New WUR architecture

Abstract

This paper describes a WUR architecture and methods and systems for its use. The WUR may include a switch in its front end used to dynamically switch to the matching network without a front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) when the received signal level is high. Conversely, when the received signal level is low, the switch may switch to the front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA). The front-end switching operation between the matching network and the front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) may be controlled by either the UE or the network, depending on various conceivable conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross-reference to Related Information This application claims the benefit of U.S. Priority Application No. 63 / 457983, entitled "New WUR Architecture," filed on April 7, 2023.

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for using and configuring a wake-up receiver.

Background Art

[0003] A wake-up receiver (WUR), sometimes referred to as a "wake-up radio," enables a main (baseband / RF (radio frequency) / low power efficiency) receiver to wake up when a wake-up signal (WUS) is detected, and detect incoming messages, usually paging (e.g., scheduling of paging messages on PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) in a paging occasion (PO)). The main advantages of adopting a WUR are reducing energy consumption and extending the life of the device battery, or fixing the energy consumption to reduce downlink latency (shorter DRX (Discontinuous Reception) / duty cycle, and more frequent checking for incoming transmissions).

[0004] Figure 1 is a diagram of the location of WUS and the associated paging opportunities. Generally, there are two methods for detecting WUS: 1) using a main receiver, and 2) having a dedicated WUR. Advantages of using a main receiver include the fact that no additional dedicated hardware / receiver is required to monitor WUS, the coverage of the main receiver is usually unaffected, and power saving gains are limited when the main receiver monitors WUS. Advantages of using a dedicated WUR include extremely low power consumption, a simple and low-cost receiver architecture, relaxed requirements, a noisier (i.e., less precise) clock or oscillator, the ability to achieve significant power saving gains by maximizing the time the main receiver can be in sleep mode, elements that enable zero-energy / battery-less devices and energy harvesting operation, and the existence of coverage considerations that take into account the trade-off between WUR power consumption and sensitivity.

[0005] As an example, Figure 2 shows a dedicated wake-up radio (WUR) used to monitor a wake-up signal (WUS). When the WUR detects an intended WUS, it wakes up the main (baseband / RF / low power efficiency) receiver to detect further incoming messages. Thus, the main receiver can enter sleep mode and conserve power until triggered by the WUR.

[0006] Rel-18 NR WUR In Rel-18, there is considerable interest in introducing WUR to NR, aiming to achieve a more significant improvement in energy efficiency compared to solutions already specified in previous releases. As explained above, the only specification support required to enable the use of WUR in UE is the WUS specification and a sufficiently long time lag between the WUS and the PDCCH in PO (to enable the UE to start up the main receiver). Thus, the main difference from Rel-17 PEI is that the WUS in Rel-18 should not be PDCCH-based, but should allow for a simpler, lower-power receiver, i.e., a WUR with simple modulation and detection techniques (e.g., using on-off keying (OOK) modulation and non-coherent detection, or FSK (frequency shift keying)).

[0007] In Rel-18, the research item "low-power wake-up signal and receiver for NR" was approved. The relevant justification and purpose sections are cited below (RP-213645). TIFF2026519928000002.tif248170TIFF2026519928000003.tif77170

[0008] The advantage of WUR is that it reduces the receiver's energy consumption, allowing the UE to remain in a power-saving state as long as there is no paging and data for it. This extends the device's battery life, or alternatively, enables shorter downlink latency (shorter DRX) within a fixed battery life. For short-range communications, WUR power can be low enough (around 10 μW) that, combined with energy harvesting, it may even be possible to keep the WUR continuously on without needing a battery (i.e., no DRX or duty cycle is used). This can be seen as a key factor enabling battery-less devices toward 6G.

[0009] Within the Rel-18 study, different WUR architectures are under investigation. Several examples are provided in Figures 3A to 3C. Three examples are shown: 1) an architecture with RF envelope detection in Figure 3A, 2) a heterodyne architecture with IF envelope detection in Figure 3B, and 3) a homodyne / zero IF architecture with baseband envelope detection in Figure 3C.

[0010] Power and sensitivity trade-off A design challenge in receivers for IoT applications is minimizing power consumption at an appropriate sensitivity level. In WUR designs, receiver sensitivity is a critical parameter, as it provides the lowest power level at which the receiver can detect a WUS. Generally, better sensitivity requires more power-consuming electronics on the receiver side (e.g., LNA (Low Noise Amplifier)) and therefore demands higher power. Conversely, worse sensitivity for the same communication range requires higher radiated power on the transmitter side. For this reason, sensitivity requirements often lead to over-engineering to ensure reliable communication under adverse conditions. Ideally, if a WUR is used to trigger a main receiver that is less energy-efficient and consumes more power, the WUR and the main receiver should have the same range.

[0011] As an example, the trade-off between WUR sensitivity / coverage and energy consumption is shown in Figure 4 based on existing low-power radio designs. Figure 4 shows a power-to-sensitivity study of low-power radios. As can be seen, for every 20 dB improvement in sensitivity, power consumption increases by at least 10 times.

[0012] Currently, several challenges exist in the existing technology. The design goal of WUR is to save power / reduce energy consumption. To achieve this, several WUR architectures are being discussed in 3GPP research projects. Some studies have reported that WURs have a higher noise figure when the LNA (low-noise amplifier) ​​is removed. To reduce energy consumption, some architectures do not have an LNA. However, removing the LNA results in a higher noise figure with unbalanced cell coverage compared to the main receiver or worse sensitivity. [Overview of the project]

[0013] One embodiment under the present disclosure includes a method performed by a UE to configure a WUR. The method includes receiving a configuration from a network having one or more thresholds, performing one or more measurements of one or more signals received from a network node, comparing one or more measurements with one or more thresholds, and configuring the operating mode of the WUR in accordance with the comparison, wherein the WUR is configured to operate in one or more modes, including at least one of a high noise figure mode and a low noise figure mode.

[0014] Another embodiment under this disclosure includes a method performed by a network node to configure a WUR of a UE. This method includes receiving from the UE the WUR's ability to operate in either a high-noise-figure mode or a low-noise-figure mode, and instructing the UE, at least in part, whether it should operate in either the high-noise-figure mode or the low-noise-figure mode.

