WIRELESS DEVICE, FIRST NETWORK NODE, SECOND NETWORK NODE, AND METHODS IMPLEMENTED BY THEM FOR HANDLING CARRIERS FOR MONITORING PAGING - Patent application

Abstract

A method implemented by a wireless device (130). The method is for handling carriers for monitoring paging. The wireless device (130) operates in a wireless communication network (100). The wireless device (130) acquires (202) first information. The first information indicates how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on. The wireless device (130) then determines (204) a carrier for monitoring paging based on the acquired first information.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to a wireless device for handling a carrier for monitoring paging and a method implemented thereby. The present disclosure further relates generally to a first network node for handling a carrier for monitoring paging and a method implemented thereby. The present disclosure further relates generally to a second network node for handling a carrier for monitoring paging and a method implemented thereby. [Background technology]

[0002] A wireless device in a wireless communication network may be, for example, a user equipment (UE), a station (STA), a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a terminal, and / or a mobile station (MS). A wireless device is enabled to wirelessly communicate in a cellular or wireless communication network, which may also be referred to as a cellular radio system, a cellular system, or a cellular network. Communication may be performed, for example, between two wireless devices, between a wireless device and a regular phone, and / or between a wireless device and a server, via a radio access network (RAN) and possibly one or more core networks comprised within the wireless communication network. A wireless device may further be referred to as a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a laptop, or a tablet with wireless capabilities, just to name a few further examples. A wireless device in this context may be, for example, a portable, pocketable, handheld, computer-equipped, or vehicle-mounted mobile device capable of communicating voice and / or data with another entity, such as another terminal or a server, via a RAN.

[0003] A wireless communication network covers a geographical area that may be divided into cell areas, each cell area being served by a network node, which may be a radio network node, radio node or base station, e.g. an access node such as a radio base station (RBS), which may be referred to as, e.g., gNB, evolved Node B ("eNB"), "eNode B", "Node B", "B node", transmission point (TP) or BTS (base transceiver station) depending on the technology and terminology used. The base stations may be of different classes, e.g., wide area base station, medium range base station, local area base station, home base station, pico base station, etc., based on the transmission power and thereby also on the cell size. A cell is a geographical area where radio coverage is provided by a base station or a radio node at a base station site, or a radio node site, respectively. One base station on a base station site may serve one or several cells. Furthermore, each base station may support one or several communication technologies. The base stations communicate with terminals within the range of the base station via an air interface operating on radio frequencies. A wireless communication network may also be a non-cellular system comprising a network node that may serve a receiving node, such as a wireless device, using a serving beam. In 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), a base station, sometimes called eNodeB or even eNB, may be directly connected to one or more core networks. In the context of this disclosure, the term downlink (DL) may be used for a transmission path from a base station to a wireless device. The term uplink (UL) may be used for a transmission path in the opposite direction, i.e., from a wireless device to a base station.

[0004] The network node may also be a core network node, i.e. a node comprised in the core network of a wireless communication network.

[0005] The standards body 3GPP is currently in the process of specifying the fifth-generation (5G) packet core network, sometimes referred to as the New Radio interface, called NR or 5G-UTRA, as well as the Next Generation (NG) Core Network, sometimes abbreviated as NG-CN, NGC or 5G CN.

[0006] Internet of Things (IoT) The Internet of Things (IoT) may be understood as the internetworking of communicating devices, sometimes called "connected devices" and "smart devices," e.g., physical devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and actuators, and network connectivity that may enable these objects to collect and exchange data. The IoT may enable objects to be sensed and / or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructures.

[0007] "Things" in the IoT sense can refer to a wide variety of devices, such as implantable heart monitoring implants, biochip transponders in livestock, electric clams in coastal waters, cars with built-in sensors, DNA analysis devices for environmental / food / pathogen monitoring, or field operation devices that may assist firefighters in search and rescue operations, home automation devices such as lighting, heating control and automation, e.g., "smart" thermostats, ventilation, air conditioning, and appliances such as washers, dryers, ovens, refrigerators or freezers that may use communications for remote monitoring. These devices can collect data with the help of a variety of existing technologies and then autonomously stream the data between other devices.

[0008] It is expected that in the near future the distribution of IoT devices will become very large. Various estimates exist, with some assuming over 60,000 devices per square kilometer, others assuming 1,000,000 devices per square kilometer. The majority of these devices are expected to be stationary, e.g. gas and electricity meters, vending machines, etc.

[0009] Machine Type Communication (MTC) Machine-type communication (MTC) has been shown to be a growing segment of cellular technology in recent years, especially in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT). MTC devices may be communication devices, generally wireless communication devices or simply user equipment, that are self-controlled and / or automatically controlled unmanned machines and generally not associated with an active human user to generate data traffic. MTC devices may generally be simpler and generally associated with more specific uses or purposes than, and in contrast to, conventional mobile phones or smartphones. MTC involves communication in a wireless communication network to and / or from MTC devices, which communication may generally be of a completely different nature and with requirements other than those associated with, for example, conventional mobile phones and smartphones. In the context and growth of the IoT, it is clear that MTC traffic will increase and therefore needs to be increasingly supported in wireless communication systems.

[0010] Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) may be understood as a low power wide area network (LPWAN) wireless technology standard developed by 3GPP to enable a wide range of cellular devices and services. NB-IoT may be understood to focus on indoor coverage, low cost, long battery life, and high connection density.

[0011] For NB-IoT, different coverage enhancement techniques have been defined to support use cases that may require radio reception in poor coverage. One such technique may be the use of repetition when transmitting data and / or messages on different radio channels. The term Coverage Enhancement (CE) level may be commonly used in the literature to describe the coverage of an NB-IoT UE in idle mode, for example as specified by 3GPP in 36.321, v.16.0.0, section 5.1.1. A UE may generally be said to be in a particular CE level based on its Narrowband Reference Signal Received Power (NRSRP) measurement, which may be compared to a threshold broadcast by the eNB in ​​the NB-IoT cell. There may be up to three CE levels per cell, denoted CE level 0 to CE level 2. CE level 0 may be understood to correspond to normal / good coverage, and CE level 2 to correspond to the worst case, where coverage may be assumed to be very poor. One aspect of the different CE levels may be appreciated is that data and / or message transmissions on various radio channels may have to be repeated several times in order to be successfully received by the UE and / or eNB, particularly for the higher CE levels 1-2.

[0012] During the RAN General Meeting #86 on 9-12 December 2019, a new Work Item (WI) was agreed, entitled "Rel-17 Extensions for NB-IoT and LTE-MTC", see RP-193264. One of its objectives is to specify the introduction of NB-IoT carrier selection based on coverage level, as stated in the Work Item Description (WID) "Introduce support for NB-IoT carrier selection based on coverage level and related carrier specific settings (e.g. max repetition UL / DL, DRX settings, etc.) [NB-IoT][RAN2, RAN3]".

[0013] In Rel-13, random access (RA) and paging may only be in the anchor carrier.

[0014] Multi-carrier operation in NB-IoT is supported from Rel-14. In Rel-14, multi-physical resource block (PRB) operation may be extended such that UE may perform both random access (RA) and paging monitoring on non-anchor carriers. This may provide capacity increase for both random access and paging transmission. NW may configure and provide which carrier UE may be required to use for paging in SIB22-NB. Non-anchor carrier configuration for RA and paging may be provided in a new system information block (SIB) SIB22-NB since it may be understood that the non-anchor carrier configuration needs to be known to UEs in radio resource control (RRC) idle mode. The maximum number for paging and random access channel (RACH) carriers may be maxNonAnchorCarriers-NB-r14+1, which may be equal to 16.

[0015] For paging as specified in TS 36.304, v16.0.0, paging related parameters such as UE identity (UE_ID) and static parameters may be used to select a paging carrier. For example, as stated in TS 36.304, v16.0.0, if a paging radio network temporary identifier (P-RNTI) is monitored on a narrowband physical downlink control channel (NPDCCH), and the UE supports paging on a non-anchor carrier, and if a paging configuration for the non-anchor carrier is provided in the system information, the paging carrier may be determined by the paging carrier with the smallest index n (0≦n≦Nn-1) that satisfies the following formula: floor(UE_ID / (N*Ns)) mod W <W(0)+W(1)+...+W(n)

[0016] Thus, the paging carrier as such may be understood to be deterministic from the network and UE perspective since the paging carrier may involve static attributes such as UE_ID and paging carrier weight.

[0017] A paging carrier being deterministic may be understood to mean that there is no ambiguity between the network and the UE: the network may be understood to be aware of where the UE may be listening for paging, and the UE may be aware of where the network may expect the UE to be listening for paging.

[0018] Existing methods for paging use resources inefficiently and can result in unnecessary waste of both capacity and power consumption.

[0019] EP3499930 describes a method including selecting an anchor carrier or a non-anchor carrier for receiving a paging message from a base station according to a paging carrier selection policy. Optionally, the paging carrier selection policy may include selecting a paging carrier based on a mapping relationship between a coverage extension level and a paging carrier set by the base station.

[0020] GB2552838 discloses a method for sending a paging message to a device capable of receiving the message on a set of carriers comprising an anchor carrier.

[0021] EP3060019 describes how a radio base station is informed as to whether a CE enabled user equipment may require coverage extension and then pages the CE UE with or without applying CE techniques depending on whether coverage extension may be required. Summary of the Invention

[0022] As part of the development of the embodiments herein, one or more problems with existing technology are first identified and described.

[0023] Although Rel-14 may allow NB-IoT UEs to monitor paging on non-anchor carriers, the non-anchor paging carriers may need to be used by all NB-IoT UEs camped on a cell regardless of coverage conditions. If the maximum number of repetitions for paging, or paging Rmax, for NPDCCH is very large, UEs in good coverage may experience large delays due to paging transmissions to UEs in poor coverage. UEs in good coverage may need to wait for a large number of paging NPDCCH repetitions to finish before starting to decode paging messages transmitted on the narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH).

[0024] Moreover, the paging parameters in SIB22-NB may need to be set appropriately to avoid paging occasion (PO) overlap. Since a paging carrier may be used for all NB-IoT UEs regardless of coverage conditions, it may be understood that Rmax for this paging carrier may usually be large to cover UEs in poor coverage, which usually means that there may be a large timing difference between paging occasions (PO). Therefore, it may further introduce paging delay for UEs in good coverage.

[0025] Another problem with current solutions can be appreciated that all paging carriers in an NB-IoT cell may generally need to be configured so that all UEs in the cell can be successfully paged up to the coverage limit. In many cases, some carriers may be more suitable to be used to transmit paging to UEs in poor coverage compared to other carriers, for example due to power differences or different interference levels. Both anchor and non-anchor carriers may be used for paging and random access, although the anchor carrier may provide a narrowband primary synchronization signal (NPSS) and a narrowband secondary synchronization signal (NSSS). The anchor carrier may be power boosted compared to the non-anchor carrier, since the anchor carrier may also carry synchronization signals that may need to be used by UEs camped on the non-anchor carrier. Due to power boosting, the coverage of the anchor carrier may therefore be greater than that of the non-anchor carrier. As a simple example, an NB-IoT cell with two carriers may be considered, where one of the carriers, typically the anchor carrier, may be power boosted and thus have a power 6 dB higher than the non-anchor carrier. If it is assumed that X repetitions are required on the NPDCCH to reach a 1% block error rate (BLER) on the anchor carrier for paging messages, then 4*X repetitions are required to achieve the same decoding performance when the non-anchor carrier is used, assuming that each doubling of repetitions achieves a 3 dB gain. This may be understood to imply that Rmax on the non-anchor carrier may generally need to be set four times larger than the value used on the anchor carrier to be able to sustain a certain maximum coverage of the cell, e.g., the Maximum Coupling Loss (MCL) is equal to 164 dB when maximum coverage extension is used in the cell.This may result in more radio resources being wasted and higher UE power consumption due to the fact that when a UE with poor coverage on a non-anchor carrier is paged, its receiver may need to be turned on for a longer duration and a larger amount of data may need to be accumulated / combined in the decoding process for successful reception compared to on the anchor carrier.

[0026] Due to the above, using only static UE identity information to select / determine the paging carrier to be used in the NB-IoT cell results in both unnecessary capacity and power consumption being wasted.

[0027] In 3GPP / RAN2, there have been various discussions regarding how the UE's coverage conditions can be used in paging carrier selection. There are various issues with basing carrier selection solely on UE coverage measurements, see for example R2-166279, section 2.4. One solution to this, see R2-2006835, could be for the UE to inform the network (NW) if it has changed its CE level or selected a new carrier, but this could result in excessive signaling and UE power consumption, and therefore may not be understood to be a good solution.

[0028] Another solution that has been discussed is to have the paging carrier selection done by the UE based on static UE identity information, but have the NW control the paging carrier used based on dynamic information such as coverage level and / or additional information such as load, see PCT / EP2017 / 075268, R2-166279, section 2.4, and R2-167624, section 2.3.

[0029] The latter approach lacks some detailed aspects of how to get a robust paging operation to work in an NB-IoT system, for example, when UE coverage levels may change or UEs may move out of and / or into the coverage of a cell. Thus, additional rules and mechanisms may be needed so that paging can be done efficiently to satisfy both static and dynamic based criteria.

[0030] An objective of the embodiments herein is to improve the handling of carriers for monitoring paging.

[0031] According to a first aspect of an embodiment herein, the object is achieved by a method implemented by a wireless device. The method is for handling a carrier for monitoring paging. The wireless device operates in a wireless communication network. The wireless device acquires first information. The first information indicates how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on. The wireless device also determines a carrier for monitoring paging based on the acquired first information.

[0032] According to a second aspect of an embodiment herein, the object is achieved by a method implemented by a first network node for handling carriers for monitoring paging. The first network node operates in a wireless communication network. The first network node sends first information. The first information instructs a wireless device operating in the communication network how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change for the wireless device in at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on.

