A method for transmitting and receiving uplink channels and downlink channels, and an apparatus therefor.

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for a terminal to transmit an uplink (UL) signal or receive a downlink (DL) signal in a wireless communication system, in particular, the method includes receiving information about at least one first time interval that is unavailable, and transmitting the UL signal or receiving the DL signal by at least one second time interval that is not the at least one first time interval, in which the UL signal is not transmitted and the DL signal is not received during the at least one first time interval, and the information about the at least one first time interval is received by a downlink control information (DCI) or a medium access control-control element (MAC-CE).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving an uplink channel and a downlink channel, and more particularly, for NES (Network Energy Saving), notifying a terminal of ON / OFF for each of one or more time intervals, and transmitting and receiving a DL (Downlink) / UL (Uplink) channel based on the ON / OFF for each of the one or more time intervals, and an apparatus therefor.

Background Art

[0002] With the trend of the times, more communication devices will require larger communication traffic, and a next-generation 5G system, which is improved wireless broadband communication compared to the conventional LTE system, is required. In the next-generation 5G system called NewRAT, communication scenarios are classified into Enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB) / Ultra-Reliability and Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) / Massive Machine-type Communications (mMTC), etc.

[0003] Here, eMBB is a next-generation mobile communication scenario having characteristics such as High Spectrum Efficiency, High User Experienced Data Rate, High Peak Data Rate, etc., URLLC is a next-generation mobile communication scenario having characteristics such as Ultra Reliable, Ultra Low Latency, Ultra High Availability, etc. (e.g., V2X, Emergency Service, Remote Control), and mMTC is a next-generation mobile communication scenario having characteristics of Low Cost, Low Energy, Short Packet, Massive Connectivity (e.g., IoT).

Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving uplink channels and downlink channels.

[0005] The technical problems that this disclosure seeks to solve are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understandable to a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A wireless communication system according to the present disclosure, a method by which a terminal transmits an Uplink (UL) signal or receives a Downlink (DL) signal, comprising receiving information relating to at least one first time interval that is unavailable, and transmitting the UL signal or receiving the DL signal in at least one second time interval that is not the at least one first time interval, wherein the transmission of the UL signal and the reception of the DL signal do not occur in the at least one first time interval, and the information relating to the at least one first time interval is received by a Downlink Control Information (DCI) or a Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE).

[0007] In this case, the at least one first time interval is one of a plurality of first time intervals that are unavailable, which is known by the information.

[0008] Furthermore, the at least one first time interval is at least one symbol that is indicated by the SFI (Slot Format Indicator) as not being available.

[0009] Furthermore, the at least one second time interval is at least one symbol after the timer corresponding to the at least one first time interval has expired.

[0010] Furthermore, based on whether the DL signal is an SSB (Synchronization Signal Block) or a CSI-RS (Channel State Information-Reference Signal), or whether the UL signal is a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), the DL signal is received and the UL signal is transmitted during at least one first time interval.

[0011] Furthermore, based on monitoring the PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) in at least one first time interval, the period of the SS (Search Space) set for at least one first time interval is longer than the period of the SS set for at least one second time interval.

[0012] Furthermore, the information relating to the at least one first time interval is intended to indicate a pattern consisting of the at least one first time interval and the at least one second time interval, and the DCI or MAC-CE also receives information relating to the duration to which the pattern applies.

[0013] Furthermore, UL transmission or DL ​​reception will be performed in the time resources after the end of the aforementioned section.

[0014] Furthermore, after the end of the aforementioned interval, UL transmission or DL ​​reception is performed based on other patterns different from the aforementioned pattern and intervals corresponding to the aforementioned other patterns. In the wireless communication system according to the present disclosure, a terminal for transmitting an UL (Uplink) signal or receiving a DL (Downlink) signal includes at least one transceiver, at least one processor, and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions for causing the at least one processor to perform an operation, wherein the operation includes the at least one transceiver receiving information about at least one time interval that is unavailable, and the at least one transceiver transmitting the UL signal or receiving the DL signal by a time interval that is not the at least one time interval, in which the UL signal is not transmitted and the DL signal is not received, and the information about the at least one time interval is received by DCI (Downlink Control Information) or MAC-CE (Medium Access Control-Control Element).

[0015] In this case, at least one of the aforementioned intervals is one of several unavailable time intervals that is known by the aforementioned information.

[0016] Furthermore, the at least one time interval is at least one symbol that is indicated by the SFI (Slot Format Indicator) as not being available.

[0017] Furthermore, any time interval other than the aforementioned at least one time interval is at least one symbol after the timer corresponding to the aforementioned at least one time interval has expired.

[0018] Furthermore, based on whether the DL signal is an SSB (Synchronization Signal Block) or a CSI-RS (Channel State Information-Reference Signal), or whether the UL signal is a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), the DL signal is received and the UL signal is transmitted during at least one time interval.

[0019] Furthermore, based on monitoring the PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) in at least one time interval, the period of the SS (Search Space) set for at least one time interval is longer than the period of the SS set for time intervals other than the at least one time interval.

[0020] Furthermore, the information relating to the at least one first time interval is intended to indicate a pattern consisting of the at least one first time interval and the at least one second time interval, and the DCI or MAC-CE receives together information relating to the duration to which the pattern applies.

[0021] Furthermore, UL transmission or DL ​​reception will be performed in the time resources after the end of the aforementioned section.

[0022] Furthermore, after the end of the aforementioned section, UL transmission or DL ​​reception will be performed based on other patterns different from the aforementioned pattern and the sections corresponding to those other patterns.

[0023] In a wireless communication system according to the present disclosure, a method for a base station to receive an UL (Uplink) signal or transmit a DL (Downlink) signal, comprising transmitting information regarding at least one time interval that is not available, and receiving the UL signal or transmitting the DL signal by a time interval other than the at least one time interval, wherein in the at least one time interval, reception of the UL signal and transmission of the DL signal are not performed, and the information regarding the at least one time interval is transmitted by DCI (Downlink Control Information) or MAC-CE (Medium Access Control-Control Element).

[0024] <{ In a wireless communication system according to the present disclosure, a base station for receiving an UL (Uplink) signal or transmitting a DL (Downlink) signal, comprising at least one transceiver, at least one processor, and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising transmitting, by the at least one transceiver, information regarding at least one time interval that is not available, and receiving the UL signal or transmitting the DL signal by a time interval other than the at least one time interval, wherein in the at least one time interval, reception of the UL signal and transmission of the DL signal are not performed, and the information regarding the at least one time interval is transmitted by DCI (Downlink Control Information) or MAC-CE (Medium Access Control-Control Element).

[0025] A computer-readable storage medium including at least one computer program for causing at least one processor according to the present disclosure to perform operations, the operations including receiving information regarding at least one time interval that is not available, and transmitting the UL signal or receiving the DL signal during a time interval that is not the at least one time interval, wherein during the at least one time interval, transmission of the UL signal and reception of the DL signal are not performed, and the information regarding the at least one time interval is received by DCI (Downlink Control Information) or MAC-CE (Medium Access Control-Control Element).

[0026] An apparatus for transmitting a UL (Uplink) signal or receiving a DL (Downlink) signal in a wireless communication system according to the present disclosure, including at least one processor and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations including receiving information regarding at least one time interval that is not available, and transmitting the UL signal or receiving the DL signal during a time interval that is not the at least one time interval, wherein during the at least one time interval, transmission of the UL signal and reception of the DL signal are not performed, and the information regarding the at least one time interval is received by DCI (Downlink Control Information) or MAC-CE (Medium Access Control-Control Element).

Advantages of the Invention

[0027] According to the present disclosure, for the NES operation of a base station, a method is proposed in which DL / UL channels are transmitted and received dynamically according to the ON / OFF of each of one or more time intervals instead of semi-statically, thereby reducing the power consumption of the base station and the terminal.

[0028] Furthermore, by defining a different penalty for when the terminal fails to receive a response to PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) / SR (Scheduling Request) depending on the OFF time interval, it is possible to perform transmission and reception optimized for NES mode.

[0029] Furthermore, by proposing a method for terminals that do not support NES operation to connect to base stations in NES mode, legacy terminals can also operate efficiently in NES mode.

[0030] The effects obtained by this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understandable to a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0031] [Figure 1] This diagram illustrates physical channels used in a 3GPP® system, which is an example of a wireless communication system, and a general signal transmission method using these channels. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating the structure of a wireless frame. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates a resource grid for slots. [Figure 4] This is a diagram to explain DCI format 2_0. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates network energy saving. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the overall operation process of the terminal and base station according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the overall operation process of the terminal and base station according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the overall operation process of the terminal and base station according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This figure illustrates an example of an ON / OFF pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] This is a diagram illustrating a communication system to which this disclosure applies. [Figure 11] This figure illustrates wireless devices applicable to this disclosure. [Figure 12] This figure illustrates a vehicle or autonomous vehicle to which this disclosure applies. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] The following technologies can be used in various wireless connectivity systems such as CDMA (code division multiple access), FDMA (frequency division multiple access), TDMA (time division multiple access), OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access), and SC-FDMA (single carrier frequency division multiple access). CDMA can be implemented using radio technologies such as UTRA (Universal Terrestrial Radio Access) and CDMA2000. TDMA can be implemented using radio technologies such as GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) / GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) / EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution). OFDMA can be implemented using radio technologies such as IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802-20, and E-UTRA (Evolved UTRA). UTRA is part of UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) LTE (long term evolution) is part of E-UMTS (Evolved UMTS) which uses E-UTRA, and LTE-A is an evolved version of 3GPP LTE. 3GPP NR (New Radio or New Radio Access Technology) is an evolved version of 3GPP LTE / LTE-A.

[0033] For clarity, the explanation will primarily focus on 3GPP communication systems (e.g., NR), but the technical concepts of this disclosure are not limited to these. For background information, terminology, and abbreviations used in this disclosure, please refer to the standards documents published prior to this disclosure (e.g., 38.211, 38.212, 38.213, 38.214, 38.300, 38.331, etc.).

[0034] Here, we will explain 5G communication, including the NR system.

[0035] The three main requirements areas for 5G include (1) Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), (2) Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), and (3) Ultra-reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC).

[0036] In some use cases, optimization may require addressing numerous domains, while in others, the focus may be on only a single key performance indicator (KPI). 5G supports these diverse use cases in a flexible and reliable manner.

[0037] eMBB goes far beyond basic mobile internet access, covering rich two-way communication, cloud, or augmented reality media and entertainment applications. Data is one of the core drivers of 5G, and for the first time in the 5G era, we may not see dedicated voice services. In 5G, voice is expected to be processed as an application program using the data connectivity provided by the communication system. The main causes of the increased traffic volume are the increasing size of content and the increasing number of applications that demand high data transmission rates. Streaming services (audio and video), conversational video, and mobile internet connectivity will become more widespread as more devices connect to the internet. Many of these applications require always-on connectivity to push real-time information and notifications to users. Cloud storage and applications are rapidly increasing on mobile communication platforms, and this is applicable to both business and entertainment. Cloud storage is also a particular use case driving the growth of uplink data transmission rates. 5G will also be used for cloud-based remote work, requiring even lower end-to-end latency to maintain a superior user experience when haptic interfaces are used. Entertainment, such as cloud gaming and video streaming, is another core element increasing the demand for mobile highband capacity. Entertainment is essential on smartphones and tablets everywhere, including in highly mobile environments such as trains, cars, and airplanes. Another use case is augmented reality and information retrieval for entertainment, where augmented reality requires very low latency and instantaneous data volumes.

[0038] Furthermore, one of the most anticipated use cases for 5G is its ability to seamlessly connect embedded sensors across all sectors, namely mMTC (Mechanical Microcontrollers). The potential number of IoT devices is projected to reach 20.4 billion by 2020. Industrial IoT is one area where 5G will play a key role in enabling smart cities, asset tracking, smart utilities, agriculture, and security infrastructure.

[0039] URLLCs include new services that will transform industries through ultra-reliable / available low-latency links for remote control of critical infrastructure and self-driving vehicles. Reliability and latency levels are essential for smart grid control, industrial automation, robotics, and drone control and coordination.

[0040] Next, we will provide a more detailed explanation of numerous use cases in 5G communication systems, including NR systems.

[0041] 5G is a means of delivering streams rated at hundreds of megabits per second to gigabits per second, and can complement FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) and cable-based broadband (or DOCSIS). Such high speeds are required not only for virtual and augmented reality but also for transmitting TV at resolutions of 4K and above (6K, 8K and beyond). VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) applications mostly include immersive sports competitions. Certain application programs may require special network configurations. For example, in the case of VR games, game companies must integrate their core servers with the network operator's edge network servers to minimize latency.

[0042] Automotive is expected to be a key new driving force in 5G, along with numerous use cases for mobile communications within vehicles. For example, passenger entertainment requires high simultaneous capacity and high mobile broadband bandwidth because future users will expect high-quality connectivity regardless of their location and speed. Another use case in the automotive sector is augmented reality dashboards, which overlay information on what the driver sees through the windshield, identifying objects in the dark and telling the driver about their distance and movement. In the future, wireless modules will enable communication between vehicles, information exchange between vehicles and supporting infrastructure structures, and information exchange between vehicles and other connected devices (e.g., devices accompanied by pedestrians). Safety systems will guide drivers to alternative routes of action to enable safer driving and reduce the risk of accidents. The next stage will be remotely controlled or self-driven vehicles, which will require extremely reliable and very fast communication between different self-driven vehicles and between vehicles and infrastructure. In the future, self-driving vehicles will perform all driving activities, allowing drivers to concentrate only on traffic anomalies that the vehicle itself cannot identify. The technical requirements for self-driving vehicles demand ultra-low latency and ultra-high-speed reliability so that traffic safety increases to a level unattainable by humans.

[0043] Smart cities and smart homes, often referred to as smart societies, are embedded in high-density wireless sensor networks. A distributed network of intelligent sensors identifies the cost and energy-efficient maintenance requirements for a city or home. Similar setups can be made for individual homes. Temperature sensors, window and heating controllers, burglar alarms, and household appliances are all connected wirelessly. Many of these sensors typically have low data transmission speeds, low power consumption, and low cost. However, real-time HD video, for example, may be required for certain types of devices for surveillance purposes.