[0015] Another embodiment under this disclosure includes a WUR for a UE. The WUR comprises an antenna configured to receive a WUS configured to wake up the UE, and a front-end filter block coupled to the antenna. The WUR further comprises a first switch coupled to the front-end filter block and configured to selectively couple the front-end filter block to either a front-end amplifier block or a matching network, a front-end down-conversion block configured to provide down-conversion, and a second switch coupled to the front-end down-conversion block and configured to selectively couple the front-end down-conversion block to either a front-end amplifier block or a matching network in synchronization with the first switch. The WUR also comprises a baseband processing unit coupled to the front-end down-conversion block, and the WUR operates in a high-noise-figure mode when the first and second switches are coupled to a matching network, and in a low-noise-figure mode when the first and second switches are coupled to a front-end amplifier block.

[0016] This summary of the present invention is provided to introduce in a simplified form a selection of concepts that will be further described in the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below. This summary of the present invention is not intended to identify any major or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor to be used as an indication of the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0017] For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, the following description, along with the attached drawings, is to be referenced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the location of WUS and the associated paging opportunities. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the dedicated wake-up radio attached to the main receiver. [Figure 3A] This figure shows one type of envelope detection. [Figure 3B] It is a diagram showing one type of envelope detection. [Figure 3C] It is a diagram showing one type of envelope detection. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an investigation of power vs. sensitivity of a low - power radio. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing a WUR architecture under the present disclosure with dynamic switching of a front - end amplifier block. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing a WUR operating in a mode with a high noise figure. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing a WUR operating in a mode with a low noise figure. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart of a method embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a schematic diagram of a communication system embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 12] It is a schematic diagram of a user equipment embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 13] It is a schematic diagram of a network node embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 14] It is a schematic diagram of a host embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 15] It is a schematic diagram of a virtualization environment embodiment under the present disclosure. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing a schematic representation of a communication embodiment among nodes, hosts, and user equipment under the present disclosure.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] 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 illustrated in detail, and that such parameters may, of course, vary. Thus, while specific embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail with respect to specific settings, parameters, components, elements, etc., the descriptions are illustrative and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the claimed embodiments. Furthermore, the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing embodiments and are not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claimed embodiments. Some of the embodiments considered herein are then described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided as examples to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0020] As mentioned above, there are currently several challenges with the existing technology. Since the WUR is equipped on the same device as the main receiver, the radio conditions and blocker / interference environment are the same for both the WUR and the main receiver. If the sensitivity differs between the WUR and the main receiver, there is a risk that the WUR will be "out of coverage" when the main receiver is not out of coverage. In this case, if the network sends a WUS signal to such a UE, the WUS signal cannot be detected by the WUR, and therefore the main receiver will not wake up (i.e., the WUR is out of coverage when a portion of the cell is WUR coverage). A new WUR architecture is needed to address the above issues in order to ensure that the WUR functions as expected and achieves power savings.

[0021] Specific aspects of this disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other problems. Certain embodiments provide a WUR architecture that can switch between a matching network for high received signal levels and a front-end amplifier block for low received signal levels. In certain embodiments, the UE demonstrates its ability to equip a WUR receiver, which can adapt its receiver noise figure to the RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) signal level, for example, a high noise figure when the desired signal level is high and a low noise figure when the signal level is low.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the WUR architecture can adapt its noise figure to the received signal level, e.g., RSRP, and the WUR receiver includes a switch in the front end used to dynamically switch to a matching network without a front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) when the received signal level is high. When the received signal level is low, the switch switches to a front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA). The operation of the front-end switching between the matching network and the front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) can be controlled by either the UE or the network depending on the conditions, as shown in the following examples. In some embodiments, the matching network can be a simple 50-ohm through-line or a matching network for matching the impedance between the front-end filter block and the front-end down-conversion block.

[0023] The embodiment includes a novel WUR architecture that can dynamically operate in two modes (a high-noise-figure mode without a front-end amplifier block and a low-noise-figure mode with a front-end amplifier block), which can achieve different noise figures without sacrificing coverage and thus optimize power consumption.

[0024] A particular embodiment may offer one or more of the following technical advantages: By introducing a new WUR architecture, the noise figure of the WUR can be improved at the cell edge, the WUR coverage can be matched to the coverage of the main receiver, and power consumption can be optimized at the same time.

[0025] Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the WUR architecture 700 under this disclosure, with dynamic switching of the front-end amplifier block (FEAB) 710. As shown in Figure 5, the WUR 700 comprises an antenna 715, a FEAB 710, a front-end filter block 730, a matching network 735, two switches S1 and S2, a front-end down-conversion block (FEDC) 725, and a baseband processing block 750. The front-end amplifier block 710 may include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 720.

[0026] In one mode of WUR operation (high noise figure mode), shown in Figure 6, switches S1 and S2 are switched to matching network 735, and FEAB710 is bypassed. In this mode, since there is no gain block before FEDC725, the WUR700 operates at a high noise figure. LNA720 may be powered off to reduce power consumption. This may come at the expense of RX sensitivity and / or noise. With reduced power, the mode shown in Figure 6 may be called low-power mode and / or high-noise figure mode.

[0027] In another mode of WUR operation shown in Figure 7, switches S1 and S2 are switched to FEAB710, and the WUR700 operates in low-noise figure mode. In this mode, the matching network 735 is bypassed.

[0028] In certain embodiments, the FEDC725 of FIGS. 5 through 7 can correspond to a general receiver architecture between a mixer and an ADC, and the general receiver architecture can be a heterodyne, zero IF or low IF, or RF sampling architecture.

[0029] Embodiments regarding control of different modes In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the WUR operating mode (e.g., high noise figure mode or low noise figure mode) is controlled by the UE according to the measurement signal level received from the serving cell. To switch between different operating modes, the UE can set two signal levels corresponding to different operating modes, e.g., SL1 in the high noise figure mode and SL2 in the low noise figure mode.