[0033] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present specification, the object is achieved by a method implemented by a second network node. The method is for handling a carrier for monitoring paging. The second network node operates in a wireless communication network. The second network node obtains a first indication indicating a capability of a wireless device operating in the wireless communication network. The capability is to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on. The second network node also sends a second indication to one of the first network node, or another network node. The second indication indicates the indicated capability.

[0034] According to a fourth aspect of an embodiment herein, the object is achieved by a wireless device for handling a carrier for monitoring paging. The wireless device is configured to operate in a wireless communication network. The wireless device is further configured to obtain first information configured to indicate how to determine a carrier configured to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on. The wireless device is further configured to determine a carrier for monitoring paging based on the first information configured to be obtained.

[0035] According to a fifth aspect of an embodiment herein, the object is achieved by a first network node for handling a carrier for monitoring paging. The first network node is configured to operate in a wireless communication network. The first network node is further configured to send first information. The first information is configured to instruct a wireless device configured to operate in the communication network how to determine which carrier should be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change, for the wireless device, of at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on.

[0036] According to a sixth aspect of an embodiment herein, the object is achieved by a second network node for handling a carrier for monitoring paging. The second network node is configured to operate in a wireless communication network. The second network node is further configured to obtain a first indication configured to indicate a capability of a wireless device configured to operate in the wireless communication network. The capability is configured to support a change of a paging carrier based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is configured to be due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on. The second network node is further configured to send a second indication to one of the first network node, or another network node. The second indication is configured to indicate the capability configured to be indicated.

[0037] By the first information being sent by the first network node and acquired by the wireless device, the wireless device may then be enabled to know how to determine the carrier to be used for monitoring paging whenever a change in coverage may occur due to a change in coverage conditions or a cell to camp on.

[0038] By determining the carrier to be monitored based on the first information, the wireless device may be configured to flexibly select the carrier to be used for paging based on the coverage level, so that, for example, when the wireless device is in good coverage, the wireless device may be configured to monitor paging on a carrier configured with relatively fewer NPDCCH repetitions required to decode the message, while when the wireless device is in poor coverage, the wireless device may be configured to monitor paging on a power-boosted carrier, or a carrier configured with relatively more NPDCCH repetitions required to decode the message. Thus, the number of repetitions that may be required to decode the paging control channel, NPDCCH, and the paging message, NPDSCH, may be fewer, and thus power consumption by the wireless device during paging may be thereby reduced.

[0039] Thus, paging delay may be reduced and paging may be deterministic, i.e., there may be no ambiguity between the first network node and the wireless device as to where to page and where to monitor for paging, respectively, since the wireless device may obtain the rules as to how to determine the carrier ahead of time that the change may be made, and thus the wireless device may not be required to inquire as to what carrier to use whenever a change in coverage may occur and when coverage may potentially be poor.

[0040] Furthermore, a specific paging carrier configuration may be appreciated to be useful for capacity increase and paging load control, since paging in the non-anchor carrier(s) may, for example, relax reliance on the anchor carrier, free up resources in the anchor carrier, and further provide a means for handling increased paging load, if any.

[0041] For example, for an NB-IoT cell with an anchor carrier that is power boosted, e.g., by 6 dB, and a non-anchor carrier that is not power boosted, which may be understood to be a common deployment today, all or a very large portion of the UEs in good coverage may be configured to monitor paging on the non-anchor carrier, and the UEs in poor coverage may be configured to monitor paging on the anchor carrier. This coverage level based paging approach may be understood to save both UE power and spectrum resources, because the number of repetitions may be understood to be less, so less radio resources may be needed to page the UEs in poor coverage, e.g., for UEs that may be in good coverage, paging multiplexing for multiple UEs on the non-anchor carrier may be implemented, which may be more efficient.

[0042] By obtaining the first indication, the second network node may be enabled to know whether the wireless device can support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in coverage conditions or a change in cell to camp on. Then, by sending a second indication of the capability to the first network node or another network node, the recipient may be enabled to know whether the wireless device can support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in coverage conditions or a change in cell to camp on, and to instruct the wireless device accordingly.

[0043] Example embodiments of the present specification will be described in more detail according to the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0044] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a wireless communication network, according to embodiments herein. [Diagram 2] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a wireless device according to an embodiment herein. [Diagram 3] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a first network node according to an embodiment herein. [Figure 4] 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a second network node according to an embodiment herein. [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a method in a wireless device according to an embodiment herein. [Figure 6] 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a method in a first network node according to an embodiment herein. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a method in a second network node according to embodiments herein. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two embodiments, in panels a) and b), of a wireless device according to embodiments herein. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two embodiments, in panels a) and b), of a first network node according to embodiments herein. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two embodiments, in panels a) and b), of a second network node according to embodiments herein. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a communication network connected to a host computer via an intermediate network, according to an embodiment herein. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a generalized block diagram of a host computer communicating with user equipment via a base station over a partially wireless connection in accordance with embodiments herein. [Figure 13] 1 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to embodiments herein. [Figure 14] 1 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to embodiments herein. [Figure 15]1 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to embodiments herein. [Figure 16] 1 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to embodiments herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0045] Some aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other problems. The embodiments herein may be understood to generally relate to different aspects that provide a method for deterministic paging while considering dynamic attributes, such as coverage conditions. The embodiments herein may be understood to provide a mechanism for improving flexibility to configure paging resources based on paging carrier characteristics, e.g., power boosting level and the coverage situation of the UE.

[0046] In the existing method, paging may be provided only by static parameters, such as UE ID and pre-configured / known paging parameters. In the new mechanism, the NW may configure the paging carrier for dynamic attributes, such as based on the prevailing NRSRP, and set rules in the UE on how to work based on, for example, NRSRP changes in coverage when moving out of the coverage of the configured paging carrier. The legacy paging mechanism may be called static. The new mechanism defined in accordance with the embodiments herein may be called dynamic or coverage condition based paging.

[0047] Some of the contemplated embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the attached drawings in which examples are shown. In this section, the embodiments of the present specification will be shown in more detail by some exemplary embodiments. However, other embodiments are included within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. The subject matter disclosed should not be construed as being limited to only the embodiments described herein, but rather, these embodiments are provided as examples to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments of the present specification are not mutually exclusive. Elements from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to those skilled in the art how those elements can be used in other exemplary embodiments.

[0048] FIG. 1 illustrates, in panels a) and b), respectively, two non-limiting examples of a radio network or wireless communication network 100, sometimes referred to as a wireless communication system, a cellular radio system, or a cellular network, in which embodiments herein may be implemented. The wireless communication network 100 may generally be or support MTC, eMTC, IoT, and / or NB-IoT. The wireless communication network 100 may be a 5G system, a 5G network, or a next-generation system or network, or a younger system with similar functionality. In other examples, the wireless communication network 100 may instead or additionally support other technologies, such as, for example, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), e.g., LTE-M, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), LTE Half Duplex Frequency Division Duplex (HD-FDD), LTE LAA, eLAA, feLAA, and / or LTE operating in unlicensed bands, such as MulteFire. In yet other examples, the wireless communication network 100 may support other technologies, such as, for example, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) TDD, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a GSM / Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) network, an Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), an EDGE network, a network consisting of any combination of radio access technologies (RATs), such as, for example, a Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) base station, a multi-RAT base station, any Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) cellular network, a WiFi network, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), or any cellular network or system. Thus, although terminology from 5G / NR and LTE may be used in the present disclosure to illustrate the embodiments herein, this should not be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein to only the above-mentioned systems.

[0049] The wireless communication network 100 may comprise a plurality of network nodes, of which a first network node 111 is shown in the non-limiting examples of panels a) and b) in FIG. 1. In some non-limiting examples, such as in panel b) of FIG. 1, the wireless communication network 100 may further comprise a second network node 112 and / or another network node 113. Any of the first network node 111 and the other network node 113 may be a wireless network node. That is, a radio base station, e.g., a gNB, ng-NB, eNB, eNodeB, or a transmission point such as a home node B, home eNodeB, or any other network node with similar characteristics, capable of serving a user equipment, such as a wireless device or a machine-type communication device, in the wireless communication network 100. In some examples, any of the first network node 111 and the other network node 113 may be a distributed node and may partially perform its functions in cooperation with a respective virtual node in the cloud 115. In a general example, the first network node 111 may be a different node from the other network node 113.

[0050] The second network node 112 may be a core network node having a capability to manage mobility for wireless devices, such as the wireless device 130 described below. For example, the second network node 112 may have a capability to manage paging, e.g., paging events, such as having a capability to send paging requests. The second network node 112 may be, for example, a mobility management entity (MME).

[0051] The wireless communication network 100 may cover a geographical area, which in some embodiments may be divided into cell areas, each of which may be served by a radio network node, where one radio network node may serve one or several cells. The wireless communication network 100 may comprise a first cell 121, as shown in panel a). In some embodiments, the wireless communication network 100 may further comprise one or more other cells 122. The one or more other cells 122 may comprise another cell 123, which may be referred to as a new cell. In panel a), only the other cell 123 is shown as being comprised in the one or more cells 122. In panel b), three cells are shown as being comprised in the one or more cells 122. This may be understood to be for illustrative purposes. It may be understood that any number of cells may be comprised in the one or more other cells 122. In the non-limiting example of FIG. 1, the first network node 111 serves the first cell 121, which may be referred to as a serving cell or a current cell. One or more other cells 122, such as another cell 123, may also be served by the first network node 111 as in the non-limiting example of FIG. 1a), or by another network node 113 in the non-limiting example of FIG. 1b), or each may be served by a respective another network node 113, which is not shown to simplify FIG. 1. Any of the first network node 111 and the another network node 113 may be of different classes, such as, for example, macro eNodeB, home eNodeB, or pico base station, based on the transmit power and thereby also the cell size. In some examples, any of the first cell 121 and the one or more other cells 122 may be beams, i.e., any of the first network node 111 and the another network node 113 may serve the receiving node with a serving beam. Any of the first network node 111 and the further network node 113 may support one or several communication technologies, the names of which may depend on the technology and terminology used.Any of the first network node 111 and the further network node 113 may be directly connected to one or more core networks.

[0052] There may be multiple wireless devices in the wireless communication network 100, of which a wireless device 130 is shown in the non-limiting example of FIG. 1. The wireless device 130 included in the wireless communication network 100 may be a wireless communication device, such as, for example, a 5G UE, or UE, sometimes known as a mobile terminal, wireless terminal and / or mobile station, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, or a laptop, with wireless capabilities, just to name a few further examples. Any of the wireless devices included in the wireless communication network 100 may be, for example, a portable, pocketable, handheld, computer-equipped, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, a sensor, an IoT device, an MTC device, a NB-IoT device, a printer or file storage device, or other wireless network unit capable of communicating over a wireless link in a communication system, such as a server, laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA), or tablet, capable of communicating voice and / or data with another entity via a RAN. A wireless device 130 comprised in the wireless communication network 100 may be enabled to communicate wirelessly in the wireless communication network 100. Communication may be performed, for example, via a RAN and possibly one or more core networks, which may be comprised in the wireless communication network 100.

[0053] The wireless device 130 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communication network 100 in the first cell 121 with the first network node 111 over a first link 141, e.g., a wireless link. The wireless device 130 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communication network 100 in one or more other cells 122, respectively, over a respective second link 142, e.g., a wireless link. The second link 142 may be understood to be between the wireless device 130 and a respective another network node 113, e.g., the first network node 111 shown in panel a) or another node 113 shown in panel b), serving one or more other cells 122, respectively. The first network node 111 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communication network 100 with the second network node 112 over a third link 143, e.g., a wireless link or a wired link. The second network node 112 may be configured to communicate with another network node 113 over a fourth link 144, e.g., a wireless link or a wired link, within the wireless communication network 100. The wireless device 130 may move in the direction of the thick dashed arrow.

[0054] Generally, all terms used herein should be interpreted according to the ordinary meaning of those terms in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is expressly given and / or implied from the context in which the term is used. All references to a / an / the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of that element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless expressly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is expressly described as following or preceding another step, and / or it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Similarly, any advantage of any of the embodiments may be applied to any other embodiment, and vice versa. Other objects, features, and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will become apparent from the following description.

[0055] In general, the use of "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and / or "fifth," etc. herein may be understood to be in any manner to indicate different elements or entities, based on the context, unless otherwise stated, and do not confer a cumulative or chronological nature to the nouns they modify.

[0056] Some embodiments herein will now be further illustrated by means of some non-limiting examples.

[0057] Several embodiments are included herein. Note that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to one skilled in the art how those components may be used in other exemplary embodiments.

[0058] In the following description, a reference to a / the UE, or simply “UE”, may be understood to equally refer to the wireless device 130, a reference to a / the gNB may be understood to equally refer to the first network node 111 or another network node 113 based on the context, and a reference to a / the gNB, a / the NW and / or a / the network may be understood to equally refer to the first network node 111, another network node 113 or the second network node 112 based on the context.

[0059] In the following sections, embodiments disclosed herein are detailed and illustrated with a focus on supporting deterministic paging.

[0060] More specifically, below are embodiments relating to a wireless device 130, e.g., a 5G UE or UE, a first network node 111, e.g., a gNB, and a second network node 112, e.g., an MME.

[0061] Next, an embodiment of a method implemented by the wireless device 130 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 2. The method can be understood to be for handling carriers for monitoring paging. The wireless device 130 operates in the wireless communication network 100.

[0062] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network 100 may support at least one of New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for machines (LTE-M), enhanced machine-based communications (eMTC), and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

[0063] The method may be understood to be a computer-implemented method.

