

[0110] In an exemplary scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by host 6602. As another example, host 6602 may process audio and video data extracted from the UE for use in creating maps. As yet another example, host 6602 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in vehicle congestion control (e.g., traffic light control). As yet another example, host 6602 may store surveillance video uploaded by the UE. As yet another example, host 6602 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR, or AR that can be broadcast, multicast, or unicast to the UE. As yet another example, 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 from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing, and / or transmitting data.

[0111] In some embodiments, measurement procedures may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rates, latency, and other factors that are improved by one or more embodiments. Further optional network functions may exist for reconfiguring the OTT connection 6650 between host 6602 and UE 6606 in response to variations in the measurement results. Measurement procedures and / or network functions for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in the software and hardware of host 6602 and / or UE 6606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in connection with other devices through which the OTT connection 6650 passes, and the sensors may participate in the measurement procedures by supplying values ​​of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or by supplying values ​​of other physical quantities that the software can calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 6650 may include message formatting, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc., and the reconfiguration does not need to directly change the operation of network node 6604. Such procedures and functions are known and can be practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, the measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements such as throughput, propagation time, and latency by host 6602. The measurements may be carried out by software using OTT connection 6650 to send messages, particularly empty or "dummy" messages, while monitoring propagation time, errors, etc.

[0112] The computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include illustrated combinations of hardware components, but other embodiments may include computing devices with different combinations of components. It should be understood that these computing devices may have any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The decisions, calculations, acquisitions, or similar operations described herein may process information by, for example, converting acquired information to other information, comparing acquired or converted information to information stored in a network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and such processing may be performed by processing circuits as a result of making decisions. Furthermore, while components are depicted as a single box located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a computing device may comprise multiple different physical components constituting a single illustrated component, and functions may be separated between distinct components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functions of the components may be separated between the processing circuits and the communication interface. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware, while the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0113] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be provided by a processing circuit that executes instructions stored in memory, and in certain embodiments, they may be a computer program product in the form of a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functions may be provided by a processing circuit without executing instructions stored on a separate or separate device-readable storage medium, such as a hardwired method. In any of these particular embodiments, whether or not it executes instructions stored on a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, the processing circuit may be configured to perform the functions described. The benefits provided by such functions are not limited to the processing circuit alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the entire computing device and / or by the end user and the entire wireless network.

[0114] It will be understood that computer systems take on an increasingly diverse range of forms. In this specification and in the claims, the terms “controller,” “computer system,” or “computing system” are broadly defined to include any device or system, or any combination thereof, having at least one physical and tangible processor and physical and tangible memory capable of having computer-executable instructions that can be executed by the processor. By example, rather than by limitation, the terms “computer system” or “computing system” as used herein are intended to include personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, handheld devices (e.g., mobile 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 devices that were not traditionally considered computing systems, such as wearables (e.g., glasses).

[0115] Furthermore, a computing system has multiple structures, often referred to as “executable components,” and for example, the memory of a computing system may contain executable components. The term “executable component” is the name of a structure that is well understood by those skilled in the art of computing as a structure that may be software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, when implemented in software, 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, and those skilled in the art will understand whether such executable components reside in the heap of the computing system or 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 a computing system, is operable to cause the computing system to execute one or more functions, such as the functions and methods described herein. Such a structure may be directly computer-readable by the processor, as is the case when the executable component is a binary. Alternatively, the structure may be structured to be interpretable and / or compilable, whether in a single or multi-stage manner, to produce such a binary that is directly interpretable by the processor.

[0116] The terms “components,” “services,” “engines,” “modules,” “controls,” and “generators” may also be used in this description. As used herein and in this context, these terms are also intended to be synonymous with the term “executable component,” whether expressed with or without modifying phrases, and thus have a structure that will be well understood by those skilled in the art of computing.

[0117] In computer implementations, a computer is generally understood to have one or more processors or one or more controllers, and the terms computer, processor, and controller may be used interchangeably. Where provided by a computer, processor, or controller, functionality may be provided by a single dedicated computer or processor or controller, 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. Furthermore, the terms “processor” or “controller” also refer to other hardware capable of performing such functionality and / or running software such as the exemplary hardware listed above.

[0118] In general, various exemplary embodiments may be implemented in hardware or dedicated chips, circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. For example, some embodiments may be implemented in hardware, while others may be implemented in firmware or software that can be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device, but the disclosure is not limited to these. Various embodiments of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using any other graphic representation, but it should be understood that these blocks, devices, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may, in non-limiting examples, be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, application-specific circuits or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers, or other computing devices, or any combination thereof.

[0119] Not all computing systems require a user interface, but in some embodiments, a computing system includes a user interface for use in communicating information between users. The user interface may include output and input mechanisms. The principles described herein are not limited to specific output or input mechanisms, such as those depending on the nature of the device. However, output mechanisms may include, for example, speakers, displays, haptic outputs, projections, holograms, etc. Examples of input mechanisms may include, for example, microphones, touchscreens, projections, holograms, cameras, keyboards, styluses, mice, or other pointer inputs, any type of sensor, etc.