[0030] Examples of the measurement signal level can be, for example, the signal level of WUS, the WUS synchronization signal, or a cell reference signal, e.g., SSB (synchronization signal block), or CSI-RS (channel state information-reference signal). Another example of the measurement signal can be other UE traffic signals such as PDSCH (physical downlink shared channel), PDCCH (physical downlink control channel), or a positioning signal.

[0031] The measurement can be performed by either the WUR or the main receiver. When the measurement is performed by the main receiver, the main receiver can be woken up periodically or aperiodically. When the measurement is performed, the UE can compare the measured value with the predefined SL1 and SL2 and set the operating mode accordingly. For example, ● If the measurement signal level > SL1, set the operating mode to the high noise figure mode. ● If the measurement signal level < SL1 and the measurement signal level > SL2, set the operating mode to the low noise figure mode.

[0032] One embodiment of the procedure for setting the operating mode is shown in Figure 8. Method 900 includes a method performed by the UE to set the WUR operating mode. Step 910 measures the cell reference signal level or WUS. If the measured signal level is above SL1, step 920 sets the WUR to high noise figure mode. If the measured signal level is above SL2 but below SL1, step 930 sets the WUR to low noise figure mode. Step 940 periodically measures the reference signal level and returns to step 910. The measurement period may depend on various factors / variables such as UE moving speed, UE position change rate, GNSS position data, timer-based control, or other variables. Using the measured values ​​and arbitrary thresholds, termination conditions for any operating mode can be set. This can retain the advantages of using LP-WUS (low-power wake-up signal).

[0033] Another embodiment under this disclosure is shown in Figure 9. Method 1000 includes a method performed by a UE to configure a WUR, such as a WUR, configured to operate in one or more modes, including at least one of a high-noise-figure mode and a low-noise-figure mode. Step 1010 receives a configuration from the network having one or more thresholds. Step 1020 performs one or more measurements of one or more signals received from the network node. Step 1030 compares one or more measurements to one or more thresholds. Step 1040 configures the operating mode of the WUR in accordance with the comparison.

[0034] Network Implementation In certain embodiments, the WUR operating mode is set by the network, for example, the network sets the UE to operate in either a high-noise-figure mode or a low-noise-figure mode. One possible embodiment is shown in Figure 10. Method 1100 is a method performed by the network (nodes) to set the WUR operation in the UE. In step 1110, the UE indicates (or is received by the network) the WUR's ability to operate in either a high-noise-figure mode and / or a low-noise-figure mode. In step 1120, the UE receives (or is set by the network) whether it should operate in either a high-noise-figure mode or a low-noise-figure mode, based at least partially on its ability. In some embodiments of step 1110, the UE may report both SL1, which operates in high-noise-figure mode, and SL2, which operates in low-noise-figure mode. The UE may also transmit other data along with its ability. In another example, the UE reports two noise figures corresponding to the high-noise-figure mode and the low-noise-figure mode. In another example, the network may set SL1 and SL2 by a predefined cell coverage. The network can also set up separate parameter pairs SL3 and SL4 related to S1 and S2 to set up hysteresis curves to prevent the ping-pong effect.

[0035] In another embodiment, whether the network configures the UE to set the WUR to any operating mode may depend on factors such as measured signal levels, including WUS signals, WUS synchronization signals, SSB, CSI-RS signals, the location of the UE, the speed of the UE, the battery level indicator of the equipped battery, and other factors.

[0036] In certain embodiments, the network collects relevant information reported by the UE, such as location and battery level indications. The network can also set thresholds related to parameters (such as those listed above or provided by the UE). In this case, the UE can switch to a different operating mode when such thresholds are exceeded. In another example, the network may signal the UE to make its own decisions regarding switching to different operating modes, for example, using RRC signaling or SIB signaling.

[0037] Additional Embodiments Figure 11 shows examples of communication systems 2100 according to several embodiments. In this example, communication system 2100 includes a communication network 2102 which includes an access network 2104 such as a RAN and a core network 2106 which includes one or more core network nodes 2108. The access network 2104 includes one or more access network nodes (one or more of which may generally be referred to as network nodes 2110), such as network nodes 2110a and 2110b, or any other similar Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP access points. Network nodes 2110 facilitate 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 UE2112) to the core network 2106 over one or more radio connections.

[0038] Exemplary wireless communication on a wireless connection includes transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information, without using wires, cables, or other material conductors. Furthermore, in different 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 may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals, whether or not 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.

[0039] UE2112 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 be configured, capable, set up, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UE2112 and / or other network nodes or devices in communication network 2102 in order to enable and / or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and / or to perform other functions, such as administration in communication network 2102.

[0040] 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 another core network node (e.g., core network node 2108) structured with hardware and software components. Since the characteristics of these components may be substantially similar to those described for the UE, network nodes, and / or hosts, 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 Decryption Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protected Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and / or User Plane Function (UPF).

[0041] 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 extracting and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by multiple UEs, analytical functions, social media, functions for controlling or, optionally, interacting with remote devices, functions for alarms and surveillance centers, or any other such functions performed by the server.

[0042] Overall, the communication system 2100 in Figure 11 enables connectivity between UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In this sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, including but not limited to, certain standards: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, or any applicable next-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 Global 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.

[0043] In some examples, the communication network 2102 is a cellular network implementing 3GPP standardization features. Therefore, the communication network 2102 can support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to the communication network 2102. For example, the communication network 2102 can provide ultra-high reliability low latency communication (URLLC) services to several UEs while providing extended mobile broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs and / or massive machine-type communications (mMTC) / massive IoT services to even further UEs.

[0044] In some examples, UE2112 is configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, the UE may be designed to transmit information to access network 2104 on a predetermined schedule when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to a request from access network 2104. Furthermore, the UE may be configured to operate in single, multi-RAT, or multi-standard modes. For example, the UE may operate with 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 (Enhanced UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0045] In this example, hub 2114 communicates with access network 2104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE2112c and / or 2112d) and a network node (e.g., network node 2110b). In some examples, hub 2114 may be a controller, router, content source and content analysis, or any other communication device described herein with respect to the UE. For example, hub 2114 may be a broadband router that enables access to the core network 2106 for the UE. In another example, 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 in hub 2114. In yet another example, 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, hub 2114 may be a content source. For example, with respect to a UE, such as a VR headset, display, loudspeaker, or other media distribution device, the hub 2114 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via network nodes, which the hub 2114 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In yet another example, the hub 2114 may function as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UE, particularly if one or more of the UEs are low-energy IoT devices.