[0064] The method may include some of the following actions. In some embodiments, all actions may be implemented. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. Components from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to one skilled in the art how those components may be used in other exemplary embodiments. To simplify the explanation, not all possible combinations are described. A non-limiting example of a method implemented by the wireless device 130 is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, optional actions in some embodiments may be represented using dashed lines.

[0065] Action 201 In the course of operation in the wireless communication network 100, the wireless device 130 may experience changes in coverage, for example due to mobility. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may be configured with a dedicated paging carrier during connected mode or during a transition from idle mode to connected mode, for example as part of Msg4, as described in PCT / EP2017 / 075268. Hereinafter, this carrier may be referred to as one / its dedicated paging carrier. It may also be assumed that the dedicated paging carrier may be active in the wireless device 130 until the next time the wireless device 130 may enter connected mode.

[0066] When coverage conditions may change after a dedicated paging carrier may be configured, some mechanism may be required for how the wireless device 130 may need to behave in idle mode. There may be two basic scenarios. In the first scenario, the coverage becomes worse, and therefore the wireless device 130 may camp on a new cell based on the cell reselection criteria. In the second scenario, the coverage becomes worse, and therefore the paging reception performance on the dedicated paging carrier may be poor based on some criteria, but the wireless device 130 may still camp on the same cell based on the cell reselection criteria.

[0067] These two techniques are described in a bit more detail below.

[0068] According to a first scenario, scenario 1, the wireless device 130 is camped on a cell, e.g., the first cell 121, and based on its identifier, e.g., its UE_ID, the wireless device 130 may monitor paging on carrier 1. When entering a connected mode, the NW may identify that the wireless device 130 may need to be moved to a dedicated paging carrier for monitoring paging, different from carrier 1. The NW may instruct the wireless device 130 to monitor paging on the dedicated paging carrier. The wireless device 130 may monitor paging accordingly. The wireless device 130 may reselect a new cell based on the configured cell reselection criteria. One open question in this scenario is what paging carrier the wireless device 130 may need to use to monitor paging on it.

[0069] According to a second scenario, Scenario 2, the steps in this are the same as Scenario 1 except for the last step where the coverage situation becomes worse but no new cell is selected. The same questions as for the previous scenario apply here as well.

[0070] One solution to the above open questions may be that the radio network node, e.g., eNB, may instruct the wireless device 130 through signaling where to monitor for paging after the coverage situation changes, such as in scenario 2, based on, e.g., reaching a certain Narrowband Reference Signal Received Power (NRSRP) threshold or the estimated NPDCCH BLER being greater than a certain percentage value, e.g., 1%, or when camping on a new cell, such as in scenario 1, by one of the following options: 1) anchor carrier, or 2) using legacy procedures (based on UE_ID), or 3) dedicated paging carrier from the previous cell.

[0071] "Option 3" may be beneficial when all cells belong to the same tracking area (TA) or the same radio network node, e.g., eNB, may have exactly the same paging carrier configuration. It may also be considered to apply the same paging configuration in the entire NW, e.g., in all tracking areas (TAs), but when the wireless device 130 moves to a new TA, the wireless device 130 may connect to the NW to be paged anyway through a tracking area update (TAU), and thus the dedicated paging carrier may then be configured again.

[0072] In this action 201, the wireless device 130 may send a first indication to the first network node 111. The first indication may indicate a capability of the wireless device 130. The capability may be to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on.

[0073] The sending in this action 201 may be, for example, a transmission.

[0074] This sending to the first network node 111 in action 201 may be via the first link 141, for example.

[0075] By sending a first instruction to the first network node 111 in this action 201, the wireless device 130 may enable the first network node 111 to know whether the wireless device 130 can support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in coverage conditions or a change in the cell to camp on, and to instruct the wireless device 130 accordingly in a next action 202, and to identify on which carrier the page should be sent, i.e. where the wireless device 130 may be monitoring for paging.

[0076] Action 202 In this action 202, the wireless device 130 obtains first information. The first information indicates how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging. The first information indicates how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging based on a change, e.g., by the wireless device 130, in coverage due to a change in coverage conditions and / or a change in a cell to camp on. For example, what the wireless device 130 may need to do if the wireless device 130 moves away from a cell assigned a new paging carrier or if its coverage conditions change significantly with respect to the assigned paging carrier and thus it is no longer possible to receive paging on it.

[0077] How to determine may be understood to mean how to determine for the wireless device 130 .

[0078] Obtaining may include receiving or retrieving. In some embodiments, the first information may be received, for example, from a first network node 111 operating in the wireless communication network 100 via the first link 141.

[0079] The first information may comprise, for example, one or more rules and one or more thresholds, such as a first threshold and a second threshold described below.

[0080] The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of wireless coverage estimated by the wireless device 130. The measure or wireless coverage may be, for example, an error rate, such as, for example, a BLER, in a control channel, such as, for example, an NPDCCH. The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of wireless coverage, estimated, for example, by the wireless device 130, using, for example, a maximum number of repetitions, on a first carrier, such as, for example, a dedicated paging carrier. Another example of a measure of wireless coverage may be, for example, a measured NRSRP, or a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR), etc.

[0081] The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage for a given coverage level, for example, a given number of cycles.

[0082] The coverage conditions may exclude the coverage level.

[0083] That is, the coverage conditions may be understood to refer to the conditions of the wireless channel separately or independently of the number of repetitions.

[0084] A change of cell to camp on may be understood to refer to the fact that the wireless device 130 may be in a first cell 121 and the wireless device 130 may then move from out of the coverage of the first cell 121 to the coverage of one or more other cells 122, e.g., another cell 123. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may then move back into the coverage of the first cell 122.

[0085] In some examples, the change in coverage may comprise one or more transitions from a connected state to an idle state or from an idle state to a connected state.

[0086] The first information may indicate use of one of an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, e.g., a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130, and a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0087] The first information obtained may be based on the first instruction sent.

[0088] In some examples, the acquired first information may indicate that at least one of the following options may be applied: According to one option, on condition that the coverage condition measure indicates poor coverage with respect to a first threshold, the wireless device 130 should select a fourth carrier, e.g., an anchor carrier, or another carrier different from the dedicated paging carrier. According to another option, on condition that the coverage condition measure indicates good coverage with respect to a second threshold, the wireless device 130 should select the first carrier, such as a fifth carrier, e.g., a dedicated paging carrier. For example, in scenario 2, some mechanisms and / or rules may need to be clearly defined on how the wireless device 130 may need to monitor the changed coverage situation. One preferred approach may be that the wireless device 130 estimates the NPDCCH BLER for paging downlink control information (DCI) using Rmax on the dedicated paging carrier. As long as this estimated BLER is below a threshold, which may be either hard-coded, e.g., 1%, or signaled to the wireless device 130, the dedicated paging carrier may be required to be used. The estimated BLER may preferably need to be based on internal measurements of the wireless device 130, e.g., NRSRP and / or SINR, and may be based on the same and / or similar criteria as those already used for Msg3 channel quality information (CQI) reporting for NB-IoT. When the estimated BLER may be greater than the threshold, another carrier may be required to be selected. This other carrier may then be either the anchor carrier of the cell, or yet another paging carrier provided by the eNB through signaling, either dedicated as part of setting up the dedicated paging carrier, or through a system information (SI) broadcast, e.g., SIB22-NB.

[0089] For example, after moving away from a dedicated paging carrier based on an estimated BLER exceeding a threshold, the wireless device 130 may need to evaluate whether the coverage conditions improve as long as the wireless device 130 is camped on the same cell, and when the estimated BLER for the dedicated paging carrier may fall below the same threshold, or a second threshold, the wireless device 130 may be required to return and monitor for paging on that dedicated paging carrier.

[0090] The acquired first information may indicate at least one of the following options: According to the first option, on condition that the wireless device 130 enters the idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the acquired first information until the wireless device 130 next time enters a connected state, also referred to as a connected mode. For example, as long as the wireless device 130 is camped on a cell in which the wireless device 130 was allocated a paging carrier and the coverage level of the wireless device 130 has not changed or is better, the wireless device 130 may monitor paging using the allocated paging carrier provided before the wireless device 130 was released and entered the idle mode. According to a second option, on condition that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123 and on condition that second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is provided, e.g., broadcast, in the other cell 123, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on the second information. The second information may be understood to be equivalent to the first information, but provided in the other cell 123. According to a third option, on condition that a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent, e.g., broadcast, in the other cell 123, and c) the first information indicates a fallback setting, e.g., a second carrier, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on the fallback setting, e.g., a second carrier, indicated in the first information.According to a fourth option, under the condition that a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information regarding how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell 123, e.g., in broadcast, and c) the first information lacks an indication of a fallback setting, e.g., a second carrier, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on a third carrier, e.g., a fixed carrier, such as a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130.

[0091] Another scenario that may require a clear rule may be what may need to happen if the wireless device 130 performs cell reselection and then returns to an original cell where a dedicated paging carrier was configured without having been in connected mode in another cell. In this scenario, a preferred approach may be that the wireless device 130 may continue to use the dedicated paging carrier in the same way as when the wireless device 130 was last camped on the cell, i.e., when the wireless device 130 received the configuration for the dedicated paging carrier. According to this and according to the fifth option, a) on the condition that the wireless device 130 receives the first information in the first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in connected mode, and then reselects the first cell 121, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the first information, e.g., based on the first carrier that is allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0092] As part of the above rules and / or criteria, some hysteresis, e.g., time, may also preferably need to be applied to avoid the wireless device 130 jumping between paging carriers too quickly. One example of such hysteresis may be that the wireless device 130 may only be allowed to change carriers at most every X paging occasions, where X may be predefined or signaled. Another example may be to have separate thresholds, e.g., Y% BLER when moving away from a dedicated paging carrier and Z% when moving back, as discussed above.

[0093] Signaling for indicating a dedicated paging carrier - Patents.com In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: In some embodiments, the first information may be received in dedicated signaling or in broadcasted information in the first cell 121, e.g., SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB. In some embodiments, the second information may be received in broadcasted information in another cell 123.

[0094] At least one of the first information and the second information may be received in an information element, such as an SRB-ToAddMod-NB-r13 or a SystemInformationBlockType22-NB information element, examples of which are shown below.

[0095] An example of how this may be signaled through L3 / RRC is provided below: This may be provided to the wireless device 130 in a SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB in ​​the new cell, e.g., another cell 123, or via dedicated signaling in the old cell, e.g., the first cell 121.

[0096] One alternative for introducing the IE may be in SIB22-NB, shown in the bold underlined text below, where only options 1 and 3 may need to be present and the absence of the IE may mean that the legacy UE_ID based method may need to be applied.

[0097] If the IE could instead be introduced as part of dedicated signaling, then all three options could be beneficial to use, for example the IE could then look like this: TIFF0007641370000001.tif18170

[0098] The IE SystemInformationBlockType22-NB may contain radio resource configuration for paging and random access procedures on non-anchor carriers. TIFF0007641370000002.tif76170TIFF0007641370000003.tif50170

[0099] Another non-limiting example may be as follows, where NPRACH indicates the NB-IoT Physical Random Access Channel: TIFF0007641370000004.tif108170

[0100] There may be several options on how the dedicated paging carrier can be signaled to the wireless device 130 through dedicated signaling. From PCT / EP2017 / 075268 it is already clear that any of the L3 messages RRC connection setup / resumption / re-establishment / release may be used, but the exact details on the parameters that may be used are not disclosed. It may be sufficient to just transmit Rmax and carrier identification information, e.g., the E-UTRA Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (EARFCN) or an offset compared to the anchor carrier or a pointer and / or index to the SIB22 list of carriers.

[0101] In the example group, the dedicated signaling may be extended where a common configuration for DL ​​non-anchor carriers, e.g., IE DL-CarrierConfigCommon-NB-r14, may be used along with Rmax, e.g., npdcch-NumRepetitionPaging-r13 or npdcch-NumRepetitionPaging-r14.

[0102] In the example alternative group, to save signaling, only carrier indices from SIB22-NB that point to non-anchor carriers may be used.

[0103] The selection structure may be provided as an example of a signaling extension by 1) pointing to a pagingCarrierIndex, for example, in SIB22, or 2) including a carrier not present in SIB22 and then including other parameters such as a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle and an Rmax value. The wireless device 130 may select a matching carrier based on either of these values.

[0104] Therefore, other information such as the DRX cycle of the carrier may also be included optionally. If they are not present, the wireless device 130 may need to obtain it from either SIB2-NB, e.g., IE RadioResourceConfigCommonSIB-NB-r13, or SIB22-NB if indexed carriers may be used.

[0105] An example in Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) of a carrier in dedicated signaling is provided below.

[0106] RadioResourceConfigDedicated-NB The IE RadioResourceConfigDedicated-NB may be used to set up / modify / release radio bearers (RBs), to modify medium access control (MAC) main settings, and to modify dedicated physical settings. TIFF0007641370000005.tif114170TIFF0007641370000006.tif170170

[0107] The above signaling deltas, indicated in bold underlined font, may also be added on the top level Msg4 or in the RRC Connection Release or RRC Reconfiguration messages.

[0108] Signaling details regarding some of the other parameters mentioned above, e.g., NPDCCH BLER thresholds and hysteresis values, are not exemplarily disclosed further herein, but those signaling details may be added either in a dedicated signaling IE, e.g., SRB-ToAddMod-NB-r13, or as part of SIB22-NB.

[0109] Even though the above solutions / examples are provided in the context of NB-IoT, similar mechanisms may be applied for other technologies such as LTE-M and NR. For example, in a similar manner to the NB-IoT paging carrier, in the former, a paging narrowband may be used, and in the latter, a paging bandwidth portion (BWP) may be used.

[0110] CE level based Furthermore, there may be another approach where the NW may assign a CE level from a particular paging carrier, including the carrier where the wireless device 130 may need to monitor for paging. The CE level may be associated or derived based on an already existing NRSRP threshold or a new threshold defined for paging purposes. Thus, the network may allocate a CE level to the wireless device 130 in addition to a particular carrier via dedicated signaling, for example, before releasing the wireless device 130 to idle, or via Msg4.