[0044] The consumption and distribution of energy, including heat or gas, is highly decentralized, requiring automated control of a distributed sensor network. Smart grids interconnect such sensors, using digital information and communication technologies to collect information and act accordingly. Because this information can include the behavior of suppliers and consumers, smart grids can improve the efficiency, reliability, economy, production sustainability, and automated distribution of fuels like electricity. Smart grids can also be viewed as other low-latency sensor networks.

[0045] The healthcare sector possesses numerous application programs that can benefit from mobile communications. Communication systems can support telemedicine, providing clinical care in remote locations. This helps reduce the barrier of distance and improves access to medical services that are not sustainably available in remote rural areas. It can also be used to save lives in critical medical and emergency situations. Mobile communication-based wireless sensor networks can provide remote monitoring and sensing for parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure.

[0046] Wireless and mobile communications are becoming increasingly important in industrial applications. Wiring is expensive to install and maintain. Therefore, the possibility of replacing cables with reconfigurable wireless links presents an attractive opportunity in many industrial sectors. However, achieving this requires wireless connections to operate with similar latency, reliability, and capacity to cables, and to simplify their management. Low latency and extremely low error rates are new requirements that must be met by 5G.

[0047] Logistics and freight tracking are important use cases for mobile communications, using location-based information systems to enable inventory and package tracking anywhere. Logistics and freight tracking use cases typically require low data speeds but demand wide-area and reliable location information.

[0048] Figure 1 illustrates the physical channels and common signal transmission methods used in 3GPP systems.

[0049] A terminal that is powered on from an OFF state or that has newly entered a cell performs initial cell search operations, such as establishing synchronization with the base station (S11). For this purpose, the terminal receives an SSB (Synchronization Signal Block) from the base station. The SSB includes a PSS (Primary Synchronization Signal), an SSS (Secondary Synchronization Signal), and a PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel). Based on the PSS / SSS, the terminal establishes synchronization with the base station and obtains information such as the cell ID (cell identity). The terminal also receives the PBCH from the base station to obtain broadcast information within the cell. In addition, during the initial cell search stage, the terminal can receive a DL RS (Downlink Reference Signal) to check the status of the downlink channel.

[0050] Once the initial cell search is complete, the terminal receives the PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) and its corresponding PDSCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) to obtain more specific system information (S12).

[0051] Subsequently, the terminal performs a random access procedure (S13-S16) to complete the connection to the base station. More specifically, the terminal transmits a preamble via PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) (S13) and receives a Random Access Response (RAR) for the preamble via PDCCH and its corresponding PDSCH (S14). After that, the terminal transmits a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) using the scheduling information in the RAR (S15) and performs a contention resolution procedure such as PDCCH and its corresponding PDSCH (S16).

[0052] If the arbitrary connection process consists of two stages, S13 / S15 occurs in one of the stages (where the terminal transmits) (Message A), and S14 / S16 occurs in the other stage (where the base station transmits) (Message B).

[0053] A terminal that has performed these procedures then receives PDCCH / PDSCH (S17) and transmits PUSCH / PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) (S18), which are standard procedures for transmitting uplink / downlink signals. The control information that the terminal transmits to the base station is called UCI (Uplink Control Information). UCI includes HARQ ACK / NACK (Hybrid Automatic Repeat and reQuest Acknowledgement / Negative-ACK), SR (Scheduling Request), CSI (Channel State Information), etc. CSI includes CQI (Channel Quality Indicator), PMI (Precoding Matrix Indicator), RI (Rank Indication), etc. UCI is generally transmitted via PUCCH, but if control information and data need to be transmitted simultaneously, it is transmitted via PUSCH. In addition, the terminal can transmit UCI aperiodically via PUSCH at the request / instruction of the network.

[0054] Figure 2 illustrates the structure of a wireless frame.

[0055] In NR, uplink and downlink transmissions consist of frames. A radio frame has a length of 10ms and is defined by two 5ms half-frames (HF). A half-frame is defined by five 1ms subframes (SF). A subframe is divided into one or more slots, and the number of slots within a subframe depends on SCS (Subcarrier Spacing). Each slot contains 12 or 14 OFDM(A) symbols by a cyclic prefix (CP). When a general CP is used, each slot contains 14 symbols. When an extended CP is used, each slot contains 12 symbols. Here, the symbols include OFDM symbols (or CP-OFDM symbols) and SC-FDMA symbols (or DFT-s-OFDM symbols).

[0056] Table 1 illustrates how the number of symbols per slot, the number of slots per frame, and the number of slots per subframe change depending on the SCS when a standard CP is used.

[0057] [Table 1]

[0058] *N slot symb : Number of symbols in the slot

[0059] *N frame,u slot : Number of slots in the frame

[0060] *N subframe,u slot : Number of slots within the subframe

[0061] Table 2 illustrates how the number of symbols per slot, the number of slots per frame, and the number of slots per subframe change depending on the SCS when extended CP is used.

[0062] [Table 2]

[0063] The frame structure is merely illustrative, and the number of subframes, slots, and symbols within a frame can be varied. In the NR system, OFDM pneumatics (numerology, e.g., SCS, CP length, etc.) are set to differ between multiple cells merged into a single terminal. This allows the (absolute time) intervals of time resources (e.g., SF, slots, or TTI) (collectively referred to as TU (Time Unit) for convenience), which consist of the same number of symbols, to differ between the merged cells.

[0064] NR supports numerous pneumatics (or subcarrier spacing (SCS)) to support various 5G services. For example, an SCS of 15kHz supports wide area in traditional cellular bands, while an SCS of 30kHz / 60kHz supports dense-urban areas, lower latency, and wider carrier bandwidth. An SCS of 60kHz or higher supports bandwidths greater than 24.25GHz to overcome phase noise.

[0065] The NR frequency band is defined by two types of frequency ranges (FR1 and FR2). FR1 and FR2 are configured as shown in Table 3 below. FR2 also refers to millimeter wave (mmW).

[0066] [Table 3]

[0067] Figure 3 illustrates a resource grid for slots. A single slot contains multiple symbols in the time domain. For example, in the case of a general CP, a single slot contains 14 symbols, while in the case of an extended CP, a single slot contains 12 symbols. A carrier wave contains multiple subcarriers in the frequency domain. An RB (Resource Block) is defined by multiple (e.g., 12) consecutive subcarriers in the frequency domain. A BWP (Bandwidth Part) is defined by multiple consecutive (P)RBs in the frequency domain and can correspond to one numerology (e.g., SCS, CP length, etc.). A carrier wave contains up to N (e.g., 5) BWPs. Data communication is performed using activated BWPs, and only one BWP is activated per terminal. In the resource grid, each element is called a Resource Element (RE), and one modulation symbol can be mapped to it.

[0068] The following provides a more detailed explanation of each physical channel.

[0069] Downlink channel structure

[0070] The base station transmits the relevant signals to the terminal via the downlink channel, which will be described later, and the terminal receives the relevant signals from the base station via the downlink channel, which will be described later.

[0071] (1) Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)

[0072] PDSCH carries downlink data (e.g., DL-SCH transport block, DL-SCH TB), and modulation methods such as QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), 16QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), 64QAM, and 256QAM are applied. TB is encoded to generate a codeword. PDSCH carries up to two codewords. Scrambling and modulation mapping are performed for each codeword, and the modulation symbols generated from each codeword are mapped to one or more layers. Each layer, along with the DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal), is mapped to a resource to generate an OFDM symbol signal, which is then transmitted by the corresponding antenna port.

[0073] (2) Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)

[0074] The PDCCH carries DCI (Downlink Control Information). For example, the PCCCH (i.e., DCI) carries the transmission format and resource allocation for the DL-SCH (downlink shared channel), resource allocation information for the UL-SCH (uplink shared channel), paging information for the PCH (Paging Channel), system information on the DL-SCH, resource allocation information for higher-level control messages such as arbitrary connection responses transmitted on the PDSCH, transmit power control commands, and activation / deactivation of CS (Configured scheduling). The DCI includes a CRC (cyclic redundancy check), which is masked / scrambled with various identifiers (e.g., Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RNTI) depending on the owner or use of the PDCCH. For example, if the PDCCH is for a specific terminal, the CRC is masked with a terminal identifier (e.g., cell-RNTI, C-RNTI). If the PDCCH is related to paging, the CRC is masked with P-RNTI (Paging-RNTI). If the PDCCH relates to system information (e.g., System Information Block, SIB), the CRC is masked with SI-RNTI (System Information RNTI). If the PDCCH relates to an arbitrary connection response, the CRC is masked with RA-RNTI (Random Access-RNTI).

[0075] The modulation scheme of a PDCCH is fixed (e.g., Quadrature Phase Shift Keying, QPSK), and one PDCCH consists of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 Control Channel Elements (CCEs) depending on the Aggregation Level (AL). One CCE consists of 6 Resource Element Groups (REGs). One REG is defined by one OFDM symbol and one (P)RB.

[0076] PDCCH is transmitted in a CORESET (Control Resource Set). A CORESET corresponds to a set of physical resources / parameters used to carry PDCCH / DCI within a BWP. For example, a CORESET includes a set of REGs with a given pneumatics (e.g., SCS, CP length, etc.). CORESETs are configured by system information (e.g., MIB) or terminal-specific (UE-specific) higher-level (e.g., RRC) signaling. Examples of parameters / information used to configure a CORESET are as follows. One or more CORESETs may be configured on a single terminal, and multiple CORESETs may be superimposed in the time / frequency domain.

[0077] - controlResourceSetId: Indicates the identifier (ID) of CORESET.

[0078] - frequencyDomainResources: Indicates the frequency domain resources of CORESET. Indicated by a bitmap, each bit corresponds to an RB group (= 6 consecutive RBs). For example, the MSB (Most Significant Bit) of the bitmap corresponds to the first RB group in the BWP. The RB group corresponding to a bit with a value of 1 is allocated to the frequency domain resources of CORESET.

[0079] - duration: Indicates the time-domain resource of the CORESET. It indicates the number of consecutive OFDMA symbols that make up the CORESET. For example, duration can have values ​​from 1 to 3.

[0080] - cce-REG-MappingType: Indicates the CCE-to-REG mapping type. Interleaved and non-interleaved types are supported.

[0081] - precoderGranularity: Indicates the precoder granularity in the frequency domain.

[0082] - tci-StateSPDCCH: Indicates information (e.g., TCI-StateID) that indicates the TCI (Transmission Configuration Indication) state for PDCCH. The TCI state is used to provide the QCL (Quasi-Co-Location) relationship between DL RS and PDCCH DMRS ports within the RS set (TCI-state).

[0083] - tci-PresentInDCI: Indicates whether the TCI field in DCI is included.

[0084] - pdcch-DMRS-ScramblingID: Indicates information used to initialize the PDCCH DMRS scrambling sequence.

[0085] For PDCCH reception, the terminal monitors a set of PDCCH candidates in a CORESET (e.g., blind decoding). PDCCH candidates indicate the CCEs that the terminal monitors for PDCCH reception / detection. PDCCH monitoring is performed in one or more CORESETs on the active DL BWP on each activated cell where PDCCH monitoring is configured. The set of PDCCH candidates that the terminal monitors is defined by a set of PDCCH search spaces (SS). The SS set is either a Common Search Space (CSS) set or a Terminal-Specific Search Space (UE-specific Search Space, USS) set.

[0086] Table 4 illustrates the PDCCH search space.

[0087] [Table 4]

[0088] SS sets are configured by system information (e.g., MIB) or higher-level (e.g., RRC) signaling of a terminal-specific (UE-specific) entity. Each DL BWP in a serving cell has up to S (e.g., 10) SS sets configured. For example, the following parameters / information are provided for each SS set. Each SS set is associated with one CORESET, and each CORESET configuration is associated with one or more SS sets. -searchSpaceId: Indicates the ID of the SS set.

[0089] - controlResourceSetId: Indicates the CORESET associated with the SS set.

[0090] - monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset: Indicates the PDCCH monitoring period interval (per slot) and the PDCCH monitoring period offset (per slot).

[0091] - monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot: Indicates the first OFDMA symbol for PDCCH monitoring within a slot where PDCCH monitoring is configured. It is indicated by a bitmap, where each bit corresponds to each OFDMA symbol in the slot. The MSB of the bitmap corresponds to the first OFDMA symbol in the slot. The OFDMA symbol corresponding to the bit with a bit value of 1 is the first CORESET symbol in the slot.

[0092] - nrofCandidates: Indicates the number of PDCCH candidates for each {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} (e.g., any of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8).

[0093] - searchSpaceType:SS Indicates whether the type is CSS or USS.

[0094] - DCI format: Shows the DCI format for the PDCCH candidate.

[0095] Based on the CORESET / SS set configuration, the terminal can monitor PDCCH candidates in one or more SS sets within the slot. An opportunity (e.g., time / frequency resources) to monitor a PDCCH candidate is defined as a PDCCH (monitoring) opportunity. One or more PDCCH (monitoring) opportunities are configured within the slot.

[0096] Table 5 illustrates the DCI format transmitted via PDCCH.

[0097] [Table 5]

[0098] DCI format 0_0 is used to schedule TB-based (or TB-level) PUSCHs, and DCI format 0_1 ​​is used to schedule TB-based (or TB-level) PUSCHs or CBG (Code Block Group)-based (or CBG-level) PUSCHs. DCI format 1_0 is used to schedule TB-based (or TB-level) PDSCHs, and DCI format 1_1 is used to schedule TB-based (or TB-level) PDSCHs or CBG-based (or CBG-level) PDSCHs. DCI formats 0_0 / 0_1 are called UL grant DCI or UL scheduling information, and DCI formats 1_0 / 1_1 are called DL grant DCI or UL scheduling information. DCI format 2_0 is used to transmit dynamic slot format information (e.g., dynamic SFI) to terminals, and DCI format 2_1 is used to transmit downlink pre-emption information to terminals. DCI format 2_0 and / or DCI format 2_1 are transmitted to terminals within a group via a Group Common PDCCH, which is a PDCCH transmitted to terminals defined in a group. DCI format 0_0 and DCI format 1_0 are called fallback DCI formats, while DCI format 0_1 ​​and DCI format 1_1 are called non-fallback DCI formats. Fallback DCI formats maintain the same DCI size / field configuration regardless of terminal settings. On the other hand, non-fallback DCI formats have different DCI size / field configurations depending on terminal settings.

[0099] Uplink channel structure

[0100] The terminal transmits the relevant signals to the base station via the uplink channel described later, and the base station receives the relevant signals from the terminal via the uplink channel described later.