[0046] Hub 2114 can have a permanent / persistent or intermittent connection to network node 2110b. Hub 2114 can also enable different communication methods and / or schedules between Hub 2114 and UEs (e.g., UE2112c 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 on the access network 1104 and / or 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 a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, Hub 2114 may be a dedicated hub, i.e., a hub whose primary function is to route communications to and from UEs to and from network node 2110b. In other embodiments, the hub 2114 may be a non-dedicated hub, i.e., a device capable of routing communication between the UE and the network node 2110b, but also capable of acting as a communication start and / or end point for a specific data channel.

[0047] Figure 12 shows a UE2200 in some embodiments. As used herein, UE refers to a device that is capable of, configured, set up, and / or operational for wireless communication with network nodes and / or other UEs. 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, laptop computers, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop computer-equipped devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), and vehicle-mounted or vehicle-embedded / integrated wireless devices. 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.

[0048] A UE can 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-board (V2I), or vehicle-to-all (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 associated device. Instead, a UE may represent a device (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller) that is intended for sale to or operation by a human user, but may not be associated with a specific human user, or may not be initially associated with a specific human user. Alternatively, a UE may represent a device (e.g., a smart electricity meter) that is not intended for sale to or operation by an end user, but may be associated with a user or operated for the user's benefit.

[0049] The UE2200 includes processing circuitry 2202 operably coupled via bus 2204 to input / output interface 2206, power supply 2208, memory 2210, communication interface 2212, and / or any other components, or any combination thereof. Several UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 10. The level of integration between components may vary from one UE to another. Furthermore, some UEs may include multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, and receivers.

[0050] 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 a machine-readable computer program. The processing circuit 2202 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), programmable logic with appropriate firmware, a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) with appropriate software, one or more stored computer programs, a general-purpose processor, or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuit 2202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0051] In this example, the input / output interface 2206 may be configured to provide one or more interfaces to input devices, output devices, 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 can allow users to take in information to the UE2200. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive displays, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital video cameras, webcams, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, directional pads, trackpads, scroll wheels, smart cards, etc. Presence-sensitive displays may include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to detect user input. Sensors may include, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, light sensors, proximity sensors, biosensors, or any combination thereof. Output devices can use the same type of interface ports as input devices. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide input and output devices.

[0052] In some embodiments, the power supply 2208 is constructed as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources may be used, such as an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a battery. The power supply 2208 may further include a power circuit for distributing power from the power supply 2208 itself and / or from an external power source via an interface such as an input circuit or power cable. Distributing power may, for example, be for charging the power supply 2208. The power circuit may perform any formatting, converting, or other modifications to the power from the power supply 2208 to make that power suitable for each component of the UE2200 to which it is supplied.

[0053] Memory 2210 is 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. For example, memory 2210 may include one or more application programs 2214, such as an operating system, a web browser application, a widget, a gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 2216. Memory 2210 can store a wide variety of operating systems or combinations of operating systems for use by the UE2200.

[0054] Memory 2210 may be configured to include several physical drive units such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drives, external hard disk drives, thumb drives, pen drives, key drives, high-density digital versatile disk (HD-DVD) optical disc drives, internal hard disk drives, Blu-ray optical disc drives, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drives, external mini dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs), 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, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC commonly known as a "SIM card". Memory 2210 can enable the UE2200 to access instructions, application programs, etc., stored on temporary or non-temporary memory media, offload data, or upload data. Products that utilize communication systems, such as manufactured goods, may be tangibly embodied as memory 2210 or within memory 2210, and memory 2210 is or may comprise a device-readable storage medium.

[0055] The processing circuit 2202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other networks using a communication interface 2212. The communication interface 2212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2222. The communication interface 2212 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or network node in the access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2218 and / or receiver 2220 suitable for providing network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency-allocated, etc.). Furthermore, the transmitter 2218 and receiver 2220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2222) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively, be implemented separately.

[0056] 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) for determining 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 (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

[0057] Regardless of the sensor type, the UE can provide an output of the data captured by its sensor through its communication interface 2212 via a wireless connection to a network node. The data captured by the UE's sensor can be communicated via another UE through a wireless connection to a network node. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the detected temperature), random (e.g., to equalize the load from reports from several sensors), responsive to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected and an alert is sent), responsive to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0058] As another example, the UE may include actuators, motors, or switches related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. The state of the actuators, motors, or switches may change in response to the received wireless input. For example, the UE may include a motor that adjusts the control surface or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input, or a robotic arm that performs a medical procedure according to the received input.

[0059] When a UE takes the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, it may be a device for use in one or more application areas, which include, but are not limited to, urban wearable technology, augmented industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-exclusive examples of such IoT devices are devices that are connected refrigerators or freezers, TVs, connected lighting devices, electricity meters, robotic vacuum cleaners, voice-controlled smart speakers, home security cameras, motion detectors, thermostats, smoke detectors, door / window sensors, flood / humidity 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 augmentation or perceptual augmentation, water sprinklers, animal or product tracking devices, sensors for monitoring plants or animals, industrial robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and any kind of medical device such as a heart rate monitor or remotely controlled surgical robot, or devices incorporated into them. The UE in the form of an IoT device includes, in addition to the other components described with respect to the UE2200 shown in Figure 10, circuitry and / or software depending on the intended application of the IoT device.

[0060] In 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 context of 3GPP. 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 airplane, or other equipment capable of monitoring its operating status and / or reporting on its operating status, or other functions associated with its operation.

[0061] In practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, the first UE may be the drone itself, or integrated within the drone, providing speed information of the drone (acquired through a speed sensor) to the second UE, which is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE can adjust the throttle on the drone (for example, by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone's speed. The first and / or second UEs can 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 about both the speed sensor and the actuator.

[0062] Figure 13 shows a network node 3300 according to one embodiment. As used herein, a network node refers to a device that is configured, set up, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UEs and / or other network nodes or devices in a communication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, node Bs, evolved node Bs (eNBs), and NR node Bs (gNBs)).