[0111] If conditions change, e.g., the wireless device 130 may find itself at a different CE level, e.g., requiring more repetitions, the wireless device 130 may follow fallback mechanisms as shown in the examples above, i.e., 1) anchor carrier, or 2) using legacy procedures, based on UE_ID, or 3) dedicated paging carrier from the previous cell.

[0112] Further redirection The network may allocate a dedicated paging carrier to the wireless device 130, but in the meantime, if there is a need to use that carrier for another purpose, the wireless device 130 may need to be notified. This may be done either with paging the wireless device 130, or with an indication broadcasted in the system information, so that the wireless device 130 may trigger a random access procedure to establish a connection, or as part of a system information notification update that such a carrier may no longer be used for paging and the affected UEs may need to fall back to a legacy method based on UE-ID, or as specified in the previous section.

[0113] By obtaining the first information in this action 202, the wireless device 130 may be enabled to know how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging with respect to changes in coverage due to changes in coverage conditions or cells to camp on. The wireless device 130 may thus be configured to flexibly select the carrier to be used for paging based on the coverage level, so that, for example, when the wireless device 130 is in good coverage, the wireless device 130 may be configured to monitor paging in a non-power boosted carrier(s), but when the wireless device 130 is in poor coverage, the wireless device 130 may be configured to monitor paging in a power boosted carrier. Thus, power consumption by the wireless device 130 during paging may thereby be reduced.

[0114] For example, the wireless device 130 may not have to wait longer to receive a PDSCH carrying a paging message, which may be scheduled by a PDCCH, i.e., a smaller number of repetitions and therefore a smaller delay may be required, so that paging delay may also be reduced.

[0115] Furthermore, a specific paging carrier configuration may be appreciated to be useful for capacity increase and paging load control, since paging in the non-anchor carrier(s) may, for example, relax reliance on the anchor carrier, free up resources in the anchor carrier, and further provide a means for handling increased paging load, if any.

[0116] For example, for an NB-IoT cell with an anchor carrier that is power boosted, e.g., by 6 dB, and a non-anchor carrier that is not power boosted, which may be understood to be a common deployment today, all or a very large portion of the UEs with good coverage may be configured to monitor paging on the non-anchor carrier, and the UEs with poor coverage may be configured to monitor paging on the anchor carrier. This coverage level based paging approach may be understood to save both UE power and spectrum resources, since less radio resources may be needed to page the UEs with poor coverage, e.g., multiplexed paging for multiple UEs on the non-anchor carrier may be implemented, which may be more efficient.

[0117] According to an embodiment of the present specification, a dedicated RRC configuration may be introduced to enable the first network node 111 to allocate a paging carrier to the wireless device 130 other than the one that may be selected based on the UE_ID.

[0118] According to embodiments herein, a dedicated RRC configuration may be introduced for the wireless device 130 to use a paging carrier other than the dedicated paging carrier when the coverage level / conditions of the wireless device 130 may deteriorate within a cell.

[0119] According to embodiments herein, a dedicated RRC configuration and / or a broadcasted RRC configuration may be deployed in order for the wireless device 130 to use a paging carrier other than the dedicated paging carrier when a new cell may be selected.

[0120] Action 203 In some of the embodiments, the wireless device 130 may have received the first information in the first cell 121, and the wireless device 130 may camp on another cell 123, for example, after the wireless device 130 may have moved. In some embodiments such as these, the method may further include action 203. In this action 203, the wireless device 130 may obtain second information in the other cell 123 indicating how to select a carrier to be used for paging in the other cell 123. The carrier may further be determined based on the obtained second information.

[0121] Obtaining may include receiving or retrieving. The obtaining in this action 203 may be in another cell 123, for example, by receiving via the second link 142.

[0122] By obtaining the second information in this action 203, the wireless device 130 may be enabled to know how to determine the carrier to be used for monitoring paging with respect to a change in coverage due to a change in the cell to camp on. Thus, paging delay may be reduced, and power consumption by the wireless device 130 during paging may thereby be reduced. Furthermore, it may be appreciated that the specific paging carrier configuration is useful for capacity increase and paging load control.

[0123] Action 204 In this action 204 , the wireless device 130 determines a carrier for monitoring paging based on the first information obtained in action 202 .

[0124] This determining in action 204 may include judging or calculating.

[0125] The carrier may further be determined based on the obtained second information.

[0126] This determining in action 204 may be performed while the wireless device 130 may be in an idle state, for example as defined in NB-IoT or LTE, or in younger systems having equivalent functionality.

[0127] In this action 204, by determining a carrier for monitoring paging based on the acquired first information or based on the second information, the wireless device 130 may be enabled to reduce paging delay and, hence, power consumption during paging. Furthermore, paging load may be controlled and capacity of the wireless communication system 100 may be increased.

[0128] Action 205 In this action 205, the wireless device 130 may tune to the determined carrier for monitoring paging.

[0129] An embodiment of a method implemented by a first network node 111 will now be described with reference to the flow chart shown in Fig. 3. The method can be understood to be for handling carriers for monitoring paging. The first network node 111 operates in a wireless communication network 100.

[0130] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network 100 may support at least one of New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for machines (LTE-M), enhanced machine-based communications (eMTC), and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

[0131] The method may be understood to be a computer-implemented method.

[0132] The method may include one or more of the following actions. In some embodiments, all actions may be implemented. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. Components from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to one skilled in the art how those components may be used in other exemplary embodiments. To simplify the explanation, not all possible combinations are described. A non-limiting example of a method implemented by the first network node 111 is shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, optional actions in some embodiments may be represented using dashed lines.

[0133] Some of the detailed descriptions below correspond to the same references provided above with respect to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and thus will not be repeated here for ease of explanation. For example, the coverage conditions may be determined based on a measure of wireless coverage, for example, estimated by the wireless device 130.

[0134] Action 301 In this action 301, the first network node 111 may receive at least one of a) a first instruction from the wireless device 130, for example via the first link 141, and b) a second instruction from a second network node 112 operating in the wireless communication network 100. The first instruction or the second instruction may be understood to indicate an ability of the wireless device 130 to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on.

[0135] Action 302 In this action 302, the first network node 111 sends first information to a wireless device 130 operating in the communication network 100 instructing the wireless device 130 how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on changes in coverage due to changes in coverage conditions and at least one of the cells to camp on for the wireless device 130.

[0136] Sending may include transmitting. In some embodiments, the first information may be sent to the wireless device 130. In some examples, the first information may be sent to the wireless device 130 via the first link 141, for example.

[0137] In some embodiments, the first information sent may be based on the first instruction received.

[0138] The first information may comprise, for example, one or more rules and one or more thresholds, such as the first and second thresholds previously described.

[0139] How to determine may be understood to mean how to determine for the wireless device 130 .

[0140] The measure or radio coverage may be, for example, an error rate, such as, for example, a BLER, on a control channel, such as, for example, an NPDCCH. The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage, estimated, for example, by the wireless device 130, using, for example, a maximum number of repetitions, on a first carrier, such as, for example, a dedicated paging carrier.

[0141] Another example of a measure of wireless coverage may be, for example, a measured NRSRP, or SINR, etc.

[0142] The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage for a given coverage level, for example, a given number of cycles.

[0143] The coverage conditions may exclude the coverage level.

[0144] That is, the coverage conditions may be understood to refer to the conditions of the wireless channel separately or independently of the number of repetitions.

[0145] A change of cell to camp on may be understood to refer to the fact that the wireless device 130 may be in a first cell 121 and the wireless device 130 may then move from out of the coverage of the first cell 121 to the coverage of one or more other cells 122, e.g., another cell 123. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may then move back into the coverage of the first cell 122.

[0146] In some examples, the change in coverage may comprise one or more transitions from a connected state to an idle state or from an idle state to a connected state.

[0147] In some embodiments, the sent first information may indicate at least one of the following options: According to the first option, the wireless device 130 may be required to select a fourth carrier, e.g., an anchor carrier, or another carrier different from the dedicated paging carrier, provided that the measure of coverage conditions may indicate poor coverage with respect to a first threshold. According to the second option, the wireless device 130 may be required to select the first carrier, such as a fifth carrier, e.g., a dedicated paging carrier, provided that the measure of coverage conditions may indicate good coverage with respect to a second threshold.

[0148] In some embodiments, the first information may be sent in an information element, such as an SRB-ToAddMod-NB-r13 or SystemInformationBlockType22-NB information element, an example of which is given earlier in this specification.

[0149] The first information may indicate use of one of an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, e.g., a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130, and a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0150] The sent first information may indicate at least one of the following options: According to the first option, on condition that the wireless device 130 enters an idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the obtained first information until the wireless device 130 enters a connected state next time. According to the second option, on condition that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123 and on condition that second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is provided, e.g., broadcasted, in the other cell 123, the first indication may indicate that the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the second information. According to a third option, if a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information regarding how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell 123, e.g., in a broadcast, and c) the first information indicates a fallback setting, e.g., a second carrier, the first instruction may indicate that the wireless device 130 may need to determine a carrier to be used based on the fallback setting, e.g., the second carrier, indicated in the first information. According to a fourth option, where the first information lacks a fallback setting, e.g., an indication of a second carrier, and provided that a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, and b) the second information regarding how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell 123, e.g., in a broadcast, the first indication may indicate that the wireless device 130 may need to determine the carrier to be used based on a third carrier, e.g., a fixed carrier, such as a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130.According to a fifth option, a) on the condition that the wireless device 130 receives the first information in the first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell 121, the first instruction may indicate that the wireless device 130 may need to determine a carrier to be used based on the first information, for example, based on a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0151] In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: According to a first option, the first information may be sent in dedicated signaling or in broadcasted information in the first cell 121, e.g., SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB. According to a second option, the second information may be sent in broadcasted information in another cell 123.

[0152] In some examples, the first network node 111 may be sending the first information in the first cell 121, and the wireless device 130 may be camped on another cell 123. In some examples, such as such examples, the sending in action 302 may further include sending the second information.

[0153] The sending of the second information may be in another cell 123, for example by sending via a second link 142.

[0154] The second information may indicate how to select a carrier to be used for paging in another cell 123.

[0155] The first network node 11 may, for example, determine a carrier for the wireless device 130 to monitor for paging based on the sent first information.

[0156] The carrier may further be determined based on the obtained second information.

[0157] Action 303 In this action 303, the first network node 111 may send third information, for example, via the third link 143 to a second network node 112 operating in the wireless communication network 100. The third information may indicate a paging carrier configured by the first network node 111 to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release.

[0158] By sending the third information in this action 303, the first network node 111 allows the second network node 112 to know the paging carrier set by the first network node 111 to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release. This may allow the second network node 112 to store the information and include it for the next paging.

[0159] Action 304 In this action 304, the first network node 111 may receive, for example, a third instruction from a second network node 112 operating in the wireless communication network 100 via the third link 143. The third instruction may, for example, indicate a paging carrier set by the first network node 111, or another network node 113, to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release.

[0160] An embodiment of a method implemented by the second network node 112 will now be described with reference to the flow chart shown in Fig. 4. The method can be understood to be for handling carriers for monitoring paging. The second network node 112 operates in the wireless communication network 100.

[0161] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network 100 may support at least one of New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for machines (LTE-M), enhanced machine-based communications (eMTC), and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

[0162] The method may be understood to be a computer-implemented method.

[0163] The method may include some of the following actions. In some embodiments, all actions may be implemented. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. Components from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to one skilled in the art how those components may be used in other exemplary embodiments. To simplify the explanation, not all possible combinations are described. A non-limiting example of a method implemented by the second network node 112 is shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, optional actions in some embodiments may be represented using dashed lines.

[0164] Some of the detailed descriptions below correspond to the same references provided above with respect to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and thus will not be repeated here for ease of explanation. For example, the coverage conditions may be determined based on a measure of wireless coverage, for example, estimated by the wireless device 130.

[0165] Action 401 In this action 401, the second network node 112 obtains a first indication indicating the capability of the wireless device 130 operating in the wireless communication network 100 to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of the coverage conditions and the cell to camp on.

[0166] In some examples, the second network node 112 may obtain, in this action 401, another instruction, such as, for example, a fourth instruction, that is indicative of the first instruction.

[0167] The obtaining in this action 401 may be at least one of a) a first instruction originating in the wireless device 130, and b) another instruction, for example, from a first network node 111 or a second network node 112 operating in the wireless communication network 100.

[0168] Obtaining may include receiving or retrieving. The first instruction originating at the wireless device 130 may be received via the first network node 111, for example via the first link 141 and the third link 143.

[0169] The another instruction may be based on, comprise, or indicate the first instruction, for example, as initially provided by wireless device 130.

[0170] The first indication or another indication may indicate a capability of the wireless device 130. The capability may be to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on.

[0171] The measure or radio coverage may be, for example, an error rate, such as, for example, a BLER, on a control channel, such as, for example, an NPDCCH. The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage, estimated, for example, by the wireless device 130, using, for example, a maximum number of repetitions, on a first carrier, such as, for example, a dedicated paging carrier.

[0172] Another example of a measure of wireless coverage may be, for example, a measured NRSRP, or SINR, etc.

[0173] The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage for a given coverage level, for example, a given number of cycles.

[0174] The coverage conditions may exclude the coverage level.

[0175] That is, the coverage conditions may be understood to refer to the conditions of the wireless channel separately or independently of the number of repetitions.

[0176] In some examples, the change in coverage may comprise one or more transitions from a connected state to an idle state or from an idle state to a connected state.