[0101] (1) Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)

[0102] A PUCCH carries UCI (Uplink Control Information), HARQ-ACK, and / or a scheduling request (SR), and is classified into Short PUCCH and Long PUCCH depending on the PUCCH transmission length.

[0103] UCI includes the following:

[0104] - SR (Scheduling Request): This is information used to request UL-SCH resources.

[0105] - HARQ-ACK: A response to a downlink data packet (e.g., a codeword) on a PDSCH. It indicates whether the downlink data packet was successfully received. A 1-bit HARQ-ACK is sent in response to a single codeword, and a 2-bit HARQ-ACK is sent in response to two codewords. HARQ-ACK responses include positive ACK (simply ACK), negative ACK (hereinafter NACK), DTX, or NACK / DTX. Here, HARQ-ACK is used interchangeably with HARQ ACK / NACK and ACK / NACK.

[0106] - CSI (Channel State Information): This is feedback information regarding the downlink channel. MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) - Related feedback information includes RI (Rank Indicator) and PMI (Precoding Matrix Indicator).

[0107] Table 6 shows examples of PUCCH formats. PUCCH can be classified into Short PUCCH (formats 0, 2) and Long PUCCH (formats 1, 3, 4) depending on the PUCCH transmission length.

[0108] [Table 6]

[0109] PUCCH format 0 carries a UCI up to 2 bits in size and is mapped and transmitted based on a sequence. Specifically, a terminal transmits a specific UCI to the base station by sending one of several sequences via PUCCH, which is PUCCH format 0. A terminal transmits a PUCCH, which is PUCCH format 0, within the PUCCH resource for the corresponding SR setting only when transmitting a positive SR. PUCCH format 1 carries a UCI up to 2 bits in size, and the modulation symbol is spread in the time domain by an orthogonal cover code (OCC) (which is set differently depending on whether frequency hopping is present or not). DMRS is transmitted with a symbol that is not transmitted (i.e., transmitted via TDM (Time Division Multiplexing)).

[0110] PUCCH format 2 carries UCIs with bit sizes greater than 2 bits, and the modulated symbols are transmitted using DMRS and FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing). DM-RS symbols are located at symbol indices #1, #4, #7, and #10 within a 1 / 3 density resource block. PN (Pseudo Noise) sequences are used for DM_RS sequences. Frequency hopping can be activated for 2-symbol PUCCH format 2.

[0111] PUCCH format 3 does not perform terminal multiplexing within the same physical resource block and carries UCI with a bit size greater than 2 bits. In other words, PUCCH resources in PUCCH format 3 do not contain orthogonal cover codes. Modulation symbols are transmitted using DMRS and TDM (Time Division Multiplexing).

[0112] PUCCH format 4 supports multiplexing of up to four terminals within the same physical resource block and carries UCIs with bit sizes greater than 2 bits. That is, PUCCH resources in PUCCH format 3 include orthogonal cover codes. Modulation symbols are transmitted using DMRS and TDM (Time Division Multiplexing).

[0113] (2) Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH)

[0114] PUSCH carries uplink data (e.g., UL-SCH transport block, UL-SCH TB) and / or uplink control information (UCI) and is transmitted based on a CP-OFDM (Cyclic Prefix-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) waveform or a DFT-s-OFDM (Discrete Fourier Transform-spread-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) waveform. When PUSCH is transmitted based on a DFT-s-OFDM waveform, the terminal applies transform precoding before transmitting PUSCH. For example, if transform precoding is not possible (e.g., transform precoding is disabled), the terminal transmits PUSCH based on a CP-OFDM waveform; if transform precoding is possible (e.g., transform precoding is enabled), the terminal transmits PUSCH based on a CP-OFDM waveform or a DFT-s-OFDM waveform. PUSCH transmissions are dynamically scheduled via UL grants within DCI, or semi-statically scheduled based on higher-level (e.g., RRC) signaling (and / or Layer 1 (L1) signaling (e.g., PDCCH)). PUSCH transmissions are performed on a codebook-based or non-codebook-based basis.

[0115] On the downlink, the base station dynamically allocates resources for downlink transmission to terminals via PDCCH(s) (including DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1). The base station also communicates via PDCCH(s) (including DCI format 2_1) to a particular terminal that some of the pre-scheduled resources have been pre-empted for signaling to other terminals. The base station also sets the downlink assignment period using higher-level signaling based on a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) method and provides terminals with downlink assignments for initial HARQ transmissions by signaling the activation / deactivation of downlink assignments set via PDCCH. If retransmission is required for the initial HARQ transmission, the base station explicitly schedules retransmission resources via PDCCH. If downlink assignment by DCI and downlink assignment based on sequential-persistent scheduling conflict, the terminal takes precedence over the DCI downlink assignment.

[0116] Similar to downlinks, on uplinks, the base station dynamically allocates resources for uplink transmissions to terminals via PDCCH(s) (including DCI format 0_0 or DCI format 0_1). The base station also allocates uplink resources for initial HARQ transmissions to terminals based on a configured grant method (such as SPS). In dynamic scheduling, a PDCCH is associated with the transmission of a PUSCH, but in configured grants, a PDCCH is not associated with the transmission of a PUSCH. However, uplink resources for retransmissions are explicitly allocated via PDCCH(s). This operation, where uplink resources are pre-configured by the base station without dynamic granting (e.g., uplink granting via scheduling DCI), is called a 'configured grant'. Configured grants are defined by the following two types:

[0117] -Type 1: Uplink grants are provided at regular intervals by higher-level signaling (configured without other first-level signaling).

[0118] -Type 2: Uplink grants are provided by setting the period of the uplink grant through higher-level signaling, and signaling the activation / deactivation of the grant set via PDCCH.

[0119] Dynamic slot format instruction information (e.g., DCI format 2_0)

[0120] Essentially, the slot format indicates the intended use of each symbol within that slot, with each symbol indicating one of the following: downlink (D), uplink (U), or fluid (F). Information regarding the slot format is transmitted in one or more of the following signals:

[0121] - Static or semi-static SFI (Slot Format Indication) via higher-level signaling (e.g., TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon and / or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, etc.)

[0122] - Measurement-related scheduling signals (e.g., measurement-related signals set by terminal-specific RRC signaling)

[0123] - Dynamic SFI (e.g., signals transmitted in DCI format 2_0)

[0124] - Terminal-specific data transmission scheduling signal (e.g., terminal-specific DCI)

[0125] Static or semi-static SFIs are indicated by cell-specific RRC signaling (e.g., TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon) or terminal-specific RRC signaling (e.g., TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated). Measurement-related signals are indicated by terminal-specific RRC signaling, which indicates periodic / semi-persistent CSI-RS, periodic CSI reporting, periodic / semi-persistent SRS, etc. Terminal-specific data transmission-related signals include DCI, which triggers terminal-specific DCI, non-periodic CSI-RS, non-periodic SRS, etc., which triggers PDSCH, PUSCH, PUCCH together with A / N for PDSCH.

[0126] The slot format includes formats for 0, 1, or 2 switching points. Figure E1 illustrates various slot formats. Specifically, Figure 14(a) illustrates a slot format for zero switching points, Figure 14(b) illustrates a slot format for one switching point, and Figure 14(c) illustrates a slot format for two switching points.

[0127] A slot format for 0 switching points consists of 14 DL symbols, 14 flexible symbols, or 14 UL symbols. A slot format for 1 switching point is configured to start with 0 or more DL symbols and end with 0 or more UL symbols, with one or more flexible symbols and DL / UL symbols in between. A slot format for 2 switching points consists of a first set of 7 symbols, starting with 0 or more DL symbols and ending with 1 or more UL symbols as the 7th symbol, and a second set of 7 symbols, starting with 1 or more DL symbols and ending with 0 or more UL symbols. Each of the first and second sets of 7 symbols contains 0 or more flexible symbols.

[0128] Up to 256 such slot formats are defined, and these configurations are defined by standard documents such as TS 38.211. Based on the up to 256 slot formats, the terminal sets up a terminal-specific SFI table by higher-level signaling and receives specific index values ​​of the terminal-specific SFI table by DCI format 2_0 (or group-common PDCCH).

[0129] The terminal determines the slot format based on the following priority order for signals transmitting information about the slot format as described above. More specifically, if the terminal receives information about the slot format through multiple signals, the terminal considers the instruction information of the signals in the following priority order only for the purpose of confirming the use of the symbol indicated as a fluid symbol by the higher-priority signal.

[0130] "Cell - Slot format information via specific higher-level signaling (e.g., TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon) > Terminal - Slot format information via specific higher-level signaling (e.g., TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated) > Slot format information via group-common PDCCH (e.g., DCI format 2_0) > Terminal - Specific data transmission scheduling information > Measurement-related scheduling information"

[0131] Therefore, if a terminal is instructed by cell-specific RRC signaling or terminal-specific RRC signaling that a particular symbol in a slot is a downlink / uplink, the terminal does not expect DCI format 2_0 (or a group-specific PDCCH containing DCI format 2_0) to instruct that particular symbol to be an uplink / downlink or flexible. If DCI format 2_0 (or a group-specific PDCCH containing DCI format 2_0) is instructed that a particular symbol in a slot is a flexible symbol, the terminal will only send and receive signals for the particular symbol after receiving other scheduling information (e.g., terminal-specific scheduling DCI), and will not send or receive signals for the particular symbol unless other scheduling information is received.

[0132] Furthermore, DCI format 2_0 (or a group-specific PDCCH containing DCI format 2_0) includes information about the available RB sets, COT (Channel Occupancy Time) intervals, and search space set group switching. Specifically, DCI format 2_0 includes one or more of the following information: The CRC of DCI format 2_0 is scrambled with a terminal group common identifier (e.g., SFI-RNTI). The size of DCI format 2_0 can be configured up to 128 bits by a higher layer (e.g., RRC).

[0133] - Slot format indicator 1, slot format indicator 2, ..., slot format indicator N.

[0134] - If the available higher-level parameter RB-SetPerCell is configured,

[0135] - Available RB set indicator 1, Available RB set indicator 2, ..., Available RB set indicator N1,

[0136] - If the higher-level parameter CO-DurationPerCell is configured,

[0137] - COT interval indicator 1, COT interval indicator 2, ..., COT interval indicator N2.

[0138] - If the higher-level parameter searchSpaceSwitchTrigger is configured,

[0139] - Monitoring group flag 1, monitoring group flag 2, ..., monitoring group flag M.

[0140] Here, an RB set corresponds to a frequency resource in the shared spectrum where channel connection processes (CAPs) are performed individually, and consists of multiple consecutive (P)RBs. The available RB set indicator indicates the RB set index available for DL ​​reception within the cell. The COT interval indicator indicates the channel occupancy time shared between the base station and the terminal in the shared spectrum. The monitoring group flag indicates which search space group the terminal should monitor among multiple search space groups (e.g., group #0 / #1) set for the same cell. DCI format 2_0 is group-common control information, and the location of the information for each terminal (e.g., the starting point) is indicated by a higher-level (e.g., RRC) signal. For example, availableRB-SetPerCell is a terminal-specific signal that may contain information about the location (e.g., the starting point) of the Available RB set Indicator for that terminal within DCI format 2_0. Similarly, CO-DurationPerCell and searchSpaceSwitchTrigger are terminal-specific signals and can each contain information about the location (e.g., starting point) of information for that terminal within DCI format 2_0.

[0141] Energy conservation at base stations is a crucial consideration in wireless communication systems, including those of 3GPP, because it can contribute to building environmentally friendly networks by reducing carbon emissions and lowering the operational expenditures (OPEX) of telecommunications operators. In particular, the introduction of 5G communication requires high transmission rates, necessitating base stations to have more antennas and provide services with wider bandwidths and frequency bands. As a result, energy costs for base stations have reached 20% of the total OPEX, according to recent studies. Thus, due to this increased interest in energy conservation at base stations, a new study item, "Study on Network Energy Savings," was approved in 3GPP NR release 18.

[0142] Specifically, the item in question incorporates the following enhancement techniques to improve energy saving capabilities from the perspective of base station transmission and reception.

[0143] - How to more efficiently apply one or more NES technologies in the time, frequency, space, and power domains for more fine-grained granularity adaptation in dynamic and / or semi-static operation and transmission / reception, based on UE assistance information and potential support / feedback from the UE.

[0144] This disclosure proposes a method for saving energy in time-axis base stations.

[0145] This disclosure primarily considers a scenario in which a base station dynamically sets / instructs specific ON time intervals during which DL (Downlink) or UL (Uplink) signals / channels can be transmitted, and OFF time intervals during which DL or UL signal channels cannot be transmitted, thereby increasing the NES (network energy saving) gain. For example, by pre-setting multiple OFF intervals during specific time intervals (e.g., one or more slot / symbol / subframe intervals) during which the transmission of a specific DL signal is turned OFF, and dynamically instructing one of these multiple OFF intervals, the base station can inform the terminal that the DL signal will not be transmitted during the time interval corresponding to the predefined OFF interval, thereby reducing the energy consumption of both the base station and the terminal, and also providing an expected effect of mitigating interference.

[0146] For example, in this disclosure, a base station operating in NES mode for Energy Saving (ES) means that the base station pre-sets multiple OFF intervals during which it turns OFF the transmission of a specific DL signal for a given time interval, dynamically directs one of the multiple OFF intervals to select, and operates in a way that reduces power consumption for the base station and terminals by ensuring that the DL signal is not transmitted during the time interval corresponding to the predefined OFF interval. On the other hand, for example, an OFF interval means a Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) interval of the base station.

[0147] Alternatively, for example, a base station operating in NES mode means performing operations such as Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching and dynamic Resource Block (RB) adaptation not only in the time domain but also in the frequency domain. Furthermore, a base station operating in NES mode means an operating mode in which, for example, in the spatial domain, a specific transmit / receive antenna port of the base station is semi-statically or dynamically turned OFF, and the base station does not transmit and / or receive through that antenna port, thereby saving power consumption for the base station and terminals.

[0148] Figures 6 to 8 are diagrams illustrating the overall operation process of the terminal and base station according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0149] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the overall operation process of the terminal according to this disclosure.