[0063] Base stations may be classified based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, in other words, the base station's transmit power level), and therefore may be called femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations in response to the amount of coverage they provide. A base station may also be a relay node or relay donor node that controls relays. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU), which may be called a remote radio head (RRH). Such a remote radio unit may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be called nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0064] Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmit point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, MSR equipment such as multi-standard radio (MSR) BS, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base station 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 (MDTs).

[0065] Network node 3300 includes processing circuitry 3302, memory 3304, communication interface 3306, and power supply 3308. Network node 3300 may consist of multiple physically separate components (e.g., node B components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components), each of which may have its own separate components. In certain scenarios where network node 3300 has multiple separate components (e.g., BTS components and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple node Bs. In such a scenario, each unique node B-RNC pair may, in some instances, be considered a single separate 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 memory 3304 for different RATs), and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 3310 may be shared by different RATs). Network node 3300 may also include multiple sets of various indicated components for different wireless technologies, such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, radio frequency identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies, which are integrated into network node 1300. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or sets of chips and other components within network node 1300.

[0066] The processing circuit 3302 may include one or more combinations of microprocessors, controllers, microcontrollers, central processing units, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or any other suitable computing devices, resources, or combinations of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic, which are capable of operating alone or in conjunction with other network node 3300 components such as memory 3304 to provide network node 3300 functionality.

[0067] 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 radio and digital units. 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.

[0068] Memory 3304 may include, but is not limited to, any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuit 3302, including persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drive, compact disc (CD), or digital video disc (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile non-temporary device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device. Memory 3304 can store any appropriate instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, and applications that include one or more logic, rules, codes, 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 calculations performed by processing circuit 3302 and / or data received via communication interface 3306. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 3302 and the memory 3304 are integrated.

[0069] The communication interface 3306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As illustrated, the communication interface 3306 includes, for example, a port / terminal 3316 for sending and receiving data to and from the network over a wired connection. The communication interface 3306 also includes a wireless front-end circuit 3318, which is coupled to or, in certain embodiments, may be part of the antenna 3310. The wireless front-end circuit 3318 includes 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 may receive digital data transmitted to other network nodes or UEs via the wireless connection. The wireless front-end circuit 3318 can convert digital data into a radio signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filter 3320 and / or amplifier 3322. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 3310. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 3310 can collect a radio signal, which is then converted into digital data by the wireless front-end circuit 3318. The digital data may then be passed to processing circuit 3302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0070] 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 part of the RF transceiver circuit 3312 is 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, a radio front-end circuit 3318, and an 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).

[0071] 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 may be isolated from the network node 3300 and connectable to the network node 3300 via an interface or port.

[0072] The antenna 3310, the communication interface 3306, and / or the processing circuit 3302 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or some acquiring operations as 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 as 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.

[0073] Power supply 3308 supplies power to the various components of network node 3300 in a form appropriate to each component (for example, at the voltage and current levels required for each component). Power supply 3308 may further include, or be coupled to, a power management circuit for supplying power to the components of network node 3300 to perform the functions described herein. For example, network node 3300 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., a power grid, an electrical outlet) via an interface such as an input circuit or electrical cable, thereby allowing the external power source to power the power circuit of power supply 3308. As a further example, power supply 3308 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack connected to or integrated into the power circuit. The battery can provide backup power in the event of an external power failure.

[0074] Embodiments of the network node 3300 may include additional components other than those shown in Figure 13 to provide some 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 for enabling information input to and output from the network node 3300. This may enable a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 3300.

[0075] Figure 14 is a block diagram of host 4400, which may be an embodiment of host 2116 of Figure 11, according to various aspects described herein. Host 4400 as used herein may be a variety of combinations of hardware and / or software, or comprise a variety of combinations of hardware and / or software, including standalone servers, blade servers, cloud implementation servers, distributed servers, virtual machines, containers, or processing resources in a server farm. Host 4400 can provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0076] The host 4400 includes an input / output interface 4406, a network interface 4408, a power supply 4410, and a processing circuit 4402 operably coupled via a bus 4404 to a memory 4412. Other embodiments may include other components. The features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices in previous figures, such as Figures 12 and 13, so that their description is generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 4400.

[0077] Memory 4412 may include one or more computer programs, each containing one or more host application programs 4414 and data 4416, the data 4416 of which may include user data, e.g., 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 illustrated components. Host application programs 4414 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Multipurpose Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementation forms of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, head-up display systems). The host application program 4414 can also provide user authentication and licensing checks and periodically report health, route, and content availability to central nodes such as devices within or on the edge of the core network. Thus, host 4400 can select and / or direct different hosts for over-the-top services for the UE. The host application program 4414 can 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).

[0078] Figure 15 is a block diagram showing a virtualization environment 5500 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of an apparatus or device, which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices, and networking resources. The virtualization used herein may apply to any device or its components described herein and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components run by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented within one or more virtualization environments 5500, which are 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.

[0079] Application 5502 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, virtual appliance, network function, virtual node, virtual network function, etc.) runs within a virtualized environment 5500 to realize some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0080] 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)), providing VM5508a and 5508b (one or more of which may commonly be referred to as VM5508), and / or may implement any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described with respect to some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 5506 may present a virtual operating platform that appears to the VM5508 as networking hardware.

[0081] VM5508 may include virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces, and virtual storage, and may be run by the corresponding virtualization layer 5506. Different embodiments of the virtual appliance 5502 example may be implemented in one or more VM5508s, and the implementation may be carried out in different ways. Hardware virtualization is referred to as network function virtualization (NFV) in some contexts. NFV may be used to aggregate many types of network equipment on industry-standard high-volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage that can be located in data centers and customer premises equipment.

[0082] In the context of NFV, VM5508 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were running on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each VM5508 and the portion of hardware 5504 running its VM form a separate virtual network element, whether it is dedicated hardware for the VM and / or hardware shared between that virtual machine and other VMs. Furthermore, in the context of NFV, the virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions running on one or more VM5508s on hardware 5504, and corresponds to application 5502.