[0177] Action 402 In this action 402, the second network node 112 sends a second instruction to one of the first network node 111 or another network node 113. The second instruction indicates the indicated capabilities, i.e., the capabilities were indicated in the obtained first instruction.

[0178] The second network node 112 may send the second instruction to the first network node 111, for example via the third link 143, or to another network node, for example one of the other network nodes 113, for example via the fourth link 144.

[0179] A change of cell to camp on may be understood to refer to the fact that the wireless device 130 may be in a first cell 121 and the wireless device 130 may then move from out of the coverage of the first cell 121 to the coverage of one or more other cells 122, e.g., another cell 123. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may then move back into the coverage of the first cell 122.

[0180] By sending the second indication in this action 402, the second network node 112 enables the first network node 111 or another network node 113 to know the capabilities of the wireless device 130 and can thereby use it to determine the paging carrier to be used to page the wireless device 130 after connection release according to the capabilities of the wireless device 130. It can be understood that since paging is performed in idle mode and may be initiated by the second network node 112, e.g., an MME, the first network node 111, e.g., an eNB, may not be able to fetch the capabilities from the wireless device 130. It can be understood that it has to be obtained from the second network node 112.

[0181] Action 403 In this action 403, the second network node 112 may receive third information from the first network node 111, for example, via the third link 143, or from another network node 113, for example, via the fourth link 144. The third information may indicate a paging carrier set by the first network node 111, or the other network node 113, to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release.

[0182] Action 404 In this action 404, the second network node 112 may send a third indication to the first network node 111, for example, via the third link 143, or to one of the other network nodes 113, for example, via the fourth link 144. The third indication may indicate an indicated paging carrier. That is, the third indication may indicate a paging carrier for paging the wireless device 130.

[0183] The coverage level of the wireless device 130, e.g., UE, may be understood to be a dynamic attribute, which may change if the NRSRP changes. UE autonomous carrier selection based on the coverage level may cause a mismatch with respect to the selected carrier and the allocated / configured carrier for paging from the network. Therefore, it may be understood that any potential approach needs to follow the legacy principle of deterministic paging carrier usage. That is, there should be no mismatch between the carriers that the wireless device 130 may monitor for paging and where the network may expect to reach the wireless device 130 when paged in certain coverage conditions. Paging carrier selection may remain deterministic. This may ensure that there may be no mismatch between which paging carrier the wireless device 130 may monitor and which paging carrier the network may expect the wireless device 130 to monitor. One approach described in the embodiments herein may be to follow the legacy principle of paging, i.e., the second network node 112, e.g., MME, may first page the wireless device 130 at its last known location and introduce extensions on what paging carrier the wireless device 130 may use. For example, the method may be as described below in sequence. 1. The wireless device 130 may monitor for paging as a default behavior according to the pre-Rel-17 mechanism, for example, based on UE_ID. 2. The first network node 111, eNB, in connected mode or during connection establishment, may allocate to the wireless device 130 a new paging carrier different from the paging carrier based on the UE_ID, the attributes of which, e.g., Rmax, may be provided in a dedicated message or broadcasted signaling. 3. When the wireless device 130 is released and goes into idle mode, the first network node 111 may inform the second network node 112, e.g., MME, about the allocated paging carrier, and the wireless device 130 may monitor for paging using the allocated carrier when the wireless device 130 is camped on the same cell where the wireless device 130 was released and may experience similar coverage conditions. 4. If the wireless device 130 moves away from a cell or the coverage situation / conditions change in the same cell, the wireless device 130 may monitor paging based on what may be signaled by the network to avoid discrepancies.

[0184] 5 illustrates a non-limiting example of actions that may be performed by the wireless device 130, for example, by a UE, according to an embodiment herein. At 500, according to action 201, the wireless device 130 may provide the NW with UE capabilities of the wireless device 130, indicating that the wireless device 130 supports coverage level-based paging. At 510, according to action 202 or action 203, the wireless device 130 may obtain information from the NW regarding both legacy paging configuration, static, and new paging configuration, dynamic. At 520, according to action 202 or action 203, the wireless device 130 may obtain instructions from the NW regarding how to monitor paging in case the wireless device 130 happens to change coverage level or cell. At 530, according to action 204 and action 205, the wireless device 130 may tune to a paging carrier and coverage level based on the instructions.

[0185] 6 illustrates a non-limiting example of actions that may be performed by the first network node 111, e.g., an eNB, towards a UE, according to embodiments herein. At 600, the first network node 111 may provide an indication that the eNB supports paging based on coverage level. At 610, according to action 302, the first network node 111 may determine which paging mechanism should be used, based on static or dynamic attributes. At 620, according to action 302, the first network node 111 may inform the wireless device 130 regarding paging configuration via system information and / or dedicated signaling. At 630, also according to action 302, the first network node 111 may instruct the wireless device 130 to ensure deterministic paging when the wireless device 130 may change cells or coverage levels.

[0186] 7 illustrates a non-limiting example of actions that may be performed by the second node 112, e.g., a CN node, according to embodiments herein. At 700, according to action 401, the second network node 112 may obtain the UE capability of the wireless device 130 for paging and inform the first network node 111, e.g., eNB, regarding the paging capability, e.g., of the support of dynamic attributes. At 720, according to action 402, the second network node 112 may obtain paging carrier information from the first network node 111, e.g., in dedicated signaling, in a connection release or Msg4. At 720, according to action 403, the second network node 112 may forward the stored paging carrier information when the wireless device 130 may be paged.

[0187] As a summarized overview above, to ensure deterministic paging, UE behavior according to embodiments herein may be specified, so that in case of mobility as a result of degraded and / or improved signal quality, e.g., cell change, or coverage condition change, the NW may page the UE by signaling well-defined rules, i.e., UE behavior, while still providing flexibility to include dynamic attributes for paging carrier selection.

[0188] Certain embodiments disclosed herein may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s), which may be summarized as follows: Paging delay may be realized to be reduced, and UE power consumption during paging may be reduced for the UE. Specific paging carrier configuration may be helpful for capacity increase and paging load control.

[0189] Figure 8 shows in panels a) and b), respectively, two different examples of configurations that a wireless device 130 may have to perform the method actions described above with respect to Figures 2 and / or 5. In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 may have the following configurations shown in Figure 8a. The wireless device 130 may be understood to be for handling a carrier for monitoring paging. The wireless device 130 is configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100.

[0190] Several embodiments are included herein. Components from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to one skilled in the art how those components may be used in other exemplary embodiments. Some detailed descriptions below correspond to the same references provided above with respect to the actions described for the wireless device 130, and therefore will not be repeated here. For example, in some embodiments, the wireless communication network 100 may support at least one of New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for machines (LTE-M), enhanced machine-based communication (eMTC), and narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

[0191] In FIG. 8, optional units are indicated by dotted boxes.

[0192] The wireless device 130 is configured to perform the acquiring of action 202 by an acquiring unit 801 in the wireless device 130 configured to acquire first information configured to indicate how to determine the carrier configured to be used for monitoring paging based on, for example, a change in coverage due to a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on.

[0193] The wireless device 130 is configured to perform the determining of action 204 by a determining unit 802 configured to determine a carrier for monitoring paging based on, for example, first information configured to be obtained.

[0194] In some embodiments, the first information configured to be acquired may be configured to indicate at least one of the following options: According to the first option, on condition that the wireless device 130 enters an idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier configured to be allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the first information configured to be acquired until the wireless device 130 next enters a connected state. According to the second option, on condition that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123 and on condition that second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is provided in the other cell 123, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the second information. According to a third option, on the condition that a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell 123, and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on a fallback configuration set to be indicated in the first information. According to a fourth option, on the condition that a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell 123, and c) the first information lacks an indication of a fallback configuration, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on a third carrier, such as a carrier set to be derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130. According to a fifth option, a) under the condition that the wireless device 130 receives first information in the first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell 121, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on the first information.

[0195] In some embodiments, the first information configured to be obtained may be configured to indicate at least one of the following options: According to one option, the wireless device 130 should select the fourth carrier, provided that the measure of coverage conditions indicates poor coverage relative to a first threshold; According to another option, the wireless device 130 should select the fifth carrier, provided that the measure of coverage conditions indicates good coverage relative to a second threshold.

[0196] In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be received in dedicated signaling or in broadcasted information in the first cell 121. In some embodiments, the second information may be configured to be received in broadcasted information in another cell 123.

[0197] In some embodiments, at least one of the first information and the second information may be configured to be received in an information element.

[0198] In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to indicate use of one of the anchor carrier, the fixed carrier, and a first carrier configured to be allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0199] In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be received from a first network node 111 configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100.

[0200] The wireless device 130 may be configured to perform the sending of the action 201, for example by a sending unit 803 configured to send a first instruction to the first network node 111. The first instruction may be configured to indicate an ability of the wireless device 130 to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on. The first information configured to be obtained may be configured to be based on the first instruction configured to be sent.

[0201] In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 has received the first information in the first cell 121 and may be further configured to camp on another cell 123. The radio performs the acquiring of action 203 by an acquiring unit 801 configured to acquire, for example, second information in the other cell 123 configured to indicate how to select a carrier to be used for paging in the other cell 123. The carrier may be further configured to be determined based on the second information configured to be acquired.

[0202] In some embodiments, the coverage conditions may be configured to be determined based on a measure of wireless coverage configured to be estimated by the wireless device 130 .

[0203] The wireless device 130 may be configured to perform the tuning of action 205, for example, by a tuning unit 804 in the wireless device 130 configured to tune to the carrier that is configured to be determined to monitor paging.

[0204] Other units 805 may be comprised in the wireless device 130 .

[0205] The embodiments of the present specification in the wireless device 130 may be implemented through one or more processors, such as the processor 806 in the wireless device 130 shown in FIG. 8a, with computer program code for carrying out the functions and actions of the embodiments of the present specification. A processor as used herein may be understood to be a hardware component. The above-mentioned program code may also be provided as a computer program product, for example in the form of a data carrier carrying the computer program code for carrying out the embodiments of the present specification when loaded into the wireless device 130. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disk. However, such a carrier may be realised on other data carriers, such as a memory stick. The computer program code may also be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the wireless device 130.

[0206] The wireless device 130 may further comprise a memory 807 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 807 is configured to be used to store information obtained, store data, settings, scheduling, applications, etc., for implementing the methods herein when running in the wireless device 130.

[0207] In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 may receive information from, for example, the first network node 111, the second network node 112, and / or another network node 113 through the receiving port 808. In some embodiments, the receiving port 808 may be connected to, for example, one or more antennas in the wireless device 130. In other embodiments, the wireless device 130 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communication network 100 through the receiving port 808. Since the receiving port 808 may be in communication with the processor 806, the receiving port 808 may then forward the received information to the processor 806. The receiving port 808 may also be configured to receive other information.

[0208] The processor 806 in the wireless device 130 may be further configured to transmit or send information to, for example, the first network node 111, the second network node 112, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100 through an outgoing port 809, which may be in communication with the processor 806 and the memory 807.

[0209] Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the different units 801-805 described above may refer to combinations of analog and digital modules and / or one or more processors configured with, for example, software and / or firmware stored in memory that, when executed by one or more processors, such as processor 806, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as other digital hardware, may be included in a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system on a chip (SoC).

[0210] Also, in some embodiments, the different units 801-805 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors, such as processor 806.

[0211] Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the wireless device 130 may be implemented by a computer program 810 product comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, that when executed on the at least one processor 806 cause the at least one processor 806 to perform the actions described herein to be performed by the wireless device 130. The computer program 810 product may be stored in a computer readable storage medium 811. The computer readable storage medium 811 having stored thereon the computer program 810 may comprise instructions that when executed on the at least one processor 806 cause the at least one processor 806 to perform the actions described herein to be performed by the wireless device 130. In some embodiments, the computer readable storage medium 811 may be a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disk, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 810 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 810 just described, the carrier being one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium 811 as described above.

[0212] The wireless device 130 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communication between the wireless device 130 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the first network node 111, the second network node 112, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100. The interface may include, for example, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

[0213] In other embodiments, the wireless device 130 may comprise the following configurations shown in FIG. 8b. The wireless device 130 may comprise a processing circuit 806, one or more processors, such as, for example, a processor 806, and a memory 807 in the wireless device 130. The wireless device 130 may also comprise a radio circuit 812, which may comprise, for example, a receiving port 808 and a sending port 809. The processing circuit 812 may be configured or operable to perform the method actions according to FIG. 2 and / or FIG. 5 in a manner similar to that described with respect to FIG. 8a. The radio circuit 812 may be configured to at least set up and maintain a wireless connection with the first network node 111, the second network node 112, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100. A circuit may be understood as a hardware component in this specification.

[0214] Accordingly, embodiments herein also relate to a wireless device 130 comprising a processing circuit 806 and a memory 807, the memory 807 including instructions executable by the processing circuit 806, such that the wireless device 130 is operable to perform actions described herein with respect to the wireless device 130, e.g., in FIG. 2 and / or FIG. 5.

[0215] Figure 9 shows in panels a) and b), respectively, two different examples of configurations that the first network node 111 may comprise to perform the method actions described above with respect to Figure 3 and / or Figure 6. In some embodiments, the first network node 111 may comprise the following configurations shown in Figure 9a. The first network node 111 may be understood to be for handling carriers for monitoring paging. The first network node 111 is configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100.

[0216] Several embodiments are included herein. Components from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to one skilled in the art how those components may be used in other exemplary embodiments. Some detailed descriptions below correspond to the same references provided above with respect to the actions described for the wireless device 130, and therefore will not be repeated here. For example, in some embodiments, the wireless communication network 100 may support at least one of New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for machines (LTE-M), enhanced machine-based communication (eMTC), and narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

[0217] In FIG. 9, optional modules are indicated by dotted boxes.