[0120] Abbreviations and Definitions To help you understand the scope and content of this specification and the appended claims, some selected terms are defined below directly. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0121] The terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially,” as used herein, represent an amount or condition close to a specific stated amount or condition that still performs the desired function or achieves the desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount or condition that deviates by less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 1%, less than 0.1%, or less than 0.01% from the specifically stated amount or condition.

[0122] Various aspects of the Disclosure, including devices, systems, and methods, may be shown with reference to one or more essentially exemplary embodiments or implementations. As used herein, the term “exemplary” means “to serve as an example, case, or illustration” and should not necessarily be construed as being preferable or advantageous to other embodiments disclosed herein. In addition, references to “implementations” of the Disclosure or embodiments include specific references to one or more of those embodiments, and vice versa, and are intended to provide illustrative examples without limiting the scope of the Disclosure as shown herein and not by the appended claims.

[0123] Where used herein, a word appearing in the singular form encompasses its plural counterpart, and a word appearing in the plural form encompasses its singular counterpart, unless implicitly or explicitly understood, or otherwise stated. Therefore, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include multiple referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, a reference to a singular referent (e.g., "widget") includes one, two, or more referents, unless implicitly or explicitly understood, or otherwise stated. Similarly, a reference to multiple referents should be interpreted as including one and / or multiple referents, unless the content and / or context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, a reference to a plural referent (e.g., "widget") does not necessarily require multiple such referents. Rather, it will be understood that, regardless of the number of inferred references, one or more references are intended herein unless specifically stated.

[0124] In this specification, references to “one embodiment,” “embodiment,” and “exemplary embodiment” indicate that the embodiments described may include certain features, structures, or characteristics, but not all embodiments are required to include such features, structures, or characteristics. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, where certain features, structures, or characteristics are described in relation to an embodiment, it is provided that any influence on such features, structures, or characteristics in relation to other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not, is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0125] In this specification, terms such as “first” and “second” may be used to describe various elements, but it should be understood that these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, a first element may be called a second element, and similarly, a second element may be called a first element. As used herein, the terms “and / or” include any and all combinations of one or more of the related enumerated terms.

[0126] It should be further understood that, when used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes,” and / or “including” identify the presence of the described features, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0127] conclusion This disclosure includes any novel features or combinations of features disclosed herein, either expressly or in any generalization thereof. Various modifications and adaptations to the exemplary embodiments described herein may become apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and in consideration of the foregoing description. However, any and all modifications still fall within the scope of the non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0128] With respect to any given component or embodiment described herein, any possible candidates or substitutes listed for that component are understood to be generally usable individually or in combination with each other, unless otherwise understood implicitly or expressly. Furthermore, any list of such candidates or substitutes is understood to be merely illustrative and not limiting, unless otherwise understood implicitly or expressly.

[0129] Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, numbers representing quantities, components, distances, or other measurements used herein and in the claims should be understood as being modified by the term “about,” as the term is defined herein. Thus, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters described herein and in the appended claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired characteristics sought by the subject matter presented herein. At the very least, each numerical parameter should be interpreted in light of the number of significant figures reported and by applying general rounding techniques, not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims. Although the numerical ranges and parameters representing a broad range of the subject matter presented herein are approximations, the numbers described in specific examples are reported as accurately as possible. However, any numerical value inherently includes certain errors that inevitably arise from the standard deviation found in each test measurement.

[0130] Any headings and subheadings used herein are for structural purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the description or claims. Terms and formulas used herein are for illustrative purposes only, not limitation, and the use of such terms and formulas is not intended to exclude equivalents of any and all of the features shown and described herein, although it should be recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, while this disclosure is partially and specifically disclosed by certain embodiments, it should be understood that optional features, modifications, and variations of the concepts disclosed herein may be utilized by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this description.

[0131] It will be understood that a system, device, product, kit, method, and / or process according to a particular embodiment of this disclosure may include, incorporate, or otherwise include characteristics or features (e.g., components, members, elements, parts, and / or parts) described in other embodiments disclosed and / or described herein. Accordingly, various features of a particular embodiment may be compatible with, combined with, included in, and / or incorporated into other embodiments of this disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure of a particular feature for a particular embodiment of this disclosure should not be interpreted as an application or inclusion of said feature for a particular embodiment. Rather, it will be understood that other embodiments may also include said features, members, elements, parts, and / or parts without necessarily departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0132] Furthermore, unless a feature is described as requiring another feature in combination with it, any feature described herein may be combined with any other feature of the same or different embodiments disclosed herein. Moreover, various well-known embodiments of exemplary systems, methods, apparatus, etc., are not described in particular detail herein to avoid obscuring the embodiments of the exemplary models. However, such embodiments are also intended herein.