[0083] Hardware 5504 may be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 5504 can achieve some functions through virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 5504 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes cooperate and are managed via management and orchestration 5510, which oversees the lifecycle management of applications 5502. In some embodiments, hardware 5504 is coupled to one or more radio units, each including one or more transmitters and one or more receivers, which may be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more suitable network interfaces and may be used in combination with virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or base station. In some embodiments, some signaling may be provided by using a control system 5512, which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0084] Figure 16 shows a communication diagram of host 6602 communicating with UE6606 via network node 6604 through a partial wireless connection, according to one embodiment. Next, exemplary implementations of various embodiments of the UEs (such as UE2112a in Figure 11 and / or UE2200 in Figure 12), network nodes (such as network node 2110a in Figure 11 and / or network node 3300 in Figure 13), and hosts (such as host 2116 in Figure 11 and / or host 4400 in Figure 14), as discussed in the previous paragraph, will be described with reference to Figure 16.

[0085] Like host 4400, an embodiment of host 6602 includes 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 may include a host application that can operate to serve remote users, such as UE6606, connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 6650 extending between UE6606 and host 6602. When serving remote users, the host application may provide user data transmitted using the OTT connection 6650.

[0086] Network node 6604 includes hardware that enables network node 6604 to communicate with host 6602 and UE6606. The connection 6660 may be direct or pass through a core network (similar to core network 2106 in Figure 11) and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public networks, private networks, or hosted networks. For example, the intermediate network could be a backbone network or the internet.

[0087] The UE6606 includes hardware and software that is stored in or accessible by the UE6606 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. The software includes client applications, such as a web browser or operator-specific “app,” which may be capable of operating to serve human or non-human users via the UE6606 with the support of host 6602. On host 6602, a running host application can communicate with a running client application via an OTT connection 6650 that terminates on UE6606 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 and generate user data to provide to the host application via the OTT connection 6650.

[0088] The OTT connection 6650 can provide connectivity between host 6602 and UE6606 by extending through connection 6660 between host 6602 and network node 6604, and through the radio connection 6670 between network node 6604 and UE6606. Connections 6660 and radio connection 6670, which the OTT connection 6650 may provide, are depicted abstractly to illustrate communication between host 6602 and UE6606 via network node 6604 without explicitly referring to any intermediate devices and the exact routing of messages through these devices.

[0089] As an example of transmitting data via the OTT connection 6650, in step 6608, host 6602 provides user data, which may be done by running a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE6606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE6606 sharing data with host 6602 without explicit human interaction. In step 6610, host 6602 initiates a transmission carrying user data toward UE6606. Host 6602 may initiate a transmission in response to a request sent by UE6606. The request may be triggered by human interaction with UE6606 or by the operation of a client application running on UE6606. The transmission may pass through network node 6604 in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Thus, in step 6612, network node 6604 transmits the user data carried in the transmission initiated by host 6602 toward UE6606 in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 6614, UE6606 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be executed by a client application running on UE6606 associated with a host application run by host 6602.

[0090] In some examples, UE6606 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, UE6606 may provide user data, which may be done 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 UE6606. Regardless of the particular manner in which the user data is provided, in step 6618, UE6606 initiates a transmission of the user data toward 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 UE6606 and initiates a transmission of the received user data toward host 6602. In step 6622, host 6602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE6606.

[0091] One or more of the various embodiments improve the implementation of OTT services provided to UE6606 by using an OTT connection 6650 in which the wireless connection 6670 forms the final segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve data rate, latency, and / or power consumption, thereby providing benefits such as reduced user latency, relaxed file size limitations, improved content resolution, enhanced responsiveness, and / or extended battery life.

[0092] 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 that may have been 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 controlling traffic congestion (e.g., controlling traffic signals). 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, which host 6602 can 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 demand, location services, presentation services (such as accumulating diagrams, etc., from data collected from remote devices), or any other function that collects, retrieves, stores, analyzes, and / or transmits data.

[0093] In some embodiments, measurement procedures may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors, which are improved by one or more embodiments. Furthermore, optional network functions may exist for reconfiguring the OTT connection 6650 between host 6602 and UE6606 in response to variations in 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 UE6606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in relation to other devices through which the OTT connection 6650 passes, and the sensors may participate in the measurement procedures by supplying values ​​for the monitored quantities exemplified above, or values ​​for other physical quantities that the software can calculate or estimate the monitored quantities for. Reconfiguring 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 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 the host 6602. The measurements may be implemented in such a way that software uses an OTT connection 6650 to ensure that messages, particularly empty or "dummy" messages, are sent while monitoring propagation time, errors, etc.

[0094] The computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the shown combinations of hardware components, but other embodiments may comprise computing devices having different combinations of components. It should be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The determining, calculating, acquiring, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuits, which may process information by, for example, converting acquired information to other information, comparing acquired or converted information with information stored in a network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information and as a result of the processing making a decision. Furthermore, although components are shown as a single box located within a larger box, or as a single box nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that constitute a single shown 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 circuit and the communication interface. In another example, the non-computation-intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware, while the computation-intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0095] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be provided by a processing circuit that executes instructions stored in memory, which in certain embodiments 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 in a separate or individual device-readable storage medium, such as in a hardwired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether or not it executes instructions stored in 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 enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and / or generally by the end user and the wireless network, not limited to the processing circuit alone or other components of the computing device.

[0096] It will be understood that computer systems take on an increasingly diverse range of forms. In this description and in the claims, the terms “controller,” “computer system,” or “computing system” are broadly defined to include any device or system, or any combination thereof, comprising 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. Not limited to examples, 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 not previously considered computing systems, such as wearables (e.g., eyeglasses).

[0097] A computing system also has several structures on which it rests, often referred to as “executable components.” For example, the memory of a computing system may contain executable components. The term “executable component” is a name for 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, those skilled in the art will understand that the structure of an executable component may include software objects, routines, methods, etc., that can be executed by one or more processors on the computing system, regardless of 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 such a form that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, it is operable to cause the computing system to perform one or more functions, such as the functions and methods described herein. Such a structure may be directly computer-readable by the processor, as is the case when the executable component is binary. Alternatively, the structure may be configured and / or compiled in an interpretable manner, whether in a single step or multiple steps, to produce a binary number that is directly interpretable by the processor.