[0218] The first network node 111 is configured to perform the sending of action 302 by a sending unit 901 in the first network node 111 configured to send first information, for example configured to instruct a wireless device 130 configured to operate in the communication network 100 how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on changes in coverage conditions and changes in coverage for the wireless device 130 of at least one of the cells to camp on.

[0219] In some embodiments, the first information configured to be sent may be configured to indicate at least one of the following options: According to the first option, on condition that the wireless device 130 enters an idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier configured to be allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the first information configured to be acquired until the wireless device 130 next enters a connected state. According to the second option, on condition that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123 and on condition that second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is provided in the other cell 123, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the second information. According to a third option, on condition that a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell 123, and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on the fallback configuration set as indicated in the first information. According to a fourth option, in which the first information lacks an indication of a fallback configuration, also on condition that a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, and b) the second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell 123, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on the third carrier. According to a fifth option, a) under the condition that the wireless device 130 receives first information in the first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell 121, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine a carrier to be used based on the first information.

[0220] In some embodiments, the first information configured to be sent may be configured to indicate at least one of the following options: According to one option, on condition that the measure of coverage conditions indicates poor coverage with respect to a first threshold, the wireless device 130 should select the fourth carrier; According to another option, on condition that the measure of coverage conditions indicates good coverage with respect to a second threshold, the wireless device 130 should select the fifth carrier.

[0221] In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: In some embodiments, the first information may be set to be sent in dedicated signaling or in broadcast information in the first cell 121. In some embodiments, the second information may be set to be broadcast information in another cell 123.

[0222] In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be sent in an information element.

[0223] In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to indicate use of one of the anchor carrier, the fixed carrier, and a first carrier configured to be allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0224] In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be sent to the wireless device 130.

[0225] The first network node 111 may be configured to perform the receiving of the action 301, for example by a receiving unit 902 configured to receive at least one of a) a first instruction from the wireless device 130 and b) a second instruction from a second network node 112 configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100. The first instruction or the second instruction may be configured to indicate an ability of the wireless device 130 to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of the coverage conditions and the cell to camp on. The first information configured to be sent may be configured to be based on the first instruction configured to be received.

[0226] The coverage conditions may be configured to be determined based on a measure of wireless coverage that is configured to be estimated by the wireless device 130 .

[0227] The first network node 111 may be configured to effect the sending of the action 303, for example by a sending unit 901 in the first network node 111 configured to send the third information to a second network node 112 configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100. The third information may be further configured to indicate a paging carrier configured by the first network node 111 to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release.

[0228] The first network node 111 may be configured to perform the receiving of the action 304, for example, by a receiving unit 902 in the first network node 111 configured to receive a third instruction from a second network node 112 configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100. The third instruction may be configured to indicate a paging carrier configured by the first network node 111, or another network node 113, to page the wireless device 130.

[0229] Other units 903 may be comprised in the first network node 111 .

[0230] A processor as used herein may be understood to be a hardware component. The above-mentioned program code may also be provided as a computer program product, for example in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for implementing the embodiments of the present specification when loaded into the first network node 111. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disk. However, such a carrier may be realized on other data carriers, such as a memory stick. The computer program code may further be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the first network node 111.

[0231] The first network node 111 may further comprise a memory 905 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 905 is configured to be used to store acquired information, store data, settings, scheduling, applications, etc., when running in the first network node 111, for implementing the methods herein.

[0232] In some embodiments, the first network node 111 may receive information from, for example, the wireless device 130, the second network node 112, and / or another network node 113 through the receiving port 906. In some embodiments, the receiving port 906 may be connected to, for example, one or more antennas in the first network node 111. In other embodiments, the first network node 111 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communication network 100 through the receiving port 906. Since the receiving port 906 may be in communication with the processor 904, the receiving port 906 may then forward the received information to the processor 904. The receiving port 906 may also be configured to receive other information.

[0233] The processor 904 in the first network node 111 may be further configured to transmit or send information to, for example, the wireless device 130, the second network node 112, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100 through an outgoing port 907, which may be in communication with the processor 904 and the memory 905.

[0234] Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the different units 901-903 described above may refer to combinations of analog and digital modules and / or one or more processors configured with, for example, software and / or firmware stored in memory that, when executed by one or more processors, such as processor 904, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as other digital hardware, may be included in a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system on a chip (SoC).

[0235] Also, in some embodiments, the different units 901-903 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors, such as processor 904.

[0236] Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the first network node 111 may be implemented by a computer program 908 product comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, that when executed on the at least one processor 904 cause the at least one processor 904 to perform the actions described herein to be performed by the first network node 111. The computer program 908 product may be stored in a computer readable storage medium 909. The computer readable storage medium 909 having stored thereon the computer program 908 may comprise instructions that when executed on the at least one processor 904 cause the at least one processor 904 to perform the actions described herein to be performed by the first network node 111. In some embodiments, the computer readable storage medium 909 may be a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disk, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 908 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 908 just described, the carrier being one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium 909 as described above.

[0237] The first network node 111 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communication between the first network node 111 and other nodes or devices, e.g., a wireless device 130, the second network node 112, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100. The interface may include, for example, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

[0238] In other embodiments, the first network node 111 may comprise the following configurations shown in Fig. 9b: The first network node 111 may comprise a processing circuit 904, e.g., one or more processors, such as processor 904, and a memory 905 in the first network node 111. The first network node 111 may also comprise a radio circuit 910, which may comprise, e.g., a receiving port 906 and an outgoing port 907. The processing circuit 904 may be configured or operable to perform the method actions according to Fig. 3 and / or Fig. 6 in a manner similar to that described with respect to Fig. 9a. The radio circuit 910 may be configured to at least set up and maintain a radio connection with the wireless device 130, the second network node 112, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100. A circuit may be understood as a hardware component in this specification.

[0239] Accordingly, embodiments herein also relate to a first network node 111 comprising a processing circuit 904 and a memory 905, said memory 905 including instructions executable by said processing circuit 904, such that the first network node 111 is operable to perform the actions described herein with respect to the first network node 111, for example in FIG. 3 and / or FIG. 6.

[0240] Figure 10 shows in panels a) and b), respectively, two different examples of configurations that the second network node 112 may comprise to perform the method actions described above with respect to Figures 4 and / or 7. In some embodiments, the second network node 112 may comprise the following configurations shown in Figure 10a. The second network node 112 may be understood to be for handling carriers for monitoring paging. The second network node 112 is configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100.

[0241] Several embodiments are included herein. Components from one embodiment may be implicitly assumed to be present in another embodiment, and it will be clear to one skilled in the art how those components may be used in other exemplary embodiments. Some detailed descriptions below correspond to the same references provided above with respect to the actions described for the wireless device 130, and therefore will not be repeated here. For example, in some embodiments, the wireless communication network 100 may support at least one of New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for machines (LTE-M), enhanced machine-based communication (eMTC), and narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

[0242] In FIG. 10, optional modules are indicated by dotted boxes.

[0243] The second network node 112 may be configured to perform the obtaining of action 401 by an obtaining unit 1001 configured to obtain a first indication configured to indicate a capability of the wireless device 130 configured to operate in the wireless communication network 100 to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of the coverage conditions and the cell to camp on.

[0244] The second network node 112 may be configured to effect the sending of the action 402, for example by a sending unit 902 in the second network node 112 configured to send a second instruction to one of the first network node 111, or another network node 113. The second instruction is configured to indicate the capabilities that are configured to be indicated.

[0245] The second network node 112 may be configured to perform the receiving of action 403, for example, by a receiving unit 1003 in the second network node 112 configured to receive the third information from the first network node 111, or another network node 113. The third information may be configured to indicate a paging carrier configured by the first network node 111, or another network node 113, to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release.

[0246] The second network node 112 may be configured to effect the sending of the action 404, for example by a sending unit 1002 in the second network node 112 configured to send a third indication to one of the first network node 111, or another network node 113. The third indication may be configured to indicate the paging carrier that is configured to be indicated.

[0247] Other units 1004 may be comprised in the second network node 112 .

[0248] The embodiments of the present specification in the second network node 112 may be implemented through one or more processors, such as the processor 1005 in the second network node 112 shown in FIG. 10a, with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments of the present specification. A processor as used herein may be understood to be a hardware component. The above-mentioned program code may also be provided as a computer program product, for example in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments of the present specification when loaded into the second network node 112. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disk. However, such a carrier may be realizable on other data carriers, such as a memory stick. The computer program code may further be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the second network node 112.

[0249] The second network node 112 may further comprise a memory 1006 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 1006 is configured to be used to store acquired information, store data, settings, scheduling, applications, etc., when running in the second network node 112, to implement the methods herein.

[0250] In some embodiments, the second network node 112 may receive information from, for example, the wireless device 130, the first network node 111, and / or another network node 113 through the receiving port 1007. In some embodiments, the receiving port 1007 may be connected to, for example, one or more antennas in the second network node 112. In other embodiments, the second network node 112 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communication network 100 through the receiving port 1007. Since the receiving port 1007 may be in communication with the processor 1005, the receiving port 1007 may then forward the received information to the processor 1005. The receiving port 1007 may also be configured to receive other information.

[0251] The processor 1005 in the second network node 112 may be further configured to transmit or send information to, for example, the wireless device 130, the first network node 111, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100 through an outgoing port 1008, which may be in communication with the processor 1005 and the memory 1006.

[0252] Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the different units 1001-1003 described above may refer to combinations of analog and digital modules and / or one or more processors configured with software and / or firmware stored in memory, for example, that perform as described above when executed by one or more processors, such as processor 1005. One or more of these processors, as well as other digital hardware, may be included in a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system on a chip (SoC).

[0253] Also, in some embodiments, the different units 1001-1003 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors, such as processor 1005.

[0254] Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the second network node 112 may be implemented by a computer program 1009 product comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, that when executed on the at least one processor 1005 cause the at least one processor 1005 to perform the actions described herein to be performed by the second network node 112. The computer program 1009 product may be stored in a computer readable storage medium 1010. The computer readable storage medium 1010 having the computer program 1009 stored thereon may comprise instructions that when executed on the at least one processor 1005 cause the at least one processor 1005 to perform the actions described herein to be performed by the second network node 112. In some embodiments, the computer readable storage medium 1010 may be a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disk, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 1009 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 1009 just described, the carrier being one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium 1010 as described above.

[0255] The second network node 112 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communication between the second network node 112 and other nodes or devices, such as a wireless device 130, the first network node 111, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100. The interface may include, for example, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

[0256] In other embodiments, the second network node 112 may comprise the following configurations shown in Fig. 10b. The second network node 112 may comprise a processing circuit 1005, e.g., one or more processors, such as processor 1005, and a memory 1006 in the second network node 112. The second network node 112 may also comprise a radio circuit 1011, which may comprise, e.g., a receiving port 1007 and an outgoing port 1008. The processing circuit 1005 may be configured or operable to perform the method actions according to Fig. 4 and / or Fig. 7 in a manner similar to that described with respect to Fig. 10a. The radio circuit 1011 may be configured to at least set up and maintain a radio connection with the wireless device 130, the first network node 111, another network node 113, and / or another structure in the wireless communication network 100. A circuit may be understood as a hardware component in this specification.

[0257] Accordingly, embodiments herein also relate to a second network node 112 comprising a processing circuit 1005 and a memory 1006, said memory 1006 including instructions executable by said processing circuit 1005, such that the second network node 112 is operable to perform the actions described herein with respect to the second network node 112, for example in FIG. 4 and / or FIG. 7.

[0258] Embodiments herein may relate to NR, NR_Small Data_INACTIVE, SDT, MTC and / or IoT.

[0259] Generally, all terms used herein should be interpreted according to the ordinary meaning of those terms in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is expressly given and / or implied from the context in which the term is used. All references to a / an / the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of that element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless expressly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is expressly described as following or preceding another step, and / or it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Similarly, any advantage of any of the embodiments may be applied to any other embodiment, and vice versa. Other objects, features, and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will become apparent from the following description.

[0260] As used herein, the phrase "at least one of:" followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, the last alternative being preceded by the term "and", may be understood to mean that only one of the list of alternatives may apply, two or more of the list of alternatives may apply, or all of the list of alternatives may apply. This phrase may be understood to be equivalent to the phrase "at least one of:" followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, the last alternative being preceded by the term "or".

[0261] example:

[0262] Example 1. A method implemented by a wireless device (130) for handling a carrier for monitoring paging, the method comprising: - obtaining (202) first information indicative of how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on; - determining (204) a carrier for monitoring paging based on the obtained first information; A method comprising:

[0263] Example 2. The first piece of information obtained is - on a condition that the wireless device (130) enters an idle mode, the wireless device (130) should use the first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the obtained first information until the wireless device (130) next enters a connected state; - determining a carrier to be used based on second information, provided that the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123) and provided that second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is provided, e.g., broadcast, in the other cell (123); - determining a carrier to be used based on a fallback configuration, e.g., a second carrier, indicated in the first information, under the condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), e.g., in broadcast, and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration, e.g., a second carrier; - determining a carrier to be used based on a third carrier, e.g., a fixed carrier, such as a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), under the condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), e.g., in broadcast, and c) the first information lacks a fallback setting, e.g., an indication of a second carrier; a) determining a carrier to be used based on the first information, e.g., based on a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling, on a condition that the wireless device (130) receives first information in the first cell (121), camps on one or more other cells (122) without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell (121); The method of Example 1, further comprising:

[0264] Example 3. The first piece of information obtained is - if the measure of coverage conditions indicates poor coverage relative to a first threshold, the wireless device (130) should select a fourth carrier, e.g., an anchor carrier or another carrier different from a dedicated paging carrier; - if the measure of coverage conditions indicates good coverage relative to a second threshold, the wireless device (130) should select a fifth carrier, e.g., a dedicated paging carrier, from the first carrier; The method of Example 2, further comprising:

[0265] Example 4. - the first information is received in a dedicated signaling or in broadcast information in a first cell (121), for example, SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB; and - the second information is received in broadcast information in another cell (123), The method according to any of Examples 2 to 3, wherein the method is at least one of:

[0266] Example 5. The method of example 4, wherein at least one of the first information and the second information is received in an information element.