[0150] Referring to Figure 6, the terminal receives information regarding the base station's NES operation (S601). For example, the information regarding the NES operation may be ON / OFF information for one or more time intervals, or information regarding whether the base station is operating in NES mode. Alternatively, it may be information regarding the period of DL / UL signals / channels in NES mode. For example, the terminal receives information regarding the NES operation based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0151] The terminal sends and receives DL / UL channels in one or more time intervals based on information regarding NES operation (S603). For example, the terminal sends and receives DL / UL channels based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0152] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the overall operation process of a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0153] Referring to Figure 7, the base station transmits information regarding the base station's NES operation (S701). For example, the information regarding the NES operation may be ON / OFF information for one or more time intervals, or information regarding whether the base station is operating in NES mode. Alternatively, it may be information regarding the period of DL / UL signals / channels in NES mode. For example, the base station transmits information regarding the NES operation based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0154] The base station transmits and receives DL / UL channels in one or more time intervals based on information regarding NES operation (S603). For example, the base station transmits and receives DL / UL channels based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0155] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the overall operation process of the network according to the embodiment of this disclosure.

[0156] Referring to Figure 8, the base station transmits information about the base station's NES operation to the terminal (S801). For example, the information about the NES operation may be ON / OFF information for one or more time intervals, or information about whether the base station is operating in NES mode. Alternatively, it may be information about the period of DL / UL signals / channels in NES mode. For example, the base station transmits information about the NES operation to the terminal based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0157] The base station and terminal transmit and receive DL / UL channels in one or more time intervals based on information regarding NES operation (S803). For example, the base station and terminal transmit and receive DL / UL channels based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0158] On the other hand, in [Method #1] through [Method #7] described later, a specific time interval means one or more slots / symbols / subframes.

[0159] [Method #1] A method by which a base station can instruct the OFF of DL / UL signals / channels during a specific time interval via Group-common DCI (Downlink Control Information) or MAC-CE (Medium Access Control-Control Element).

[0160] 1. Method #1-1

[0161] The base station pre-configures multiple OFF periods (durations) and designates one of these OFF periods via DCI or MAC-CE.

[0162] - In this case, if an infinite or inapplicable value is set for one of the pre-configured candidate OFF intervals, and (GC-)DCI or MAC CE indicates an infinite / non-numerical / inapplicable value, the OFF state will be maintained until another ON is indicated.

[0163] 2. Method #1-2

[0164] If a timer value is pre-set and OFF is instructed, DL / UL signal / channel transmission and reception will be turned OFF during that timer interval. When the timer expires, DL / UL signal / channel transmission and reception will be turned ON again.

[0165] 3. Method #1-3

[0166] In addition to the conventional SFI (slot format indicator) states D / U / F, one more state (e.g., N) is added. For symbol intervals indicated by the SFI with this state (e.g., N), the OFF interval behavior proposed in this method (e.g., behavior based on any one of Method #1 to Method #7) is applied.

[0167] 4. Method #1-4

[0168] Even in sections where the transmission and reception of DL / UL signals / channels are turned OFF by the instruction method proposed in this disclosure, certain DL / UL signals / channels are exceptionally permitted to be transmitted and received. For example, certain DL / UL signals / channels are SSB (Synchronization Signal Block) and / or CSI-RS (Channel State Information-Reference Signal) for tracking and / or PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel).

[0169] 5. Method #1-5

[0170] If PDCCH monitoring continues even during a period in which the transmission and reception of DL / UL signals / channels are turned OFF by the instruction method proposed in this disclosure (for example, an instruction method based on any one of Method #1 to Method #7), then either the SSSG (search space set group) linked to the ON period and the SSSG linked to the OFF period are set separately, or the periodicity of the SS set during the OFF period is set to be longer than the period of the SS set during the ON period.

[0171] However, as mentioned above, the pre-set OFF interval and / or timer candidate values ​​are common to all DL / UL signals / channels. Alternatively, the OFF interval and / or timer candidate values ​​may be set for each DL / UL signal / channel.

[0172] Furthermore, when an OFF interval and / or timer value for a specific DL / UL signal / channel is specified, the DL / UL signal / channel to be turned OFF may be pre-configured or defined, or the DL / UL signal / channel to be turned OFF may be directly specified by the base station.

[0173] Furthermore, the relationships between DL / UL signals / channels are pre-configured, and when a specific signal / channel is instructed to be turned OFF, the associated signals / channels are also turned OFF. The signals / channels to be turned OFF include PDCCH, and when PDCCH is turned OFF, the terminal does not perform PDCCH monitoring during the OFF period and / or timer period. If PDCCH is not included in the OFF signals / channels, the terminal performs PDCCH monitoring even during the OFF period and / or timer period, and receives instructions via PDCCH to extend the OFF period or instructions via PDCCH to switch to the ON period.

[0174] On the other hand, when an OFF period and / or timer-based OFF is indicated by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE, the start point and length of the OFF period and / or timer are set by predetermined parameters when candidate values ​​for the OFF period and / or timer are set, or by joint encoding with each of the OFF period (duration) and / or timer candidate values. Alternatively, the start point and length of the OFF period and / or timer are determined to predetermined values ​​(e.g., predetermined values ​​defined in the standard), or are set differently for each terminal, taking into account the terminal's processing time. Alternatively, the start point and length of the OFF period and / or timer are dynamically indicated along with the OFF instruction by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE.

[0175] Furthermore, if an OFF period and / or timer is instructed by (Group-Common) DCI or MAC-CE, inactivity-related timers set on the terminal (e.g., BWPinactiveTimer, SCellinactiveTimer, dataInactivityTimer, DRX (Discontinuous Reception) related timers) will be held during the OFF period and resumed when the OFF period ends, or stopped during the OFF period and restarted when the OFF period ends.

[0176] Previously, there were methods to achieve power saving by semi-statically turning off transmit / receive in specific subframes / slots. However, the aforementioned methods can cause significant delays in data transmission, and it is difficult to immediately change the transmission rate, which can lead to a serious degradation of terminal performance.

[0177] In particular, the methods described above are inefficient and difficult to use for delay-sensitive services such as URLLC (Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication). Therefore, a method is needed to dynamically set / instruct the ON / OFF intervals of DL / UL signals / channels at a granularity even smaller than subframe / slot, at the symbol level, thereby minimizing the decrease in the data transmission rate of terminals and reducing power consumption of base stations and terminals.

[0178] To this end, multiple ON / OFF intervals, configurable on a symbol-by-symbol basis for each UL / DL signal / channel, are pre-set by a higher-level signal such as RRC (Radio Resource Control), and the OFF state for a specific DL / UL signal during a specific time interval can be instructed by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE.

[0179] For example, the ON / OFF interval (duration) setting is configured as {ON duration, duration 1, duration 2, ..., infinite value}. For example, candidate values ​​for the ON / OFF interval for a PDSCH channel are set as {ON, 2 symbols, 4 symbols, ..., infinite}, and one of the candidate values ​​for the ON / OFF interval is specified. If that specification is set to apply from 4 symbols onwards, and MAC-CE specifies 14 symbols, then from the moment the terminal receives that specification, the PDSCH will be turned OFF from 4 symbols onwards to 14 symbols, the base station will not transmit PDSCH, and the terminal will not receive PDSCH, thereby saving power consumption.

[0180] Furthermore, if an infinite or inapplicable value is set as a candidate value for the pre-configured OFF interval, and (GC-)DCI or MAC CE indicates an infinite / non-numerical / inapplicable value, the terminal will maintain its DL / UL signal / channel in the OFF state until another ON instruction is received from the base station.

[0181] Another method involves pre-configuring multiple candidate timer values ​​and the DL / UL signals / channels to which those timers apply. In this case, the DL / UL signals / channels to which the timers apply may be set in common for multiple candidate timer values, or they may be set separately for each of the multiple candidate timer values.

[0182] (Group-Common) When DCI or MAC-CE indicates one of several candidate timer values, a specific DL / UL signal / channel can be deactivated and not transmitted or received during that timer value, allowing base stations and terminals to achieve energy savings. On the other hand, once that timer expires, the specific DL / UL signal channel is activated and transmitted or received again. For example, if a timer value of 3ms is set for a periodic CSI-RS, and it is set to turn ON after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 slot) after the timer expires, the periodic CSI-RS set within the time interval in which the timer is operating will be deactivated, and then, after the timer expires, the periodic CSI-RS will be turned ON and transmitted or received again after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 slot) from the expiration point. In this case, for example, even if the periodic CSI-RS after the ON phase is not actually transmitted or received during the OFF phase, the time when the periodic CSI-RS was originally transmitted during the OFF phase is taken into consideration, and the periodic CSI-RS after the ON phase is transmitted or received.

[0183] For example, periodic CSI-RS during the OFF period is considered to be dropped or deactivated. Alternatively, it is assumed that the transmission of periodic CSI-RS is released during the OFF period, and when the ON period begins, CSI-RS transmission and reception are performed so that new periodic CSI-RS are sent and received.

[0184] On the other hand, in the example described above, the timer also starts operating after a predetermined time (for example, 1 slot) from the time DCI or MAC-CE is received, and then enters the OFF period.

[0185] The pre-set OFF intervals and / or timer candidate values ​​described above may be common to all DL / UL signals and channels, or they may be set for each DL / UL signal and channel. In other words, a specific OFF interval and / or timer candidate value may be set for a single DL / UL signal / channel, or multiple DL or UL signals / channels may be used in conjunction with the same OFF interval and / or timer candidate value.

[0186] When an OFF interval and / or timer value is specified for a specific DL / UL signal / channel, the DL / UL signal / channel to be turned OFF may be pre-configured / promised or defined by a standard, or it may be directly specified by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE. Furthermore, if associations between DL / UL signals / channels are pre-configured, and the OFF of a specific signal / channel is specified, the associated signals / channels will also be turned OFF. For example, if periodic CSI-RS and periodic SRS are pre-configured as associations, when an OFF interval and / or timer value is specified for P-CSI-RS by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE, not only P-CSI-RS but also the linked P-SRS will be turned OFF during the time interval corresponding to that OFF interval and / or timer.

[0187] On the other hand, the signal / channel to be turned OFF may include PDCCH, and when PDCCH is turned OFF, the terminal does not perform PDCCH monitoring during the OFF period and / or timer. If PDCCH is not included in the OFF signal / channel, the terminal performs PDCCH monitoring even during the OFF period and / or timer, and receives an instruction to extend the OFF period (duration) via (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE, or an instruction to switch to the ON period via (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE. When an instruction is received via (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE, the start point and length of the application of the OFF period and / or timer are set by predetermined parameters when the candidate values ​​for the OFF period and / or timer are set, or by joint encoding with each of the candidate values ​​for the OFF period (duration) and / or timer. Alternatively, the start point and length of the OFF period and / or timer may be determined to predetermined values ​​(e.g., standard defined values), or they may be set differently for each terminal, taking into account the terminal's processing time. Alternatively, the start point and length of the OFF period and / or timer may be dynamically indicated along with the OFF instruction by the (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE instruction.

[0188] In NR, symbols within a slot are composed of U (uplink) / D (downlink) / F (flexible) symbols in a semi-static manner through cell-specific signaling or UE-specific signaling.

[0189] Furthermore, for terminals configured with DCI format 2_0 monitoring, a symbol set to Flexible is one of D / U / F, and is dynamically indicated by DCI format 2_0. For symbols set to F, if SFI monitoring is not configured on the terminal, DL / UL set in RRC can be sent and received.

[0190] Furthermore, for terminals configured to monitor SFI, 1) if the terminal fails to receive SFI, only PDCCH monitoring will be performed with the symbol set to F, and 2) if SFI is received and the symbol set to F by RRC is again indicated to F by SFI, neither PDCCH monitoring nor DL / UL set by RRC will be sent or received.

[0191] Based on the above, one additional state (e.g., N) can be added to the states D / U / F indicated by the conventional SFI. The symbol interval to which this state (e.g., N) is indicated by the SFI is subject to the OFF interval operation proposed in this method (e.g., operation based on any one of Method #1 to Method #7).

[0192] On the other hand, even in sections where the transmission and reception of DL / UL signals / channels are turned OFF by the instruction method proposed in this disclosure, certain DL / UL signals / channels may be exceptionally permitted to be transmitted and received. For example, signals / channels such as SSB and / or CSI-RS for tracking and / or PRACH are essential, so it is preferable to permit transmission / reception even in the OFF section.

[0193] Furthermore, if PDCCH monitoring continues even during periods when DL / UL signal / channel transmission and reception are turned OFF by the instruction method proposed in this disclosure (for example, an instruction method based on any one of Method #1 to Method #7), then a search space set group (SSSG) linked to the ON period and an SSSG linked to the OFF period are set separately.

[0194] For example, during the ON period, SS set configuration #1, which has a relatively short PDCCH monitoring period, is used, and during the OFF period, it switches to SS set configuration #2, which has a relatively longer PDCCH monitoring period.

[0195] Another example is that SSSG index #0 is used during the ON period, and switches to SSSG index #1 during the OFF period. In this case, SSSG index #0 has a relatively short PDCCH monitoring period, and SSSG index #1 has a relatively long PDCCH monitoring period. Alternatively, the SS set period (periodicity) during the OFF period is set to be even longer than the SS set period during the ON period.

[0196] According to [Method #1], by dynamically instructing OFF in at least one of multiple time intervals and setting the ON / OFF of DL / UL signals / channels according to a semi-static ON / OFF pattern, scheduling latency is reduced, and the ON / OFF of DL / UL signals / channels is quickly instructed according to the cell status. Since no transmission or reception of DL / UL signals / channels occurs during the OFF time interval, the degradation of DL / UL performance is minimized, and power consumption of terminals and base stations can be efficiently reduced.

[0197] [Method #2] A method for dynamically adjusting the periodicity of DL / UL signals / channels in advance.

[0198] 1. Method #2-1

[0199] A method in which multiple periodicity candidates for (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS are pre-defined, and one of these periodicity candidates is indicated by (group-common) DCI or MAC CE.

[0200] 2. Method #2-2

[0201] A method in which (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS are pre-grouped into multiple groups according to their period, and a specific group among these multiple groups is indicated by (group-common) DCI or MAC CE to adjust the period.

[0202] The method described above is applicable not only to (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS but also to all pre-configured and transmitted DL / UL signals / channels (e.g., semi-persistent PDSCH, CG-PUSCH), and multiple periodicity candidate values ​​are common to all DL / UL signals / channels, and multiple periodicity candidate values ​​may be set for each DL / UL signal / channel. Furthermore, when a change in the period of a specific DL / UL signal / channel is instructed, the DL / UL signal / channel whose period is to be changed may be pre-configured or defined, or the DL / UL signal / channel whose period is to be changed may be directly instructed.