[0098] The terms “components,” “services,” “engines,” “modules,” “controls,” and “generators” may also be used in this description. These terms, as used in this description and in this context, are intended to be synonymous with the term “executable components,” whether expressed with or without modifying clauses, thereby having the same structure as will be well understood by those skilled in computing.

[0099] In terms of computer implementations, a computer is generally understood to comprise one or more processors or one or more controllers, and the terms computer, processor, and controller may be used interchangeably. When provided by a computer, processor, or controller, the 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” may also refer to other hardware capable of performing such functionality and / or running software, such as the exemplary hardware described above.

[0100] 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 this disclosure is not limited thereto. Various embodiments of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may be shown and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using any other graphical representation, but it should be understood that these blocks, devices, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuits or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or any combination thereof, as non-limiting examples.

[0101] Not all computing systems require a user interface, but in some embodiments, a computing system includes a user interface for use in communicating information with a user. The user interface may include output and input mechanisms. The principles described herein are not limited to strict output or input mechanisms and therefore depend 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.

[0102] Abbreviations and defined terms To aid in understanding the scope and content of this specification and the appended claims, several selected terms are defined below directly. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure relates.

[0103] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” refer to an amount or condition that is 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%, or less than 5%, or less than 1%, or less than 0.1%, or less than 0.01%, from the specifically stated amount or condition.

[0104] Various aspects of the Disclosure, including devices, systems, and methods, may be shown with respect to one or more embodiments or implementations that are essentially illustrative. As used herein, the term “exemplary” means “acting as an example, case, or illustration” and should not necessarily be construed as being preferable or advantageous to other embodiments disclosed herein. Furthermore, references to “implementations” of the Disclosure or embodiments include specific references to one or more embodiments thereof, and vice versa, and are intended to provide illustrative examples without limiting the scope of the Disclosure as directed not by this Specified Publication but by the appended claims.

[0105] Unless implicitly or explicitly understood or stated otherwise, words appearing in the singular form as used herein include their plural equivalents, and words appearing in the plural form include their singular equivalents. Therefore, note that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” as used herein and in the appended claims include plural referents unless the context explicitly specifies otherwise. For example, a reference to a singular referent (e.g., “a widget”) includes one, two, or more referents unless implicitly or explicitly understood or stated otherwise. Similarly, a reference to multiple referents should be interpreted as including one and / or multiple referents unless the content and / or context explicitly specifies otherwise. For example, a reference to a plural form of a referent (e.g., “widgets”) does not necessarily require multiple such referents. Instead, unless otherwise stated, it should be understood that one or more referents are intended herein, regardless of the presumed number of referents.

[0106] References herein to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” and “exemplary embodiment” indicate that the embodiments described may include certain features, structures, or characteristics, but not all embodiments necessarily include such features, structures, or characteristics. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when certain features, structures, or characteristics are described in relation to an embodiment, it is known to those skilled in the art that such features, structures, or characteristics will affect other embodiments, whether or not they are explicitly described.

[0107] Terms such as “first” and “second” may be used herein to describe various elements, but it should be understood that these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, the first element may be called the second element, and similarly, the second element may be called the first element. The term “and / or” as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant enumerated terms.

[0108] As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes,” and / or “including” specify 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.

[0109] conclusion This disclosure includes any novel features or combinations of features disclosed herein, whether express or generalized. Various modifications and adaptations to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above description when read together with the accompanying drawings. However, any and all modifications still fall within the scope of the non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0110] With respect to any given component or embodiment described herein, it should be understood that any of the possible candidate or alternative forms listed for that component may be used individually or in combination with each other, unless implicitly or explicitly understood otherwise or otherwise stated. Furthermore, it should be understood that the list of such candidate or alternative forms is illustrative and not limiting, unless implicitly or explicitly understood otherwise or otherwise stated.

[0111] Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, numbers representing quantities, components, distances, or other measurements used herein and in the claims should be understood to be modified by the term “approximately” when the term is defined herein. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters described herein and in the appended claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties to be obtained by the subject matter presented herein. At a minimum, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter should be interpreted at least in light of the number of significant figures reported and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. While the numerical ranges and parameters describing a wide 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 contains some error, which inevitably arises from the standard deviation found in their respective test measurements.

[0112] Any headings and subheadings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this specification or the claims. The terms and expressions adopted herein are used as descriptive terms, not restrictive terms, and in the use of such terms and expressions, it should be recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of this disclosure, and that modifications and variations of the concepts disclosed herein may be used by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, although this disclosure is specifically disclosed in part by certain embodiments and optional features, it should be understood that modifications and variations of the concepts disclosed herein may be used by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and variations will be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0113] It will be understood that some embodiments of the present disclosure may include, incorporate, or otherwise possess properties or features (e.g., components, members, elements, parts, and / or portions) described in other embodiments disclosed and / or described herein. Accordingly, various features of a particular embodiment may be compatible with, combined with, included in, and / or incorporated into other embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure of certain features for a particular embodiment of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the application or inclusion of such features to that particular embodiment. Rather, it will be understood that other embodiments may also include such features, members, elements, parts, and / or portions without necessarily departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0114] Furthermore, unless a feature is described as requiring another feature to be combined with it, any feature herein may be combined with any other feature of the same or different embodiments disclosed herein. Moreover, various well-known embodiments, such as exemplary systems, methods, and apparatus, are not described herein in particular detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments of the exemplary models. However, such embodiments are also contemplated herein.

[0115] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that methods, devices, device elements, materials, procedures, and techniques other than those specifically described herein can be applied to the practices of the embodiments described herein as being broadly disclosed herein, without relying on excessive experimentation. All technically known functional equivalents of the methods, devices, device elements, materials, procedures, and techniques specifically described herein are intended to be encompassed by this disclosure.

[0116] When a group of materials, compositions, components, or compounds is disclosed herein, it should be understood that all individual members of those groups and all of their subgroups are disclosed separately. When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of that group, as well as all possible combinations and partial combinations of that group, are intended to be individually included in this disclosure.