[0267] Example 6. The method of any of Examples 1 to 5, in which the first information indicates use of one of an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, e.g., a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), and a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0268] Example 7. The method of any of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the first information is received from a first network node (111) operating in the wireless communication network (100).

[0269] Example 8. The method is - sending (201) a first indication to a first network node (111), the first indication indicating an ability of the wireless device (130) to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on; 8. The method of example 7, further comprising: wherein the acquired first information is based on the sent first instruction.

[0270] Example 9. A wireless device (130) is receiving first information in a first cell (121), the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), and a method includes: - obtaining (203) second information in the other cell (123) instructing how to select a carrier to be used for paging in the other cell (123); 9. The method of any of Examples 1 to 8, further comprising: wherein the carrier is further determined based on the obtained second information.

[0271] Example 10. The method of any of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the coverage condition is determined based on a measure of wireless coverage, e.g., an error rate in a control channel, estimated by the wireless device (130), e.g., on a dedicated paging carrier, e.g., using a maximum number of repetitions.

[0272] Example 11. - Tuning to a determined carrier for monitoring paging (205) The method of any of Examples 1 to 10, further comprising:

[0273] Example 12. A method implemented by a first network node (111) for handling carriers for monitoring paging, the first network node (111) operating in a wireless communication network (100), the method comprising: - sending (302) first information to a wireless device (130) operating in the communication network (100) instructing the wireless device (130) how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage due to a change in coverage conditions and at least one of a cell to camp on for the wireless device (130); A method comprising:

[0274] Example 13. The first information sent is - on a condition that the wireless device (130) enters an idle mode, the wireless device (130) should use the first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the obtained first information until the wireless device (130) next enters a connected state; - determining a carrier to be used based on second information, provided that the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123) and provided that second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is provided, e.g., broadcast, in the other cell (123); - determining a carrier to be used based on a fallback setting, e.g., a second carrier, indicated in the first information under the condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), and b) second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), e.g., in broadcast; - determining a carrier to be used based on a third carrier, e.g., a fixed carrier, such as a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), under the condition that the first information lacks a fallback configuration, e.g., an indication of a second carrier, and a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), and b) the second information on how to select a carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), e.g., in a broadcast; a) determining a carrier to be used based on the first information, e.g., based on a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling, on a condition that the wireless device (130) receives first information in the first cell (121), camps on one or more other cells (122) without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell (121); The method of Example 12, further comprising:

[0275] Example 14. The first information sent is - if the measure of coverage conditions indicates poor coverage relative to a first threshold, the wireless device (130) should select a fourth carrier, e.g., an anchor carrier or another carrier different from a dedicated paging carrier; - if the measure of coverage conditions indicates good coverage relative to a second threshold, the wireless device (130) should select a fifth carrier, e.g., a dedicated paging carrier, from the first carrier; The method of Example 13, wherein the method comprises:

[0276] Example 15. - the first information is sent in dedicated signaling or in broadcast information in the first cell (121), for example SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB; and - the second information is broadcast information in another cell (123), 15. The method according to any of Examples 13 to 14, wherein the method is at least one of:

[0277] Example 16. The method of example 15, wherein the first information is sent in an information element.

[0278] Example 17. The method of any of Examples 12 to 16, in which the first information indicates use of one of an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, e.g., a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), and a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

[0279] Example 18. The method of any of Examples 12 to 17, wherein the first information is sent to a wireless device (130).

[0280] Example 19. The method is - receiving (301) at least one of a) a first indication from a wireless device (130) and b) a second indication from a second network node (112) operating in a wireless communication network (100), where the first indication or the second indication indicates an ability of the wireless device (130) to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on; 20. The method of example 18, further comprising: wherein the sent first information is based on the received first instruction.

[0281] Example 20. The method of any of Examples 12 to 19, wherein the coverage condition is determined based on a measure of wireless coverage, e.g., an error rate in a control channel, estimated by the wireless device (130), e.g., on a dedicated paging carrier, e.g., using a maximum number of repetitions.

[0282] Example 21. The method is - sending (303) third information to a second network node (112) operating in the wireless communication network (100), the third information indicating a paging carrier configured by the first network node (111) for paging the wireless device (130) after the connection release. The method of any of Examples 12 to 20, further comprising:

[0283] Example 22. The method is receiving (304) a third instruction from a second network node (112) operating in the wireless communication network (100), the third instruction instructing a paging carrier set by the first network node (111), or another network node (113), to page the wireless device (130); The method of any of Examples 12 to 21, further comprising:

[0284] Example 23. A method implemented by a second network node (112) for handling carriers for monitoring paging, the second network node (112) operating in a wireless communication network (100), the method comprising: - obtaining (401) a first indication indicating an ability of a wireless device (130) operating in a wireless communication network (100) to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on; - sending (402) a second indication to one of the first network node (111) or another network node (113), the second indication indicating the indicated capability; and A method comprising:

[0285] Example 24. The method is - receiving (403) third information from the first network node (111) or another network node (113), the third information indicating a paging carrier configured by the first network node (111) or another network node (113) to page the wireless device (130) after a connection release; - sending (404) a third indication to one of the first network node (111) or another network node (113), the third indication indicating an indicated paging carrier, e.g., a paging carrier for paging the wireless device (130); The method of Example 23, further comprising:

[0286] Further Extensions and Variations

[0287] FIG. 11: A communications network connected to a host computer through an intermediate network, according to some embodiments. 11, according to one embodiment, a communication system includes a communication network 1110, such as a wireless communication network 100, for example a 3GPP type cellular network, comprising an access network 1111, such as a radio access network, and a core network 1114. The access network 1111 comprises a plurality of network nodes, such as a first network node 111 and / or another network node 113. For example, base stations 1112a, 1112b, 1112c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1113a, 1113b, 1113c. Each base station 1112a, 1112b, 1112c can be connected to the core network 1114 over a wired or wireless connection 1115. A plurality of user equipments, such as wireless devices 130, are included in the wireless communication network 100. In FIG. 11, a first UE 1191 located in a coverage area 1113c wirelessly connects to or is configured to be paged by a corresponding base station 1112c. A second UE 1192 in a coverage area 1113a can wirelessly connect to a corresponding base station 1112a. Although multiple UEs 1191, 1192 are shown in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where only one UE is in a coverage area or connects to a corresponding base station 1112. Any of the UEs 1191, 1192 are examples of wireless devices 130.

[0288] The communication network 1110 is itself connected to a host computer 1130, which may be embodied in hardware and / or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, or as a processing resource in a server farm. The host computer 1130 may be owned or under the control of a service provider, or may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. The connections 1121 and 1122 between the communication network 1110 and the host computer 1130 may extend directly from the core network 1114 to the host computer 1130, or may proceed through an optional intermediate network 1120. The intermediate network 1120 may be one of a public network, a private network, or a hosted network, or a combination of two or more of them, and the intermediate network 1120 may be a backbone network or the Internet, if any, and in particular the intermediate network 1120 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

[0289] The communication system of FIG. 11 as a whole enables connectivity between connected UEs 1191, 1192 and a host computer 1130. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1150. The host computer 1130 and connected UEs 1191, 1192 are configured to communicate data and / or signaling via the OTT connection 1150 using the access network 1111, the core network 1114, any intermediate networks 1120, and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 1150 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 1150 passes are unaware of the routing of the uplink and downlink communications. For example, the base station 1112 may not be or need not be informed of the past routing of an incoming downlink communication involving data originating from the host computer 1130 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to the connected UE 1191. Similarly, the base station 1112 does not need to be aware of the future routing of outgoing uplink communications originating from the UE 1191 and destined for the host computer 1130 .

[0290] 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 described next, it may be understood that a UE is an example of a wireless device 130, and the description provided for a UE applies equally to the wireless device 130. It may also be understood that a base station is an example of the first network node 111 and / or the another network node 113, and the description provided for a base station applies equally to the first network node 111 and / or the another network node 113.

[0291] FIG. 12: A host computer communicating with user equipment via a base station over a partially wireless connection according to some embodiments.

[0292] Next, an exemplary implementation of the wireless device 130, e.g., UE, the first network node 111, and / or another network node 113, e.g., a base station, as well as a host computer, described in the previous paragraph, according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12. In a communication system 1200, such as a wireless communication network 100, a host computer 1210 comprises hardware 1215, including a communication interface 1216 configured to set up and maintain wired or wireless connections with interfaces of different communication devices of the communication system 1200. The host computer 1210 further comprises a processing circuit 1218, which may have storage and / or processing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuit 1218 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or combinations thereof (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The host computer 1210 further comprises software 1211, which is stored in or accessible by the host computer 1210 and is executable by the processing circuit 1218. The software 1211 includes a host application 1212. The host application 1212 may be operable to provide services to a remote user, such as a UE 1230 connecting via an OTT connection 1250 that terminates at the UE 1230 and the host computer 1210. In providing services to the remote user, the host application 1212 may provide user data that is transmitted using the OTT connection 1250.

[0293] The communication system 1200 further includes a first network node 111 and / or another network node 113, illustrated in FIG. 12 as a base station 1220 provided in the communication system, with hardware 1225 that enables the base station 1220 to communicate with a host computer 1210 and a UE 1230. The hardware 1225 may include a communication interface 1226 for setting up and maintaining wired or wireless connections with interfaces of different communication devices of the communication system 1200, as well as a wireless interface 1227 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 1270 with a wireless device 130, illustrated in FIG. 12 as a UE 1230 located in a coverage area (not shown in FIG. 12) served by the base station 1220. The communication interface 1226 may be configured to facilitate a connection 1260 to the host computer 1210. The connection 1260 may be direct, or the connection 1260 may pass through a core network of the communication system (not shown in FIG. 12) and / or one or more intermediate networks external to the communication system. In the illustrated embodiment, the hardware 1225 of the base station 1220 further includes a processing circuit 1228, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or combinations thereof (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The base station 1220 further has software 1221 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

[0294] The communication system 1200 further includes the UE 1230 already mentioned. The hardware 1235 of the UE 1230 may include a wireless interface 1237 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 1270 with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE 1230 is currently located. The hardware 1235 of the UE 1230 further includes a processing circuit 1238, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or combinations thereof (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE 1230 further includes software 1231 stored in or accessible by the UE 1230 and executable by the processing circuit 1238. The software 1231 includes a client application 1232. The client application 1232 may be operable to provide services to a human or non-human user via the UE 1230 with the support of the host computer 1210. At the host computer 1210, a running host application 1212 may communicate with a running client application 1232 via an OTT connection 1250 that terminates at the UE 1230 and the host computer 1210. In providing services to a user, the client application 1232 may receive request data from the host application 1212 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1250 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 1232 may interact with the user to generate the user data that the client application 1232 provides.

[0295] It should be noted that the host computer 1210, base station 1220, and UE 1230 shown in Figure 12 may be similar or equivalent to the host computer 1130, one of the base stations 1112a, 1112b, 1112c, and one of the UEs 1191, 1192, respectively, of Figure 11. That is, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Figure 12, and separately, the surrounding network topology may be that of Figure 11.

[0296] 12, the OTT connection 1250 is depicted abstractly to show communication between the host computer 1210 and the UE 1230 via the base station 1220, without explicit reference to intermediary devices and the exact routing of messages through these devices. The network infrastructure may determine the routing, and the network infrastructure may be configured to hide the routing from the UE 1230 or from the service provider operating the host computer 1210, or both. The network infrastructure may also make decisions to dynamically change the routing while the OTT connection 1250 is active (e.g., based on load balancing considerations or reconfiguration of the network).

[0297] The wireless connection 1270 between the UE 1230 and the base station 1220 follows the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of the OTT service provided to the UE 1230 using the OTT connection 1250 of which the wireless connection 1270 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve latency, signaling overhead, and service interruptions, thereby providing benefits such as reduced user latency, better responsiveness, and extended battery life.

[0298] Measurement procedures may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rates, latency, and other factors that one or more embodiments improve upon. There may further be an optional network function for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1250 between the host computer 1210 and the UE 1230 in response to fluctuations in the measurement results. The measurement procedures and / or the network function for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1250 may be implemented in the software 1211 and hardware 1215 of the host computer 1210 or in the software 1231 and hardware 1235 of the UE 1230, or both. In an embodiment, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with the communication devices through which the OTT connection 1250 passes, and the sensors may participate in the measurement procedures by providing values ​​of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or other physical quantities from which the software 1211, 1231 may calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguration of the OTT connection 1250 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc., and the reconfiguration need not affect the base station 1220, and the reconfiguration may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 1220. Such procedures and functions may be known and practiced in the art. In some embodiments, the measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates the host computer 1210 measurements of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. The measurements may be implemented in the software 1211 and 1231 causing messages, particularly empty or "dummy" messages, to be sent using the OTT connection 1250 while the software 1211 and 1231 monitors propagation times, errors, etc.

[0299] The embodiments of the wireless device 130 relate to FIGS. 2, 5, 8 and 11 to 16.

[0300] The wireless device 130 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in the host computer 1210 via another link, such as, for example, 1260 .

[0301] The wireless device 130 may comprise an interface unit for facilitating communication between the wireless device 130 and any of other nodes or devices, for example, the first network node 111, the second network node 112, another network node 113, a host computer 1210, or other nodes. In some particular examples, the interface may include, for example, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals over an air interface according to a suitable standard.

[0302] The wireless device 130 may have a configuration as shown in FIG. 8 or FIG.

[0303] Embodiments of the first network node 111 relate to Figures 3, 6, 9 and 11 to 16.