[0203] Furthermore, if a relationship is pre-established between DL / UL signals and channels, and a period change is instructed for a specific signal / channel, the period of the related signals / channels will also be changed. In this case, if infinite or an inapplicable value is set as a pre-established period candidate value, and (GC-)DCI or MAC CE instructs infinite / non-numerical / inapplicable value, the conventional period will be maintained until another instruction is given.

[0204] Furthermore, if the period is specified by (Group-Common) DCI or MAC-CE, inactivity-related timers set on the terminal (e.g., BWPinactiveTimer, SCellinactiveTimer, dataInactivityTimer, DRX (Discontinuous Reception) related timers) will be held during periods when CSI-RS / SRS is not transmitted and resumed when that period ends, or stopped during that period and restarted when that period ends, depending on the changed period.

[0205] For example, (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS uses pre-configured resources that are periodically transmitted and received by higher-level signals such as RRC. Even without the base station sending another DCI (DL assignment or UL grant), the terminal can receive CSI-RS and transmit SRS using the pre-configured resources. However, because the period and resources of such periodic DL / UL signals / channels are allocated semi-statically, it is difficult to dynamically change the period, and RRC reconfiguration is required to change the period. Therefore, since changing the period takes a relatively long time, it is not easy to dynamically turn on / off signals of a specific period depending on the base station's traffic conditions, and this is not efficient in terms of power saving.

[0206] For example, if there is very little data for a base station to send to a terminal during a specific time period, it can switch to sleep mode to save power. However, if periodic P-CSI-RS or P-SRS resources are scheduled during that time period, the base station will need to send and receive P-CSI-RS or P-SRS, consuming power for the transition time and the transition itself. This may result in the base station being unable to enter sleep mode at all, or only being able to sleep for a very short time, potentially reducing the power saving effect. However, since such low traffic conditions occur dynamically, it is difficult to predict traffic conditions in advance, and it is undesirable to reconfigure the RRC every time low traffic conditions or traffic fluctuations occur.

[0207] Therefore, when a base station pre-configures periodic DL / UL signals and channels, such as (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS, multiple period candidate values ​​can be set, and if a change in period is necessary for power saving at the base station, the period can be dynamically changed by specifying one of the multiple period candidates pre-configured by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE.

[0208] For example, when a base station sets up (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS, it sets up multiple period candidate values ​​such as {very short period (symbol unit period), short period (several symbols unit period), normal period (slot unit period), long period (several slot unit period), very long period (tens of slot unit period)}, and the base station dynamically changes the period by instructing one of the period candidate values ​​via (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE as needed. If the base station's traffic situation changes from high to low, it is instructed to change the period of the DL / UL signal / channel, which was set to a short period, to a long period or very long period in order to maintain sleep mode for the longest possible time and conserve power consumption.

[0209] Another method involves pre-grouping (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS into multiple groups based on their period, allowing the base station to adjust the period by directing a specific group from among these groups via (group-common) DCI or MAC CE. For example, similar to SSSG switching in Release 16 NR-U, where the monitoring period of a terminal's SS (Search Space) set is changed depending on whether it is inside or outside the COT (Channel Occupancy Time), CSI-RS / SRS with a short period are set to group index #0, and CSI-RS / SRS with a long period are set to group index #1. The base station can then dynamically change the period of the (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS by directing one of the groups at group index #0 and group index #1 as needed.

[0210] SMTC (SSB-based RRM measurement timing configuration) is a segment in which measurement resources for RRM (radio resource management) are configured, similar to DMTC (discovery measurement timing configuration) in LTE (Long Term Evolution) systems.

[0211] In LTE-LAA, DMTC is a time window during which the discovery reference signal (DRS) for terminal synchronization and channel estimation can be transmitted, because it is difficult to periodically transmit signals such as PSS (Primary Synchronization Signal) / SSS (Secondary Synchronization Signal) / CRS (Common Reference Signal) due to the characteristics of cells operating with SCell (secondary cell).

[0212] On the other hand, DRS is a signal defined in Release-12 for small cell enhancement. DRS is transmitted periodically every 40ms with control signals including PSS / SSS / CRS.

[0213] SMTC is also a time interval in NR where measurement resources for RRM measurement are set. In NR, unlike LTE's CRS, there is no always-transmitted reference signal, so RRM measurement is performed using the SSS and PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel)-DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) of the SS / PBCH block transmitted within the SMTC, and the CSI-RS set within the active BWP. Settings related to SMTC include the SMTC window interval (duration), period, and timing offset, and multiple periods are set for SMTC1 and SMTC2. For example, multiple SMTCs are set, and a period is set for each of the multiple SMTCs. In this case, the periods of SMTC1 and SMTC2 are different, but the timing offset and SMTC window interval are the same.

[0214] As an example of applying method #2-1 or method #2-2, SSB and / or SIB (e.g., PDSCH and PDCCH scheduling SIB) and / or paging (e.g., DCI and paging messages) and / or SMTC can be considered.

[0215] In other words, multiple period candidate values ​​are pre-set for SSB / broadcast data / SMTC, and the base station can change the period by specifying one of these multiple period candidate values ​​via (GC-)DCI or MAC-CE. In cases like SSB / SIB, periodic transmission is necessary because it is an essential signal for initial terminal connection and RRM (Radio Resource Measurement), but from the perspective of power saving for the base station, SSB / SIB must be transmitted periodically even when there is little data to transmit. In this case, in order to reduce the power consumption of the base station, it is necessary to set multiple period candidate values ​​and allow the base station to further dynamically change the period via (group-common)DCI or MAC-CE.

[0216] The dynamic period change method described above is applicable not only to (periodic) CSI-RS or SRS but also to all pre-configured and transmitted DL / UL signals / channels. Furthermore, multiple periodicity candidate values ​​may be common to all DL / UL signals / channels, or multiple periodicity candidate values ​​may be set for each DL / UL signal / channel. Also, when a period change is instructed for a specific DL / UL signal / channel, the DL / UL signal / channel whose period is changed may be pre-configured or defined, or the DL / UL signal / channel whose period is changed may be directly instructed.

[0217] Furthermore, if a relationship is pre-established between DL / UL signals and channels, and a period change is instructed for a specific signal / channel, the period of the associated signal / channel will also be changed. In this case, if infinite or an inapplicable value is set as a pre-established period candidate value, and infinite / non-numerical / inapplicable value is instructed by (GC-)DCI or MAC CE, the conventional period will be maintained until another instruction is given.

[0218] Another example of another DL / UL signal / channel to which Method #2 is applicable is when multiple period candidate values ​​are pre-configured for SPS (semi-persistent)-PDSCH or CG (configured grant)-PUSCH, and the base station indicates one of the multiple period candidate values ​​by (group-common) DCI or MAC CE. Another example is when SPS-PDSCH or CG-PUSCH are pre-grouped into multiple groups by period, and the base station adjusts the period by indicating a specific group from among the multiple groups by (group-common) DCI or MAC CE.

[0219] According to [Method #2], when a base station operates in NES mode to conserve energy, it can dynamically change the period for periodic DL / UL signals / channels to a relatively longer period, maximize the intervals in which DL / UL signal / channel transmission and reception are not permitted (e.g., the base station's sleep mode interval), and prevent unnecessary measurements and reports from the terminal, thereby reducing the overall power consumption of both the terminal and the base station.

[0220] [Method #3] A method in which multiple ON / OFF patterns are pre-configured, and a specific ON / OFF pattern is indicated by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE.

[0221] 1. Method #3-1

[0222] In addition to the ON / OFF pattern setting information, information regarding the duration or timer for which the ON / OFF pattern persists is set together, or the duration or timer for which the ON / OFF pattern persists is set / instructed separately from the ON / OFF pattern setting information.

[0223] 2. Method #3-2

[0224] When the duration or timer for which an ON / OFF pattern persists ends, the system switches to an ON duration, or switches to the next preset ON / OFF pattern and the subsequent ON / OFF pattern corresponding to that duration or timer.

[0225] Inactivity-related timers set on the device (e.g., BWPinactiveTimer, SCellinactiveTimer, dataInactivityTimer, DRX (Discontinuous Reception) related timers) are either held during the OFF period and resumed when the OFF period ends, or stopped during the OFF period and restarted when the OFF period ends.

[0226] Similar to the terminal's DRX cycle, base stations can also be pre-configured with semi-static ON / OFF intervals (durations). During the ON interval, DL / UL signals / channels are transmitted and received continuously, and during the OFF interval, the operating mode is switched to a sleep mode / power saving mode to conserve power. However, while this semi-static ON / OFF interval transmission / reception method can achieve energy savings through the pre-configured OFF interval, if urgent traffic occurs during that interval, such as when a terminal transmits an SR or PRACH, the base station cannot respond immediately until it enters the ON interval. This can lead to significant delays in RAR transmission or UL grant transmission, potentially degrading terminal performance. Therefore, multiple ON / OFF patterns can be pre-configured, and the base station can dynamically change the length of the ON and OFF intervals by instructing a specific ON / OFF pattern from among the multiple patterns via (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE.

[0227] For example, as shown in Figure 9, the base station pre-configures the terminal with {Pattern 1: Always ON, Pattern 2: 1 slot ON + 9 slots OFF, Pattern 3: 2 slots ON + 8 slots off,…} and dynamically instructs the terminal via (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE which of the three patterns to use to turn the DL / UL signal / channel ON / OFF. The DL / UL signal / channel to which the ON / OFF pattern and the duration of the ON / OFF pattern apply are either pre-configured or (standardized) defined. Alternatively, the base station may directly instruct the DL / UL signal / channel to which the ON / OFF pattern and the duration of the ON / OFF pattern apply.

[0228] Furthermore, if a relationship is pre-defined between DL / UL signals / channels, and an ON / OFF pattern and the duration of that ON / OFF pattern are instructed to be applied to a specific signal / channel, the same ON / OFF pattern and the duration of that ON / OFF pattern, or a predefined specific ON / OFF pattern and the duration of that ON / OFF pattern, may also be applied to the related signals / channels.

[0229] For example, similar to [Method #1], if Periodic CSI-RS and Periodic SRS are pre-configured as related, when an ON / OFF pattern and the duration of that ON / OFF pattern are specified for P-CSI-RS by (Group-Common) DCI or MAC-CE, P-SRS may also be transmitted and received by that ON / OFF pattern and duration, or P-SRS may be transmitted and received by a specific ON / OFF pattern and duration of that ON / OFF pattern that are pre-defined for P-SRS.

[0230] According to Method #3, by having the base station set ON / OFF for multiple time intervals in a pattern form with a single signaling, power consumption of terminals and base stations can be reduced, and the signaling overhead for instructing ON / OFF for multiple time intervals can be reduced. Furthermore, by reducing signaling overhead and dynamically changing the ON / OFF pattern according to the cell's operating status, terminal scheduling latency is minimized, DL / UL performance degradation is minimized, and efficient energy saving becomes possible.

[0231] [Method #4] Advanced terminal operation when the base station is operating in power saving mode. For example, power saving mode means that DL / UL signals / channels are transmitted and received based on OFF intervals / timers / patterns according to Method #1, Method #2 and / or Method #3 of this disclosure.

[0232] 1. Method #4-1

[0233] No penalty will be applied for PRACH transmission failures. For example, a penalty would mean applying power ramping, a preamble counter, and / or preamble backoff. Also, a PRACH transmission failure means that the terminal has not received a RAR from the base station.

[0234] 2. Method #4-2

[0235] RACH Occasion (RO) assigned to a period where the RAR window and the OFF period overlap will be treated as invalid.

[0236] 3. Method #4-3

[0237] No penalty is applied for SR transmission failure (failure to receive a response to an SR transmission). For example, a penalty would mean applying an SR counter and / or a prohibit timer. Also, an SR transmission failure means that the base station does not receive a response to the terminal's SR transmission (e.g., a UL grant).

[0238] 4. Method #4-4

[0239] In power saving mode, the SSB period and RO (RACH occasion) are linked, and the SSB-to-RO mapping is implicitly changed by changing the SSB period.

[0240] 5. Method #4-5

[0241] SRS / CSI reporting / CG-PUSCH resources that overlap with or are correlated with the OFF interval will be turned OFF.

[0242] 6. Method #4-6

[0243] The RAN4 requirements are more relaxed than those in Normal mode.

[0244] 7. Method #4-7

[0245] To conserve power, some pre-configured Paging Occasions (POs) are invalidated for NES purposes.

[0246] When a base station operates with an OFF interval / timer / pattern applied to the base station and terminal for power saving purposes, as in Method #1, Method #2 and / or Method #3 of this disclosure, the transmission and reception of a specific DL / UL signal / channel or all DL / UL signals / channels are deactivated during that time interval. Therefore, a different criterion is required for subsequent operation when a terminal transmits or receives a specific signal / channel as defined in the ON interval.

[0247] For example, when a base station is operating in normal mode, if a terminal sends a PRACH but the RAR is not received within the RAR window, the standard defines that subsequent actions will be taken such as ramping the PRACH's power to retransmit it, incrementing the counter value, and then backing off when a certain power value (e.g., maximum power) or the maximum counter value is reached, selecting another PRACH preamble, and attempting to retransmit it.

[0248] However, when a base station operates in power-saving mode, it is configured not to allow PRACH reception at all during the OFF section. Therefore, if a terminal sends a PRACH during that section, the base station may not have even attempted to receive it, rather than failing to receive the PRACH at all and thus being unable to send a RAR. In this case, a different criterion is needed than the conventionally defined criteria for subsequent terminal behavior.

[0249] For example, subsequent terminal operations such as Method #4 for an advanced terminal capable of receiving and applying settings / instructions related to the base station's power saving mode are defined, as in Methods #1, #2, and #3 of this disclosure. In the case of a legacy terminal, it may not be capable of applying settings / instructions related to the base station's power saving mode, and therefore may inevitably incur a penalty following conventional procedures defined by standard standards for base station power saving.

[0250] As illustrated above, if a base station operates in power-saving mode by applying methods such as OFF intervals / timers / patterns, and an advanced terminal capable of receiving and applying base station settings / instructions transmits and receives DL / UL signals / channels with that base station, then within the OFF intervals / timers / patterns, penalties for PRACH transmission failures may not be applied. For example, penalties would mean applying power ramping, preamble counters and / or preamble backoff, as described above. Also, a PRACH transmission failure means that the terminal is unable to receive a RAR or a contention resolution message.