[0117] The embodiments described above are merely examples. Modifications, alterations, and variations of specific embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this description, as defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) (2200) to configure a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700), the UE comprising the user equipment (UE) (2200), Receiving a setting having one or more thresholds from the network (1010), (1020) Performing one or more measurements of one or more signals received from a network node, Comparing one or more of the measured values ​​with one or more threshold values ​​(1030), (1040) Setting the operating mode of the WUR according to the comparison Includes, A method wherein the WUR is configured to operate in one or more modes, including at least one of a high noise figure mode and a low noise figure mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising demonstrating to the network the ability of the WUR to operate in high noise figure mode and / or low noise figure mode.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when one or more of the measured values ​​exceed a first threshold, the WUR is set to operate in high noise figure mode.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when one or more of the measured values ​​fall below the first threshold and exceed the second threshold, the WUR is set to operate in low noise figure mode.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising performing one or more additional measurements and adjusting the operating mode of the WUR based on the one or more additional measurements.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein performing one or more measurements or one or more additional measurements is at least one of periodic or aperiodic.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the one or more measurements, one or more thresholds, and / or an additional one or more measurements are used to set an termination condition for at least one of a high noise figure mode and a low noise figure mode.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the period is based on one or more of the following: UE speed, UE rate of change, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position data, and timer-based control.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the one or more measured values ​​relate to at least one of the following: a wake-up signal (WUS), a WUS synchronization signal, a cell reference signal, a synchronization system block (SSB), channel status information (CSI), channel status information reference signal (CSI-RS), a UE traffic signal, physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communication, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) communication, a positioning signal, the speed of the UE, or a battery level indicator of an equipped battery.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the one or more measurements and / or additional one or more measurements are performed by at least one of the WUR and the main receiver.

11. The aforementioned WUR is, An antenna (715) configured to receive the wake-up signal (WUS), A front-end filter block (730) coupled to the antenna, A first switch (S1) is coupled to the front-end filter block and configured to selectively couple the front-end filter block to either the front-end amplifier block (710) or the matching network (735), A front-end downconversion block (725) configured to provide downconversion, A second switch (S2) is coupled to the front-end down-conversion block and configured to selectively couple the front-end down-conversion block to the front-end amplifier block or the matching network in synchronization with the first switch, The system comprises a baseband processing unit (750) coupled to the front-end down-conversion block, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the WUR operates in a high-noise-figure mode when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the matching network, and the WUR operates in a low-noise-figure mode when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the front-end amplifier block.

12. A method performed by a network node (3300) to configure a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700) of a user device (UE) (2200), Receiving from the UE the WUR's ability to operate in either high noise figure mode and / or low noise figure mode (1110), A method comprising instructing the UE whether to operate in the high noise figure mode or the low noise figure mode based at least in part on the capability (1120).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein whether to operate in the high noise figure mode or the low noise figure mode is based on one or more measurements by the UE.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein when one or more of the measured values ​​exceed a first threshold, the WUR is set to operate in high noise figure mode.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein when one or more of the measured values ​​fall below the first threshold and exceed the second threshold, the WUR is set to operate in low noise figure mode.

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the operation in either the high noise figure mode or the low noise figure mode is set to be adjusted based on one or more additional measurements by the UE.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein performing one or more measurements or an additional one or more measurements is configured to be at least one of periodic or aperiodic.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the period is based on one or more of the following: UE speed, UE rate of change, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position data, and timer-based control.

19. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the one or more measurements and / or additional one or more measurements are set by the network node to relate to at least one of the following: wake-up signal (WUS), WUS synchronization signal, cell reference signal, synchronization system block (SSB), channel status information (CSI), channel status information reference signal (CSI-RS), UE traffic signal, physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communication, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) communication, positioning signal, UE speed, and battery level indicator of an equipped battery.

20. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the one or more measurements and / or additional one or more measurements are configured by the network node to be performed by at least one of the WUR, main receivers.

21. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein the instruction includes transmitting first and second thresholds to be compared to the one or more measured values ​​to the UE.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising transmitting third and fourth thresholds to the UE to be compared with the one or more measured values ​​in order to set up a hysteresis curve to avoid the ping-pong effect.

23. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 22, wherein the instruction includes instructing the UE to make its own decision regarding the operating mode of the WUR.

24. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 23, wherein the one or more measurements, one or more thresholds, and / or an additional one or more measurements are used to set an termination condition for at least one of a high noise figure mode and a low noise figure mode.

25. A wake-up receiver (WUR) (700) for user equipment (UE) (2200), An antenna (715) configured to receive a wake-up signal (WUS) set to wake up the aforementioned UE, A front-end filter block (730) coupled to the antenna, A first switch (S1) is coupled to the front-end filter block and configured to selectively couple the front-end filter block to either the front-end amplifier block (710) or the matching network (735), A front-end downconversion block (725) configured to provide downconversion, A second switch (S2) is coupled to the front-end down-conversion block and configured to selectively couple the front-end down-conversion block to the front-end amplifier block or the matching network in synchronization with the first switch, The system comprises a baseband processing unit (750) coupled to the front-end down-conversion block, A wake-up receiver (WUR) that operates in a high-noise-figure mode when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the matching network, and operates in a low-noise-figure mode when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the front-end amplifier block.

26. The WUR according to claim 25, further comprising the front-end amplifier block and the matching network.

27. A user device (UE) (2200) for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700), A processing circuit (2202) configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 11, A user device (UE) comprising a power supply circuit (2208) configured to supply power to the processing circuit.

28. A network node (3300) for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700) of a user device (UE) (2200), A processing circuit (3302) configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of claims 12 to 24, A network node comprising a power supply circuit (3308) configured to supply power to the processing circuit.

29. A user device (UE) (2200) for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700), An antenna (2222) configured to transmit and receive wireless signals, A wireless front-end circuit (2212) connected to the antenna and processing circuit (2202) and configured to adjust signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit is configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 11, An input interface (2206) connected to the processing circuit and configured to enable the input of information to the UE to be processed by the processing circuit, An output interface (2206) connected to the processing circuit and configured to output information processed by the processing circuit from the UE, A user device (UE) comprising a battery (2208) connected to the processing circuit and configured to supply power to the UE.

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