[0133] 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 may be applied to the implementation of the embodiments described herein, as broadly disclosed herein, without relying on excessive experimentation. All functional equivalents known in the art of the methods, devices, device elements, materials, procedures, and techniques specifically described herein are intended to be encompassed by this disclosure.

[0134] Where a group of materials, compositions, components, or compounds is disclosed herein, it is understood that all individual members of those groups and all their subgroups are disclosed separately. Where a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of the group, as well as all combinations and possible subcombinations of the group, are intended to be included individually in this disclosure.

[0135] The embodiments described above are merely examples. Those skilled in the art can modify, alter, and transform specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the description defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for performing equalization, which is performed by a distributed unit (DU) (1015), the method is: Requesting one or more radio units (1020, 1025) to provide one or more equalized demodulated reference signal (DMRS) symbols and one or more equalized data symbols (1510), Receiving the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols (1520), Performing one or more channel estimations based at least partially on one or more of the equalized DMRS symbols (1530), Performing equalization on the one or more equalized data symbols based at least in part on the one or more channel estimations (1540), Calculating one or more signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR) data (1550), (1560) Demodulating and decoding the one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on the one or more SINR data, A method of having.

2. A method performed by a distributed unit (DU) (1015) for performing joint equalization based on a demodulated reference signal (DMRS), wherein the method is: Receiving scheduling information from the scheduler (1710), If the scheduling information indicates the use of DMRS-based joint equalization, Requesting one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols for one or more wireless units (1720), Receiving the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols (1730), Performing one or more channel estimations based at least partially on the one or more equalized DMRS symbols (1740), Performing equalization on the one or more equalized data symbols based at least in part on the one or more channel estimations (1750), The first is to calculate one or more signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR) data (1760), and to perform the following: Performing demodulation and decoding of the one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on the first one or more SINR data (1770), If the scheduling information does not indicate the use of DMRS-based joint equalization, Requesting one or more equalized data symbols and one or more second SINR data from one or more of the aforementioned wireless units (1780), Receiving the one or more equalized data symbols and the second one or more SINR data (1785) and performing the following: If the scheduling information indicates Maximum Ratio Combination (MRC) Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP), then MRC CoMP and demodulation are performed (1790). If the scheduling information does not indicate MRC Comp, demodulation is performed separately for each of the one or more radio units (1795), A method that involves performing an action.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising detecting whether the scheduling information indicates the use of DMRS-based joint equalization.

4. A method performed by a distributed unit (DU) for performing demodulated reference signal (DMRS)-based joint equalization, the method being: Requesting one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols for one or more wireless units (1810), Receiving the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols (1820), A method of having.

5. The method according to claim 4, further, Performing one or more channel estimations based at least partially on the one or more equalized DMRS symbols, Performing equalization on the one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on the one or more channel estimations, Calculating one or more signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR) data, Demodulation and decoding of the one or more equalized data symbols based at least partially on the one or more SINR data, A method of having.

6. A method performed by a radio unit (RU) for assisting demodulated reference signal (DMRS)-based joint equalization in a distributed unit (DU), the method being: Receiving requests from distributed units for one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols (1910), Equalizing one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols to create the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols (1920), Transmitting the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols to the DU for use in channel estimation and equalization by the DU (1930), A method of having.

7. A method performed by one or more radio units (RUs) for supporting demodulated reference signal (DMRS)-based joint equalization in a distributed unit (DU), wherein the DU receives scheduling information from a scheduler, and the method is: If the scheduling information indicates the use of DMRS-based joint equalization, Receiving a request from the DU for one or more equalized DMRS symbols and one or more equalized data symbols (2010), Equalizing one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols in order to generate the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols (2020), To transmit the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols to the DU for use in channel estimation and equalization by the DU (2030), If the scheduling information does not indicate the use of DMRS-based joint equalization, Receiving a request from the DU for the one or more equalized data symbols and one or more signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR) data (2040), Equalizing one or more DMRS symbols and one or more data symbols in order to create the one or more equalized DMRS symbols and the one or more equalized data symbols (2050), The DU (2060) has the following functions: the one or more equalized data symbols and the one or more SINR data are, When the scheduling information indicates a maximum ratio combined coordinated multipoint (MRC CoMP), it is used for MRC CoMP and demodulation (2070). A method used to perform demodulation (2080) separately for each RU containing the one or more RUs, if the scheduling information does not indicate MRC CoMP.

8. A network node (3300) for performing or assisting joint equalization and / or demodulated reference signal (DMRS) based joint equalization, wherein the network node is A processing circuit (3302) configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 7, A power supply circuit (3308) configured to supply power to the processing circuit, A network node that has

9. A network node according to claim 8, wherein the network node has at least one of a distributed unit (1015) and a wireless unit (1020, 1025).

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