[0251] In other words, even if a terminal sends a PRACH but does not receive a RAR, it is considered that the base station intentionally failed to receive it due to a pre-configured / instructed OFF period / timer / pattern, and the terminal does not need to follow the subsequent procedures defined for when a conventional RAR is not received. For example, the terminal does not perform power ramping on the PRACH, nor does it apply the preamble counter and backoff, and waits until it enters an ON period (duration) before sending the PRACH again. That is, once it enters an ON period, the terminal sends the PRACH again with the same power as the PRACH sent in the OFF period, and does not need to increase or decrease the preamble counter and backoff.

[0252] Furthermore, when a terminal sends a PRACH at a specific RO, a RAR window linked to the RO is set, and the Msg1 transmission is considered successful only after receiving the RAR, which is the response to that PRACH, within that window. However, if the RAR window linked to a specific RO overlaps with the base station's OFF section / timer / pattern, the base station will not transmit at all during that section, and therefore, RAR transmission cannot be expected. Thus, to prevent unnecessary PRACH transmissions at ROs assigned to sections where the RAR window and the OFF section overlap, that RO is treated as invalid.

[0253] When a terminal generates UL data to send to its buffer, it sends a PUCCH using a pre-configured SR (Scheduling Request) resource from the base station. If the base station fully receives the SR PUCCH sent by the terminal, it sends a UL grant and allocates resources for the terminal to send ULs. However, if the base station does not receive a UL grant, it applies a penalty for SR transmission failure as defined by the standard, similar to a PRACH. For example, the penalty means applying an SR counter and / or an SR prohibit timer. Also, an SR transmission failure means that the base station does not receive a response (e.g., a UL grant) to the terminal's SR transmission.

[0254] However, as mentioned above, in the OFF section / timer / pattern set by the base station for power saving purposes, such as not receiving a PRACH RAR, UL grant transmission is also turned OFF, and SR is not received intentionally. Therefore, penalties such as SR counters or SR prevention timers do not need to be applied to SR transmissions when the base station is operating in power saving mode.

[0255] Furthermore, SSB transmission is also included within the OFF interval / timer / pattern for power saving mode operation. On the other hand, since there is a mapping relationship between SSB and RO, if the SSB period is changed or the number of transmitted SSBs is reduced, the SSB to RO mapping also needs to be changed accordingly. In this case, the SSB to RO mapping relationship to be changed may be explicitly specified, but rather than being specified every time an event occurs, it may be changed implicitly by prior agreement (e.g., defined in a standard) or by pre-setting by the base station. For example, if the SSB period is changed to a large value or the number of SSBs is changed to a small value, instead of mapping RO to SSB every radio frame, SSB may be mapped to RO every N radio frames or every multiple of N radio frames, or SSB may be mapped to RO only in some radio frames near the SSB (e.g., after the SSB has been transmitted).

[0256] Similarly, for SRS / CSI reports / CG-PUSCH resources that overlap with or correlate with OFF intervals / timers / patterns, an advanced terminal may turn OFF and not transmit those resources and reports without any further instructions / settings from the base station. Furthermore, when a base station operates in power-saving mode, relaxed RAN4 requirements apply compared to normal mode. For example, cell selection / reselection criteria, RRM measurement-related requirements, and / or time and frequency tracking / offset are relaxed compared to normal mode.

[0257] Another method involves pre-configuring Paging Occasions (POs) and disabling some of them for NES purposes to save power. While this method is slightly disadvantageous for legacy terminals, advanced terminals can identify the invalid POs, and the base station can actually save power by not transmitting on those invalidated POs.

[0258] According to [Method #4], if the reason why the PRACH procedure or the procedure after SR transmission is not performed is due to power saving mode, not imposing a penalty can prevent interference with the transmission and reception of other terminals by PRACH transmission and SR transmission, and prevent unnecessary penalties from being imposed on the terminal.

[0259] [Method #5] A method for a base station to notify terminals in initial connection or idle (or inactive) mode of the base station's power saving mode operation.

[0260] 1. Method #5-1

[0261] The base station informs the terminal whether the associated serving cell (or base station) is currently operating in power saving mode, or whether it is a cell capable of operating in power saving mode (even if it is not currently operating in power saving mode), based on a pre-determined SSB pattern / SIB / PBCH / Paging DCI.

[0262] (1) In the case of an initial connected terminal, the decision of whether or not to connect to the cell is made based on the SSB pattern or SIB / PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel) information.

[0263] (2) The current SIB1 barring interpretation or barring instruction will be differentiated so that legacy terminals will remain cell-barring and will not be able to connect to cells or base stations, while advanced terminals will be able to connect to cells or base stations.

[0264] In the case of an initial connected terminal or an idle / inactive terminal, it is necessary to know whether the base station the terminal is trying to connect to or has camped on is operating in power-saving mode, or is currently operating in normal mode but is able to switch to power-saving mode. For example, if a base station operates in power-saving mode by applying an OFF interval / timer / pattern such as Method #1 and / or Method #2 and / or Method #3 of this disclosure, and in the case of a legacy terminal, if the base station does not send a response to PRACH or SR to the terminal, the terminal will continue to perform conventionally defined penalty procedures as illustrated in Method #4, unnecessarily retransmitting PRACH or SR, thereby unnecessarily consuming power. Moreover, procedures such as BWP switching or cell reselection may be unnecessarily triggered.

[0265] Therefore, base stations must inform terminals that are initially connected or idle / inactive mode whether the base station is operating in power-saving mode or is a cell capable of operating in power-saving mode, using a pre-agreed SSB pattern / SIB / PBCH / Paging DCI.

[0266] For example, a specific multiplexing pattern or a specific FR1 / FR2 SCS (subcarrier spacing) combination between the SSB and Type0-PDCCH is indicated. Alternatively, information in SIB1, PBCH, or paging DCI determines whether the base station is operating in power saving mode and whether it is capable of doing so. In particular, in the case of SIB1, the interpretation of the barring instruction or the barring instruction itself is divided into legacy and advanced terminal versions. If a setting is received indicating that the base station is operating in power saving mode or is capable of operating in power saving mode, the legacy terminal can proceed with cell bearing and attempt to camp on to another cell without camping on that base station, while an advanced terminal that supports the base station's power saving mode operation can connect to that base station.

[0267] The types of periodic DL / UL signals / channels to which the method proposed in this disclosure can be applied include not only periodic CSI-RS / SRS, but also semi-persistent PDSCH / PUSCH / CSI-RS and CG-PUSCH transmitted based on pre-configured resource settings. Furthermore, in this disclosure, when the OFF of a DL / UL signal / channel is instructed during a specific time interval by a (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE or timer, or when the period of a periodic DL / UL signal / channel is dynamically adjusted, or when energy saving of base stations and terminals is attempted by a set of multiple ON / OFF patterns, the ON / OFF interval / pattern in that time domain may be used only for a specific carrier / cell.

[0268] Alternatively, the system can be extended to multiple carriers / cells via interfaces between gNBs (e.g., X2 interface) or between a gNB and a core network (e.g., S1 interface), and a common time-domain ON / OFF interval / pattern can be applied among the multiple carriers / cells. In this case, the interval to which the common time-domain ON / OFF interval / pattern is applied among the multiple carriers / cells may be limited to a portion of the overall interval.

[0269] According to Method #5, cell reselection and cell bearing are applied differently depending on whether the base station is operating in power saving mode and whether the terminal supports power saving mode. This prevents the system from judging the measurement state as if it were in normal mode, even though it is a natural measurement state due to the OFF period, and thus prevents unnecessary cell changes or the phenomenon of multiple terminals being unnecessarily concentrated in one cell.

[0270] [Method #6] A method by which a base station notifies a terminal of a switch in the base station's operating mode (e.g., switching between non-NES mode and NES mode) via group-common (or cell-specific) DCI or MAC-CE, and a method for restarting at least one configured timer.

[0271] 1. Method #6-1

[0272] A common CSS (Common Search Space) is set up for monitoring the switching instructions between Non-NES mode and NES mode.

[0273] 2. Method #6-2

[0274] A new type of CSS for NES is being introduced.

[0275] 3. Method #6-3

[0276] A new RNTI (Radio Network Temporary Identifier) is introduced for NES indication monitoring in a specific type of CSS.

[0277] 4. Method #6-4

[0278] For a terminal with C-DRX configured, during the inactive time or while operating in the DRX configuration and / or DRX group for NES, the terminal does not expect CSI-RS reception and does not perform measurement and reporting.

[0279] 5. Method #6-5

[0280] (Group-common) The problem of DCI missing is handled.

[0281] 6. Method #6-6

[0282] The base station indicates the time offset information that absolutely or relatively indicates the time interval (or distance) from the time point when the application of the NES mode starts from the MAC CE or DCI indication time point, together with the operation mode switch of the base station. Alternatively, the application time point when the application of the NE mode starts is pre-configured (or defined by the standard).

[0283] 7. Method #6-7

[0284] When it is indicated by the group-common DCI or MAC-CE that the base station has switched from the NES mode to the non-NES mode, all the timers (e.g., inactivity timer) currently running in the terminal are restarted.

[0285] In the proposed method of this disclosure, multiple OFF intervals (durations) are pre-configured, and the base station indicates one of these OFF intervals by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE, thereby indicating the OFF of the DL / UL signal / channel during a specific time interval. Alternatively, multiple candidate period values ​​for (periodic) CSI-RS / SRS are pre-configured, and the base station indicates one of these period values ​​by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE. Alternatively, multiple ON / OFF patterns are pre-configured, and the base station indicates a specific pattern among the multiple ON / OFF patterns by (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE.

[0286] The base station, as proposed above, configures a common CSS (common search space) to receive group-common DCI or MAC-CE at terminals to indicate OFF intervals, ON / OFF patterns, and periods via (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE, or configures a new type of CSS. Alternatively, a specific RNTI for NES mode switching instruction monitoring is promised / configured in a specific type of CSS.

[0287] For example, one of the conventional CSS types (e.g., Type0 / 0A / 1 / 2 / 3-CSS) is used as the CSS for NES mode switching instructions, and multiple common or group-based MOs (monitoring occasions) are set, taking into account the onDuration or PO of terminals where C-DRX or I-DRX is configured. In addition, a new type of CSS for NES instructions is introduced in addition to the conventional CSS types.

[0288] Alternatively, a new RNTI for receiving NES instructions may be introduced in addition to the current RNTI for search space monitoring. Meanwhile, with a periodically set PDCCH monitoring window for NES mode switching instructions, the terminal operates to monitor for NES mode switching instructions during that PDCCH monitoring window interval. If no NES mode switching instructions are detected during that PDCCH monitoring window interval, the terminal will either apply the most recently received NES mode switching instruction or operate based on a pre-configured default mode (e.g., non-NES mode).

[0289] On the other hand, once a terminal enters connected mode after initial connection to a base station, it needs to continuously perform PDCCH monitoring to check if there are scheduled transmissions for each configured SS (Search Space). However, if scheduling is not always present, performing PDCCH monitoring unnecessarily each time would quickly drain the terminal's battery, which is wasteful. Therefore, the base station can set C-DRX (connected mode discontinuous reception) to enable power saving for the terminal by setting time intervals during which PDCCH monitoring should be performed (e.g., ON intervals) and OFF intervals during which PDCCH monitoring is not required.

[0290] The terminal performs PDCCH monitoring during periodic ON intervals (duration) to check if there is DL / UL to send or receive. When PDCCH is received, it receives DL or sends UL according to the instructions. In the case of a terminal's UL, regardless of C-DRX, if there is data to send in the UL buffer, it can wake up and send SR even in sleep mode. In the case of a terminal in idle mode, it periodically monitors paging and operates in idle mode DRX (I-DRX), going back to sleep if it is not the target UE.

[0291] Here, "operating in sleep mode" means "regardless of the active time determined by C-DRX" or "even during periods other than the active time determined by C-DRX." The base station can switch to energy-saving mode to conserve power during periods when the terminal is OFF or not in its active time.

[0292] Furthermore, when a base station configures C-DRX on a terminal via RRC, two DRX groups are configured, each with separate DRX parameters.

[0293] In this case, the DRX parameters that are set separately for each DRX group are drx-onDurationTimer and drx-InactivityTimer, while the DRX parameters that are common to all DRX groups are drx-SlotOffset, drx-RetransmissionTimerDL, drx-RetransmissionTimerUL, drx-LongCycleStartOffset, drx-ShortCycle(optional), drx-ShortCycleTimer(optional), drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL, drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerUL, and uplinkHARQ-Mode(optional).

[0294] Furthermore, if no secondary DRX groups are configured, all serving cells belong to a single DRX group (e.g., the default DRX group). On the other hand, if two DRX groups are configured, each serving cell is uniquely assigned to one of the two DRX groups. Thus, secondary DRX groups are configured selectively, and if no secondary DRX groups are configured and only one DRX group is configured, an NES DRX group is either further configured within that DRX group, or NES parameters are set, and the method described above is applied.

[0295] In addition to the C-DRX settings and DRX parameters mentioned above, the base station can also configure additional DRX settings for NES (Network Energy Station) to enhance ES (Environmental Strength). In this case, the NES DRX settings are group-wide DRX parameters, unlike the parameters included in the conventional UE-specific DRX settings, in order to improve the base station's ES.

[0296] As mentioned above, this means changing the terminal's ondurationtimer or inacitivitytimer to adjust the inactive time of terminals within the cell to suit the base station's ES purpose. There may be one or more of these NES DRX configurations (e.g., multiple DRX configurations), and additional NES DRX groups may be introduced in addition to the conventional primary and secondary DRX groups.

[0297] When P(periodic) / SP(semi-persistent)-CSI-RS is configured on a terminal with C-DRX set up, the terminal will perform measurements using the configured CSI-RS resources regardless of the active time, and will only perform CSI reporting within onDuration if an active time or csi-Mask is set. However, during the terminal's inactive period, the base station may also switch to NES mode to conserve energy, but it cannot operate in sleep mode in order to transmit p / SP-CSI-RS. Therefore, from the perspective of energy conservation for the base station, the base station will not transmit CSI-RS during the terminal's inactive period for the sake of NES. Consequently, terminals operating with C-DRX will not expect to receive CSI-RS and will not perform measurements or reports during the inactive period or while operating with the DRX configuration / group for NES. Alternatively, if the terminal receives an instruction from the base station to switch to NES mode, the terminal does not expect CSI-RS reception and does not perform measurement or reporting.