[0304] The first network node 111 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in the host computer 1210 via another link, such as, for example, 1260.

[0305] The first network node 111 may comprise an interface unit for facilitating communication between the first network node 111 and any of the other nodes or devices, for example, the wireless device 130, the host computer 1210, or other nodes. In some particular examples, the interface may include, for example, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals over an air interface according to a suitable standard.

[0306] The first network node 111 may have a configuration as shown in FIG. 9 or FIG.

[0307] Embodiments of the second network node 112 relate to Figures 4, 7, 10 and 11 to 16.

[0308] The second network node 112 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in the host computer 1210 via another link, such as, for example, 1260.

[0309] The second network node 112 may comprise an interface unit for facilitating communication between the second network node 112 and any of the other nodes or devices, e.g., the wireless device 130, the host computer 1210, or other nodes. In some particular examples, the interface may include, for example, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals over an air interface according to a suitable standard.

[0310] The second network node 112 may have a configuration as shown in FIG. 10 or FIG.

[0311] FIG. 13: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0312] FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. For simplicity of the disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 13 are included in this section. In step 1310, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step 1311 (which may be optional) of step 1310, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1320, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 1330 (which may be optional), the base station transmits the user data carried in the host computer initiated transmission to the UE, according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1340 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

[0313] FIG. 14: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0314] FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. For simplicity of the disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 14 are included in this section. In step 1410 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown), the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1420, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may go through a base station in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1430 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

[0315] FIG. 15: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0316] FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. For simplicity of the disclosure, only drawing reference to FIG. 15 is included in this section. In step 1510 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 1520, the UE provides user data. In sub-step 1521 (which may be optional) of step 1520, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 1511 (which may be optional) of step 1510, the UE executes a client application that provides the user data in response to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further take into account user input received from the user. Regardless of the particular manner in which the user data is provided, the UE initiates transmission of the user data to the host computer in sub-step 1530 (which may be optional). In method step 1540, the host computer receives user data transmitted from the UE according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

[0317] FIG. 16: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0318] FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. For simplicity of the disclosure, only a drawing reference to FIG. 16 is included in this section. In step 1610 (which may be optional), the base station receives user data from the UE, according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1620 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 1630 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

[0319] Any suitable steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be implemented through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual devices. Each virtual device may comprise several of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), dedicated digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, and the like. The program code stored in memory includes program instructions for implementing one or more communication and / or data communication protocols, as well as instructions for performing one or more of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause each functional unit to perform a corresponding function according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0320] The term unit may have its conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices, and / or electronic devices and may include, for example, electric and / or electronic circuits, devices, modules, processors, memories, logical solid and / or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions, etc., for performing a respective task, procedure, computation, output, and / or display function, such as those described herein.

[0321] Further Numbered Embodiments

[0322] 1. A base station configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE), the base station comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a first network node 111 and / or another network node 113.

[0323] 5. A communication system including a host computer, the host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; a communications interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE); Equipped with A communication system in which a cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the base station being configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a first network node 111 and / or another network node 113.

[0324] 6. The communication system of embodiment 5, further comprising a base station.

[0325] 7. The communication system of embodiment 6, further comprising a UE, the UE being configured to communicate with the base station.

[0326] 8. processing circuitry of the host computer configured to execute a host application thereby providing user data; the UE comprising processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application; 8. A communication system as described in embodiment 7.

[0327] 11. A method implemented in a base station, comprising one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the first network node 111 and / or another network node 113.

[0328] 15. A method implemented in a communications system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: providing user data at a host computer; Initiating, in a host computer, a transmission conveying user data to a UE via a cellular network comprising a base station, the base station performing one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the first network node 111 and / or the further network node 113; A method comprising:

[0329] 16. Transmitting user data at a base station 16. The method of embodiment 15, further comprising:

[0330] 17. A method according to claim 1, wherein user data is provided in a host computer by executing a host application, the method comprising: Executing, in the UE, a client application associated with the host application 17. The method of embodiment 16, further comprising:

[0331] 21. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a wireless device 130.

[0332] 25. A communication system including a host computer, the host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; a communications interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE); Equipped with A communications system in which a UE comprises a radio interface and a processing circuit, the processing circuitry of the UE configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a wireless device 130.

[0333] 26. The communication system of embodiment 25, further comprising a UE.

[0334] 27. The communication system of embodiment 26, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

[0335] 28. processing circuitry of the host computer configured to execute a host application thereby providing user data; a processing circuit in the UE configured to execute a client application associated with the host application; 28. A communication system as described in embodiment 26 or 27.

[0336] 31. A method implemented in a user equipment (UE) that includes one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

[0337] 35. A method implemented in a communications system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: providing user data at a host computer; Initiating, at the host computer, a transmission conveying user data to the UE over a cellular network comprising a base station, the UE performing one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130; A method comprising:

[0338] 36. Receiving user data from a base station at a UE 36. The method of embodiment 35, further comprising:

[0339] 41. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a wireless device 130.

[0340] 45. A communication system including a host computer, the host computer comprising: A communications interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station Equipped with A communications system in which a UE comprises a radio interface and a processing circuit, the processing circuitry of the UE configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a wireless device 130.

[0341] 46. ​​The communication system of embodiment 45, further comprising a UE.

[0342] 47. The communication system of embodiment 46, further comprising a base station, the base station having a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward user data carried by transmissions from the UE to the base station to a host computer.

[0343] 48. processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; a processing circuit in the UE configured to execute a client application associated with the host application and thereby provide user data; 48. A communication system as described in embodiment 46 or 47.

[0344] 49. processing circuitry of the host computer configured to execute the host application and thereby provide the requested data; processing circuitry of the UE configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing user data in response to the request data; 48. A communication system as described in embodiment 46 or 47.

[0345] 51. A method implemented in a user equipment (UE) that includes one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

[0346] 52. Providing user data; forwarding user data to a host computer via transmission to a base station; 52. The method of embodiment 51, further comprising:

[0347] 55. A method implemented in a communications system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving, at the host computer, user data transmitted from the UE to the base station, the UE performing one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130; A method comprising:

[0348] 56. Providing user data to a base station in a UE 56. The method of embodiment 55, further comprising:

[0349] 57. executing, at the UE, a client application thereby providing user data to be transmitted; executing, at the host computer, a host application associated with the client application; 57. The method of embodiment 56, further comprising:

[0350] 58. executing, in the UE, a client application; receiving, at the UE, input data for a client application, the input data being provided at a host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application; Further comprising: 57. The method of embodiment 56, wherein the user data to be transmitted is provided by a client application in response to the input data.

[0351] 61. A base station configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE), the base station comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a first network node 111 and / or another network node 113.

[0352] 65. A communications system including a host computer, the host computer comprising a communications interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, the base station comprising a wireless interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the base station configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a first network node 111 and / or another network node 113.

[0353] 66. The communication system of embodiment 65, further comprising a base station.

[0354] 67. The communication system of embodiment 66, further comprising a UE, the UE being configured to communicate with the base station.

[0355] 68. processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing user data to be received by the host computer; A communication system as described in embodiment 67.

[0356] 71. A method implemented in a base station, comprising one or more of the actions described herein as performed by a first network node 111 and / or another network node 113.

[0357] 75. A method implemented in a communications system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving, at the host computer, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission received by the base station from the UE, the UE performing one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130; A method comprising:

[0358] 76. Receiving user data from a UE at a base station 76. The method of embodiment 75, further comprising:

[0359] 77. Initiating transmission of received user data at the base station to a host computer. 77. The method of embodiment 76, further comprising:

Claims

1. 1. A method implemented by a wireless device (130) for handling a carrier for monitoring paging, the method being configured to operate in a wireless communication network (100), the method comprising: - obtaining (202) first information indicating how to determine the carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of the coverage conditions and the cell to camp on; determining (204) said carrier for monitoring paging based on said obtained first information; The acquired first information includes: - on condition that the wireless device (130) enters an idle mode, the wireless device (130) should use a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the obtained first information until the wireless device (130) next enters a connected state; determining the carrier to be used based on second information, provided that the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123) and provided that second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is broadcast in the other cell (123); determining the carrier to be used based on the fallback configuration indicated in the first information, under a condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration; determining the carrier to be used based on a third carrier, including a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), on the condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), and c) the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration; a) determining the carrier to be used based on the first information, provided that the wireless device (130) receives the first information in a first cell (121), camps on one or more other cells (122) without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell (121); Indicating at least one of the following:

2. The acquired first information is - if the measure of coverage condition indicates poor coverage with respect to a first threshold, the wireless device (130) should select a fourth carrier; that the wireless device (130) should select a fifth carrier, provided that the measure of coverage condition indicates good coverage relative to a second threshold; The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating at least one of:

3. - said first information is received in dedicated signaling or in broadcast information in said first cell (121); and said second information is received in broadcast information in said other cell (123); The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method is at least one of the following:

4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information indicates use of one of an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, and a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first information is received from a first network node (111) operating in the wireless communication network (100).

6. The method comprises: sending (201) a first indication to the first network node (111), the first indication indicating an ability of the wireless device (130) to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of the coverage conditions and the cell to camp on; 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: wherein the obtained first information is based on the sent first instruction.

7. The wireless device (130) is receiving the first information in a first cell (121), and the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), the method comprising: obtaining (203) second information in said another cell (123) indicating how to select said carrier to be used for paging in said another cell (123); The method of claim 1 , further comprising: wherein the carrier is further determined based on the obtained second information.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coverage condition is determined based on a measure of radio coverage estimated by the wireless device (130).

9. - tuning (205) to said determined carrier for monitoring paging. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

10. A method implemented by a first network node (111) for handling a carrier for monitoring paging, the first network node (111) operating in a wireless communication network (100), the method comprising: sending (302) first information to a wireless device (130) operating in said wireless communication network (100) instructing how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage due to a change for said wireless device (130) in at least one of coverage conditions and a cell to camp on; The first information sent includes: - on condition that the wireless device (130) enters an idle mode, the wireless device (130) should use a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and continue to apply the obtained first information until the wireless device (130) next enters a connected state; determining the carrier to be used based on second information, provided that the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123) and provided that second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is broadcast in the other cell (123); determining the carrier to be used based on a fallback configuration indicated in the first information, under a condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration; determining the carrier to be used based on a third carrier, if the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration and a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), and b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123); a) determining the carrier to be used based on the first information, provided that the wireless device (130) receives the first information in a first cell (121), camps on one or more other cells (122) without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell (121); Indicating at least one of the following:

11. The first information sent is: - if the measure of coverage condition indicates poor coverage with respect to a first threshold, the wireless device (130) should select a fourth carrier; that the wireless device (130) should select a fifth carrier, provided that the measure of coverage condition indicates good coverage relative to a second threshold; The method of claim 10 , further comprising indicating at least one of:

12. said first information is sent in dedicated signaling or in broadcast information in said first cell (121); and said second information being broadcast information in said other cell (123); The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the at least one of

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first information is sent in an information element.

14. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first information indicates use of one of an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, and a first carrier allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling.

15. The method of any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the first information is sent to the wireless device (130).

16. receiving (301) at least one of a) a first indication from said wireless device (130) and b) a second indication from a second network node (112) operating in said wireless communication network (100), wherein said first indication or said second indication indicates an ability of said wireless device (130) to support a change in paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of said coverage conditions and said cell to camp on; 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising: wherein the sent first information is based on the received first indication.

17. A wireless device (130), the wireless device (130) for handling a carrier for monitoring paging, the wireless device (130) configured to operate in a wireless communication network (100), the wireless device (130) comprising: obtaining first information configured to indicate how to determine a carrier configured to be used to monitor paging based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on; determining the carrier for monitoring paging based on the first information configured to be acquired; and the first information configured to be obtained is further configured to: - on condition that the wireless device (130) enters an idle mode, the wireless device (130) should continue to use the first carrier configured to be allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and to apply the first information configured to be acquired until the wireless device (130) next enters a connected state; determining the carrier to be used based on second information, provided that the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123) and provided that second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is broadcast in the other cell (123); determining the carrier to be used based on the fallback configuration set as indicated in the first information, under the condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration; determining the carrier to be used based on a third carrier, including a carrier configured to be derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), under the condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), and c) the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration; a) determining the carrier to be used based on the first information, provided that the wireless device (130) receives the first information in a first cell (121), camps on one or more other cells (122) without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell (121); a wireless device (130) configured to indicate at least one of:

18. The wireless device (130) of claim 17, further configured to perform the method of any one of claims 2 to 9.

19. A first network node (111) for handling a carrier for monitoring paging, said first network node (111) being configured to operate in a wireless communication network (100), said first network node (111) comprising: sending first information to a wireless device (130) configured to operate in said wireless communication network (100) how to determine a carrier to be used for monitoring paging based on a change in coverage due to a change for said wireless device (130) of at least one of a coverage condition and a cell to camp on; and the first information configured to be sent is further configured to: - on condition that the wireless device (130) enters an idle mode, the wireless device (130) should continue to use the first carrier configured to be allocated as a dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signaling and to apply the first information configured to be acquired until the wireless device (130) next enters a connected state; determining the carrier to be used based on second information, provided that the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123) and provided that second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is broadcast in the other cell (123); determining the carrier to be used based on a fallback configuration indicated in the first information, under a condition that a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123), and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration; determining the carrier to be used based on a third carrier, if the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration and a) the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), and b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the other cell (123); a) determining the carrier to be used based on the first information, provided that the wireless device (130) receives the first information in a first cell (121), camps on one or more other cells (122) without being in a connected mode, and then reselects the first cell (121); a first network node (111) configured to indicate at least one of:

20. The first network node (111) according to claim 19, further configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 11 to 16.

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