[0298] Furthermore, since a terminal may not be able to receive or may fail to receive the NES mode switching instruction transmitted by the base station via the group-common DCI or MAC CE, the base station may repeatedly transmit the NES mode switching instruction via the group-common DCI or MAC CE. Also, since it is practically difficult for the base station to receive HARQ-ACK feedback for the NES mode switching instruction individually from each terminal, a default terminal action is predetermined and set for when the terminal cannot detect the group-common DCI or MAC CE, or when the group-common DCI or MAC CE transmitted by the base station is missed.

[0299] The basic terminal operation is set to implicitly minimize the impact on the system / terminal when an NES mode switching instruction is missed. For example, in a situation where CSI-RS transmission is turned OFF during the inactivity period, if there is no NES plan with the base station's default operation set to CSI-RS OFF (i.e., the terminal omits CSI-RS reception), the base station will instruct CSI-RS ON via DCI. In other words, even if the base station instructs CSI-RS ON via DCI and transmits CSI-RS, the terminal does not need to receive CSI-RS in accordance with the basic operation (i.e., CSI-RS OFF) if it has missed the group-common DCI or MAC-CE transmitted by the base station.

[0300] As another example, if a base station instructs a switch from non-NES mode to NES mode and turns off CSI-RS transmission, when the base station switches from the default operation of CSI-RS OFF (i.e., the terminal does not expect CSI-RS reception) to non-NES mode, it instructs to turn CSI-RS ON. In other words, even if the base station instructs to turn CSI-RS ON in DCI and transmits CSI-RS, the terminal does not need to receive CSI-RS in accordance with the default operation (i.e., CSI-RS OFF) if it misses the group-common DCI or MAC-CE transmitted by the base station.

[0301] On the other hand, even when a terminal receives a NES mode switching instruction, since the timing for applying the instruction varies for each terminal, the NES mode switching instruction itself indicated by group-common DCI or MAC CE may be used to notify the application timing together, so that they can start simultaneously at a specific time. For example, when indicated by group-common MAC-CE, when a terminal reports a NACK for the instruction, considering the time taken for the base station to retransmit the MAC CE, or the time taken for multiple transmissions when indicated by GC DCI, relative or absolute time offset information regarding whether the NES mode switching starts / operates after a predetermined time from the indication time of the MAC CE or DCI is indicated together with the NES mode switching instruction, or pre-configured / defined in the standard.

[0302] Here, the relative time offset means notifying how much time has passed (e.g., after several slots / symbols) from the reception time of the GC-DCI or GC-MAC CE NES mode switching instruction before applying the NES mode switching. Also, for example, the absolute time offset means starting / applying the NES mode switching after a specific slot (e.g., 10 slots) from a specific SFN (e.g., SFN = 0). Further, when the base station indicates the switching from the NES mode to the non-NES mode by group-common DCI or MAC-CE, all timers (e.g., inactivity timer) currently running on the terminal are restarted.

[0303] In the above method, NES-oriented DRX configuration or cell-specific DRX configuration means a (cell-specific) DTX / DRX pattern or active / inactive pattern in which, for the purpose of saving energy at the base station, a periodic repetition occurs between a time interval in which the base station performs minimal transmission and reception or completely turns off transmission and reception, and a time interval in which it performs normal operation.

[0304] For example, in a DRX configuration intended for NES, the terminal does not perform PDCCH monitoring even during the active time within a single DRX cycle, and during time intervals outside the active time, it either omits receiving common signals / channels such as SSB / SIB1 or receives them only at very long intervals. Also, if signals such as PDCCH / PDSCH / CSI-RS / PRS / PUCCH / PUSCH / SRS are configured to be repeatedly transmitted and received during times outside the active time, transmission and reception will not be performed using the resources of those signals / channels.

[0305] Furthermore, when a cell-specific DTX / DRX is set or applied, an NES mode / state is defined. When an NES mode / state is set / instructed, it is pre-configured to conserve energy by turning off some or all DL / UL signal transmission and reception during a specific time interval in which NES mode is in operation, reducing the amount of frequency resources transmitted and received, reducing the number of antenna ports used for transmission, or lowering the transmission power. Additionally, a BWP intended for NES refers to a specific BWP that is switched when NES mode=ON is instructed. This NES-intended BWP refers to a BWP configured in the terminal that consists only of RBs with very little BW (frequency resource).

[0306] If the base station operates in non-NES mode (i.e., NES mode=OFF is instructed / set to the terminal within the cell), then DL / UL signal transmission and reception can be expected to be the same as in the operation of a normal base station. Furthermore, the DRX configuration for NES may be the same as the C-DRX / I-DRX for conventional terminals.

[0307] It can also mean that a predetermined set of time-domain ON / OFF patterns for multiple DL / UL signals / channels are dynamically directed by L1 (e.g., group-common DCI) / L2 (e.g., MAC-CE) signaling.

[0308] According to Method #6, by specifying a CSS that receives instructions regarding NES operating mode switching, or by defining the timing of application of NES operating mode switching and terminal operations within the DRX cycle, it is possible to efficiently instruct NES operating mode switching and ensure that NES operating mode switching is performed without missing instructions from the base station.

[0309] [Method #7] A serving cell informs neighbor cells of information such as whether the serving cell is operating NES, or a serving cell informs terminals of information regarding whether the neighbor cell is operating NES.

[0310] When a base station operates in NES mode using the various energy-saving methods proposed in this disclosure, unlike when operating in non-NES mode, certain DL / UL signals (e.g., SSB) are either not transmitted or transmitted at very long intervals during certain time intervals. Here, the base station operating in NES mode means that the (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE instructs the OFF of DL / UL signals / channels during certain time intervals, or that the periodicity of periodic DL / UL signals / channels is dynamically adjusted. Alternatively, it means that multiple ON / OFF patterns are pre-configured and a specific pattern is dynamically instructed by the (group-common) DCI or MAC-CE, or that the operating mode is switched (e.g., between non-NES mode and NES mode) by the group-common (or cell-specific) DCI or MAC-CE.

[0311] For example, if a particular cell does not transmit SSB during a specific time interval, it affects neighbor cell and terminal neighbor cell measurement for RRM. In this case, applying conventional criteria (e.g., RSRP threshold) directly may unnecessarily trigger procedures such as cell (re)selection or HO (handover).

[0312] Therefore, when a serving cell operates in NES mode by applying the method proposed in this disclosure, it can inform neighboring cells located near the serving cell of information regarding the presence or absence of NES operation, such as information regarding the time interval in which a particular DL / UL signal / channel is turned OFF, information regarding the periodic change of a particular DL / UL signal / channel, or information regarding the ON / OFF pattern. By informing neighboring cells of the presence or absence of NES operation, unnecessary procedures can be prevented in advance, and neighboring cells can compensate for problems that arise when the serving cell operates in NES mode, or the NES gain can be increased through cooperation between cells. Here, neighboring cells compensating for problems that arise when the serving cell operates in NES mode can be, for example, by transmitting SSB / SIB1 information on behalf of the serving cell.

[0313] On the other hand, a serving cell may inform terminals currently in a camp-on state whether one or more neighboring cells around it are operating in NES mode. As mentioned above, when a base station (e.g., a serving cell) is operating in NES mode, SSB / SIB1 and common signals / channels may also be turned off and not transmitted. Therefore, neighboring cells can inform terminals within the serving cell of information regarding the NES mode operation of the serving cell or neighboring cells through signals such as SI (system information), cell-specific or UE-specific RRC signals, or group-common DCI / MAC-CE.

[0314] Here, information regarding NES mode operation includes ON / OFF patterns of specific DL / UL signals / channels, ON / OFF of common signals / channels such as SSB / SIB1, or ON / OFF of modified periods and / or dynamic NES modes of adjacent cells. Based on this information, the terminal may choose not to perform RRM measurements during time intervals when adjacent cells turn off SSB, or it may perform measurements but consider the results invalid and discard / ignore them, without reporting them to the serving cell.

[0315] According to Method #7, by transmitting information about the NES mode of not only the serving cell but also the adjacent cell to the terminal, it is possible to compensate for problems caused by the serving cell's NES mode or to determine sections where the transmission and reception of DL / UL signals / channels from adjacent cells does not need to be expected, thereby increasing the power saving effect for the terminal, adjacent cells, and serving cell as a whole.

[0316] Without limiting itself, the various descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this document are applicable to various fields requiring inter-device wireless communication / connection (e.g., 5G).

[0317] The following provides more specific examples with reference to the drawings. In the following figures / descriptions, the same drawing reference numerals illustrate the same or corresponding hardware block, software block, or functional block unless otherwise specified.

[0318] Figure 10 illustrates a communication system 1 to which this disclosure applies.

[0319] Referring to Figure 10, the communication system 1 to which the present invention applies includes wireless equipment, a base station, and a network. Here, wireless equipment means equipment that communicates using wireless connectivity technology (e.g., 5G NR, LTE), and is also referred to as communication / wireless / 5G equipment. However, wireless equipment includes, but is not limited to, robots 100a, vehicles 100b-1, 100b-2, XR (eXtended Reality) equipment 100c, handheld devices 100d, home appliances 100e, IoT (Internet of Things) equipment 100f, and AI servers / equipment 400. For example, vehicles include vehicles equipped with wireless communication functions, autonomous vehicles, and vehicles capable of inter-vehicle communication. Here, vehicles include UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) (e.g., drones). XR devices include AR (Augmented Reality) / VR (Virtual Reality) / MR (Mixed Reality) devices and are embodied in forms such as HMDs (Head-Mounted Devices), HUDs (Head-Up Displays) installed in vehicles, TVs, smartphones, computers, wearable devices, home appliances, digital signage, vehicles, and robots. Mobile devices include smartphones, smart pads, wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches, smart glasses), and computers (e.g., notebook computers). Home appliances include TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines. IoT devices include sensors and smart meters. For example, base stations and networks are also embodied in wireless devices, and certain wireless devices 200a can also operate as base stations / network nodes for other wireless devices.

[0320] Wireless devices 100a to 100f are connected to network 300 via base station 200. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is applied to wireless devices 100a to 100f, and wireless devices 100a to 100f are connected to AI server 400 via network 300. Network 300 is configured using a 3G network, 4G (e.g., LTE) network, or 5G (e.g., NR) network. Wireless devices 100a to 100f can communicate with each other via base station 200 / network 300, but can also communicate directly without going through the base station / network (e.g., sidelink communication). For example, vehicles 100b-1 and 100b-2 can communicate directly (e.g., V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) / V2X (Vehicle to everything) communication). Also, IoT devices (e.g., sensors) can communicate directly with other IoT devices (e.g., sensors) or other wireless devices 100a to 100f.

[0321] Wireless communication / connection 150a, 150b, and 150c are performed between wireless devices 100a-100f / base station 200 and between base stations 200 / base station 200. Here, wireless communication / connection is performed by uplink / downlink communication 150a and sidelink communication 150b (or D2D communication), and communication between base stations 150c (e.g., relay, IAB (Integrated Access Backhaul), etc., using various wireless connection technologies (e.g., 5G NR)). Wireless communication / connection 150a, 150b, and 150c enable wireless devices and base stations / wireless devices, and base stations to transmit / receive radio signals from each other. For example, wireless communication / connection 150a, 150b, and 150c can transmit / receive signals via various physical channels. To this end, based on various proposals of the present invention, one of the following is performed: a process of setting various configuration information for transmitting / receiving radio signals, a process of various signal processing (e.g., channel coding / decoding, modulation / demodulation, resource mapping / demapping, etc.), or a resource allocation process.

[0322] Figure 11 illustrates wireless devices applicable to this disclosure.

[0323] Referring to Figure 11, the first wireless device 100 and the second wireless device 200 transmit and receive wireless signals using various wireless connectivity technologies (e.g., LTE, NR). Here, {first wireless device 100, second wireless device 200} correspond to {wireless device 100x, base station 200} and / or {wireless device 100x, wireless device 100x} in Figure 26.

[0324] The first wireless device 100 includes one or more processors 102 and one or more memories 104, and further includes one or more transceivers 106 and / or one or more antennas 108. The processor 102 controls the memory 104 and / or the transceivers 106 and is configured to embody the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification. For example, the processor 102 processes information in the memory 104 to generate first information / signals, and then transmits a wireless signal containing the first information / signals with the transceiver 106. The processor 102 also receives a wireless signal containing second information / signals with the transceiver 106, and then stores the information obtained from signal processing of the second information / signals in the memory 104. The memory 104 is linked to the processor 102 and stores various information related to the operation of the processor 102. For example, the memory 104 stores software code that includes instructions for performing some or all of the processes controlled by the processor 102, or for performing the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification. Here, the processor 102 and memory 104 are part of a communication modem / circuit / chip designed to embody wireless communication technology (e.g., LTE, NR). The transceiver 106 is connected to the processor 102 and transmits and / or receives wireless signals via one or more antennas 108. The transceiver 106 includes a transmitter and / or receiver. The transceiver 106 can also be mixed with an RF (radio frequency) unit. In this invention, wireless equipment can also mean a communication modem / circuit / chip.

[0325] Specifically, instructions and / or operations controlled by the processor 102 of the first wireless device 100 according to the embodiments of this disclosure and stored in the memory 104 will be described.

[0326] The following operations will be described from the perspective of processor 102 and based on the control operations of processor 102, but software code for performing such operations is stored in memory 104. For example, in this disclosure, at least one memory 104 is a computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions or programs, and when executed, the instructions or programs cause at least one processor, which is operably linked to at least one memory, to perform the operations of the embodiments or embodiment of this disclosure relating to the following operations.

[0327] For example, the processor 102 receives information regarding the base station's NES operation via the transceiver 106. For example, the information regarding the NES operation may be ON / OFF information for one or more time intervals, or information regarding whether the base station is operating in NES mode. Alternatively, it may be information regarding the period of DL / UL signals / channels in NES mode. For example, the processor 102 receives information regarding the NES operation via the transceiver 106 based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0328] The processor 102 transmits and receives DL / UL channels via the transceiver 106 in one or more time intervals based on information regarding NES operation. For example, the processor 102 transmits and receives DL / UL channels via the transceiver 106 based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0329] The second wireless device 200 includes one or more processors 202 and one or more memories 204, and further includes one or more transceivers 206 and / or one or more antennas 208. The processor 202 controls the memory 204 and / or the transceivers 206 and is configured to embody the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification. For example, the processor 202 processes information in the memory 204 to generate third information / signals, and then transmits a wireless signal containing the third information / signals with the transceiver 206. The processor 202 also receives a wireless signal containing fourth information / signals with the transceiver 206, and then stores the information obtained from signal processing of the fourth information / signals in the memory 204. The memory 204 is linked to the processor 202 and stores various information related to the operation of the processor 202. For example, the memory 204 stores software code that includes instructions for performing some or all of the processes controlled by the processor 202, or for performing the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification. Here, the processor 202 and memory 204 are part of a communication modem / circuit / chip designed to embody wireless communication technology (e.g., LTE, NR). The transceiver 206 is connected to the processor 202 and transmits and / or receives wireless signals via one or more antennas 208. The transceiver 206 includes a transmitter and / or receiver. The transceiver 206 can also be used interchangeably with an RF unit. In this invention, wireless equipment also means a communication modem / circuit / chip.

[0330] Specifically, instructions and / or operations controlled by the processor 202 of the second wireless device 200 according to the embodiment of this disclosure and stored in the memory 204 will be described.

[0331] The following operations will be described from the perspective of processor 202 and based on the control operations of processor 202, but software code for performing such operations is stored in memory 204. For example, in this disclosure, at least one memory 204 is a computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions or programs, and when executed, the instructions or programs cause at least one processor operably linked to at least one memory to perform operations of the embodiments or implementations of this disclosure relating to the following operations.

[0332] For example, the processor 202 transmits information regarding the base station's NES operation via the transceiver 206. For example, the information regarding the NES operation may be ON / OFF information for one or more time intervals, or information regarding whether the processor 202 is operating in NES mode. Alternatively, it may be information regarding the period of DL / UL signals / channels in NES mode. For example, the processor 202 transmits information regarding the NES operation via the transceiver 206 based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0333] The processor 202 transmits and receives DL / UL channels via the transceiver 206 in one or more time intervals based on information regarding NES operation. For example, the processor 202 transmits and receives DL / UL channels via the transceiver 206 based on at least one of [Method #1] to [Method #7].

[0334] The hardware elements of the wireless devices 100 and 200 will be described in more detail below. However, one or more protocol layers are embodied by one or more processors 102 and 202. For example, one or more processors 102 and 202 embody one or more layers (e.g., functional layers such as PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, RRC, and SDAP). One or more processors 102 and 202 generate one or more PDUs (Protocol Data Units) and / or one or more SDUs (Service Data Units) by means of the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification. One or more processors 102 and 202 generate messages, control information, data, or information by means of the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification. One or more processors 102, 202 generate signals (e.g., baseband signals) containing PDUs, SDUs, messages, control information, data, or information by the functions, procedures, suggestions and / or methods disclosed in this specification and provide them to one or more transceivers 106, 206. One or more processors 102, 202 receive signals (e.g., baseband signals) from one or more transceivers 106, 206 and can obtain PDUs, SDUs, messages, control information, data, or information by the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification.

[0335] One or more processors 102, 202 are also referred to as controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or microcomputers. One or more processors 102, 202 are embodied by hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), one or more DSPs (Digital Signal Processors), one or more DSPDs (Digital Signal Processing Devices), one or more PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices), or one or more FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) are included in one or more processors 102, 202. The descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification are embodied using firmware or software, and the firmware or software is embodied to include modules, procedures, functions, etc. Firmware or software configured to perform the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification is included in one or more processors 102, 202, or is stored in one or more memories 104, 204 and driven by one or more processors 102, 202. The descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification may be embodied using firmware or software in the form of code, instructions and / or sets of instructions.

[0336] One or more memories 104, 204 are connected to one or more processors 102, 202 and can store various forms of data, signals, messages, information, programs, code, instructions, and / or commands. One or more memories 104, 204 consist of ROM, RAM, EPROM, flash memory, hard drives, registers, cache memory, computer read storage media, and / or combinations thereof. One or more memories 104, 204 are located inside and / or outside one or more processors 102, 202. Furthermore, one or more memories 104, 204 are connected to one or more processors 102, 202 by various technologies such as wired or wireless connections.

[0337] One or more transceivers 106, 206 can transmit user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., as referred to in the methods and / or flowcharts described herein, to one or more other devices. One or more transceivers 106, 206 can receive user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., as referred to in the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed herein, from one or more other devices. For example, one or more transceivers 106, 206 can be connected to one or more processors 102, 202 to transmit and receive radio signals. For example, one or more processors 102, 202 can control one or more transceivers 106, 206 to transmit user data, control information, or radio signals to one or more other devices. Also, one or more processors 102, 202 can control one or more transceivers 106, 206 to receive user data, control information, or radio signals from one or more other devices. Furthermore, one or more transceivers 106, 206 are connected to one or more antennas 108, 208, and one or more transceivers 106, 206 are configured by one or more antennas 108, 208 to transmit and receive user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., as referred to in the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or flowcharts disclosed in this specification. In this specification, one or more antennas are multiple physical antennas or multiple logical antennas (e.g., antenna ports). One or more transceivers 106, 206 convert the received user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., from RF band signals to baseband signals for processing using one or more processors 102, 202. One or more transceivers 106, 206 convert the user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., processed by one or more processors 102, 202, from baseband signals to RF band signals. For this purpose, one or more transceivers 106, 206 include (analog) oscillators and / or filters.

[0338] Figure 12 illustrates a vehicle or autonomous vehicle to which the present invention applies. The vehicle or autonomous vehicle can be embodied in a mobile robot, a vehicle, a train, aerial vehicle (AV), ship, etc.

[0339] Referring to Figure 12, the vehicle or autonomous vehicle 100 includes an antenna unit 108, a communication unit 110, a control unit 120, a drive unit 140a, a power supply unit 140b, a sensor unit 140c, and an autonomous driving unit 140d. The antenna unit 108 is composed of a part of the communication unit 110.

[0340] The communication unit 110 transmits and receives signals (e.g., data, control signals, etc.) to and from external devices such as other vehicles, base stations (e.g., base stations, roadside units, etc.), and servers. The control unit 120 controls elements of the vehicle or autonomous vehicle 100 to perform various operations. The control unit 120 includes an ECU (Electronic control Unit). The drive unit 140a enables the vehicle or autonomous vehicle 100 to travel on the ground. The drive unit 140a includes an engine, motor, powertrain, wheels, brakes, steering system, etc. The power supply unit 140b supplies power to the vehicle or autonomous vehicle 100 and includes a wired / wireless charging circuit, battery, etc. The sensor unit 140c can obtain vehicle status, surrounding environment information, user information, etc. The sensor unit 140c includes an IMU (inertial measurement unit) sensor, collision sensor, wheel sensor, speed sensor, tilt sensor, weight sensor, heading sensor, position module, vehicle forward / reverse sensor, battery sensor, fuel sensor, tire sensor, steering sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, ultrasonic sensor, illuminance sensor, pedal position sensor, etc. The autonomous driving unit 140d embodies technologies such as lane keeping during driving, automatic speed adjustment like adaptive cruise control, automatic driving along a predetermined route, and automatic route setting and driving when a destination is set.

[0341] For example, the communication unit 110 receives map data, traffic information data, etc. from an external server. The autonomous driving unit 140d generates an autonomous driving route and drive plan based on the obtained data. The control unit 120 controls the drive unit 140a so that the vehicle or autonomous vehicle 100 moves along the autonomous driving route according to the drive plan (e.g., speed / direction adjustment). The communication unit 110 non-periodically obtains the latest traffic information data from the external server during autonomous driving, and also obtains surrounding traffic information data from surrounding vehicles. The sensor unit 140c also obtains vehicle status and surrounding environment information during autonomous driving. The autonomous driving unit 140d updates the autonomous driving route and drive plan based on the newly obtained data / information. The communication unit 110 transmits information such as vehicle position, autonomous driving route, and drive plan to the external server. The external server predicts traffic information data in advance using AI technology, etc., based on the information collected from the vehicle or autonomous vehicle, and provides the predicted traffic information data to the vehicle or autonomous vehicle.

[0342] The embodiments described above are combinations of the components and features of the present invention in a predetermined form. Each component or feature should be considered optional unless otherwise explicitly mentioned. Each component or feature can be implemented in a form that is not combined with other components or features. It is also possible to combine some components and / or features to constitute embodiments of the present invention. The order of the operations described in the embodiments of the present invention is changeable. Some components or features of any embodiment can be included in other embodiments, or replaced with corresponding components or features of other embodiments. It is obvious that embodiments can be formed by combining claims that are not explicitly related by reference in the claims, or by including them as new claims through amendments after filing.

[0343] In this document, specific operations that are described as being performed by a base station may, in some cases, be performed by an upper node. That is, in a network consisting of multiple network nodes including a base station, various operations performed for communication with a terminal can be performed by the base station or other network nodes. In this case, the term "base station" can be replaced with terms such as "fixed station," "gNode B (gNB)," "Node B," "eNode B (eNB)," or "access point."

[0344] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that this disclosure can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the features of this disclosure. Therefore, the above detailed description should not be constrained in any way restrictively, but should be considered illustrative. The scope of the invention shall be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0345] The methods and devices for transmitting and receiving uplink and downlink channels described above were explained primarily using examples applied to fifth-generation NewRAT systems, but they can be applied to various wireless communication systems other than fifth-generation NewRAT systems.

Claims

1. A method performed by UE (user equipment), A step of obtaining the SIB1 (system information block 1) of a cell, wherein the SIB1 includes cell bearing information related to NES (network energy saving), The steps include receiving setting information regarding the patterns of active and inactive intervals related to the NES for the cell, A method comprising the step of detecting DCI (downlink control information) related to the activation or deactivation of the aforementioned pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the DCI related to the activation or deactivation of the pattern is received in a common search space (CSS) set up for the DCI related to the activation or deactivation of the pattern.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the DCI related to the activation or deactivation of the pattern is detected based on an RNTI (radio network temporary identifier) ​​defined for monitoring NES-related instruction information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UE does not operate the scheduling request (SR) prevention timer during the inactive interval based on the activated pattern.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the UE does not increment the SR counter during the deactivation interval based on the activated pattern.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cell is not bearing to a UE that assists in the operation for the NES, based on the fact that the cell bearing information related to the NES is included in the SIB1.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) based on a set grant, which is quasi-statically set based on RRC (radio resource control) signaling based on the activation of the pattern, is not transmitted during the inactive interval based on the activated pattern.

8. The aforementioned setting information includes multiple patterns of active and inactive patterns, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the DCI includes information about one of the plurality of patterns.

9. At least one transceiver, At least one processor, Operablely connected to the at least one processor, and when executed, to the at least one processor, The objective is to obtain the SIB1 (system information block 1) of the cell, wherein the SIB1 includes cell bearing information related to NES (network energy saving). Receiving setting information regarding the patterns of active and inactive intervals related to the NES for the cell, User equipment (UE) comprising: at least one memory for storing instructions that cause an operation to be performed, which includes detecting DCI (downlink control information) related to the activation or deactivation of the aforementioned pattern;

10. The UE according to claim 9, wherein the cell bearing information relating to the NES is included in the SIB1, and the cell is not bearing to the UE that assists in the operation for the NES.

11. The UE according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) based on a set grant, which is quasi-statically set based on RRC (radio resource control) signaling based on the activation of the pattern, is not transmitted during the inactive interval based on the activated pattern.

12. A method performed by a BS (base station), A step of obtaining the SIB1 (system information block 1) of a cell, wherein the SIB1 includes cell bearing information related to NES (network energy saving), The steps include transmitting setting information regarding the patterns of active and inactive intervals related to the NES for the cell, A method comprising the step of transmitting DCI (downlink control information) related to the activation or deactivation of the aforementioned pattern.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the DCI related to the activation or deactivation of the pattern is transmitted in a common search space (CSS) set up for the DCI related to the activation or deactivation of the pattern.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the DCI related to the activation or deactivation of the pattern is transmitted based on an RNTI (radio network temporary identifier) ​​defined for monitoring NES-related instruction information.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the cell is not bearing to a terminal that assists in the operation for the NES, based on the fact that the cell bearing information related to the NES is included in the SIB1.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein a PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) based on a set grant, which is quasi-statically set based on RRC (radio resource control) signaling based on the activation of the pattern, is not received during the inactive interval based on the activated pattern.

17. The aforementioned setting information includes multiple patterns of active and inactive patterns, The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the DCI includes information about one of the plurality of patterns.

18. At least one transceiver, At least one processor, Operablely connected to the at least one processor, and when executed, to the at least one processor, The objective is to obtain the SIB1 (system information block 1) of the cell, wherein the SIB1 includes cell bearing information related to NES (network energy saving). To transmit setting information regarding the patterns of active and inactive intervals related to the NES for the cell, A base station (BS) comprising: at least one memory for storing instructions that cause an operation to be performed, which includes transmitting DCI (downlink control information) related to the activation or deactivation of the aforementioned pattern;

19. The BS according to claim 18, wherein the cell bearing information related to the NES is included in the SIB1, and the cell is not bearing to a terminal that assists in operation for the NES.

20. At least one processor, The objective is to obtain the SIB1 (system information block 1) of the cell, wherein the SIB1 includes cell bearing information related to NES (network energy saving). Receiving setting information regarding the patterns of active and inactive intervals related to the NES for the cell, A computer-readable storage medium comprising at least one computer program that causes the medium to perform an operation including detecting DCI (downlink control information) related to the activation or deactivation of the aforementioned pattern.

21. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the cell is not bearing to a terminal that assists in the operation for the NES, based on the fact that the cell bearing information related to the NES is contained in the SIB1.

22. A device for receiving downlink signals in a wireless communication system, At least one processor, The system comprises at least one memory that is operably connected to the at least one processor and stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to perform an action when executed, The aforementioned operation is, The objective is to obtain the SIB1 (system information block 1) of the cell, wherein the SIB1 includes cell bearing information related to NES (network energy saving). Receiving setting information regarding the patterns of active and inactive intervals related to the NES for the cell, An apparatus comprising detecting DCI (downlink control information) related to the activation or deactivation of the aforementioned pattern.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein, based on the fact that the cell bearing information related to the NES is included in the SIB1, the cell is not bearing to a terminal that assists in the operation for the NES.

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