Cell selection and reselection

Abstract

[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to cell selection and reselection. A terminal device can receive system information for a first cell from a network device in a wireless network, the system information providing one or more frequencies to which a terminal device of a specified type is permitted to access. The terminal device can determine, based on at least the system information, to select or reselect a second cell in the wireless network whose frequency belongs to the provided one or more frequencies, or to select or reselect a third cell in the wireless network whose frequency does not belong to the provided one or more frequencies. In this way, cell selection and reselection for a terminal device of a specified type can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various exemplary embodiments relate to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly, to methods, devices, apparatus, and computer-readable storage media for cell selection and reselection schemes.

Background Art

[0002] Research has been conducted by 3GPP regarding Reduced Capability (RedCap) terminal devices in order to improve them in terms of complexity reduction, coverage restoration, and power saving of the terminal. There is a need for better solutions for cell selection and reselection for RedCap terminal devices as well as other similar terminal devices.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] Generally, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide solutions for performing cell selection and / or cell reselection of a terminal device in a wireless network.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In a first aspect, a terminal device is provided. The terminal device can include at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions. When the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the terminal device is caused to at least: receive system information of a first cell from a network device in a wireless network, where the system information provides one or more frequencies to which a terminal device of a defined type is permitted access; and based at least on the system information, determine whether to select or reselect a second cell in the wireless network to which the frequency belongs among the provided one or more frequencies, or select or reselect a third cell in a wireless network to which the frequency does not belong among the provided one or more frequencies.

[0005] In a second embodiment, a network device is provided. The network device may include at least one processor and at least one memory for storing instructions. When the instructions are executed by at least one processor, the network device causes at least one terminal device to transmit system information of a first cell in a radio network, and the system information of the first cell provides one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access, so that the terminal device can decide to select or re-select a second cell in the radio network whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, or to select or re-select a third cell in the radio network whose frequency does not belong to one or more of the provided frequencies.

[0006] A third embodiment provides a method, which may include the steps of: a terminal device receiving system information for a first cell from a network device in a wireless network, wherein the system information provides one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access; and, based on at least the system information, selecting or re-selecting a second cell in the wireless network to which the provided one or more frequencies belong, or selecting or re-selecting a third cell in the wireless network to which the provided one or more frequencies do not belong.

[0007] A fourth aspect provides a method, the method comprising a network device transmitting system information of a first cell in a wireless network to a terminal device, the system information of the first cell providing one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access, in order for the terminal device to decide whether to select or re-select a second cell in a wireless network to which one or more frequencies provided belong, or to select or re-select a third cell in a wireless network to which one or more frequencies provided belong do not belong.

[0008] In a fifth aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include, in a terminal device, means for receiving system information of a first cell from a network device in a wireless network, wherein the system information provides one or more frequencies to which a terminal device of a defined type is permitted to access; and means for determining, based on at least the system information, to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network to which the provided one or more frequencies belong, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network to which the provided one or more frequencies do not belong.

[0009] In a sixth aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include, in a network device, means for transmitting system information of a first cell in a radio network to a terminal device, the system information of the first cell providing one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access in order for the terminal device to decide whether to select or re-select a second cell in a radio network to which one or more frequencies provided belong, or to select or re-select a third cell in a radio network to which one or more frequencies provided belong do not belong.

[0010] In the seventh aspect, a computer program is provided. The computer program may include instructions. When the instructions are executed by the device, they cause the device to perform at least the method of the third aspect.

[0011] In the eighth aspect, a computer program is provided. The computer program may include instructions. When the instructions are executed by the device, they cause the device to perform at least the method of the fourth aspect.

[0012] In the ninth aspect, a computer-readable medium is provided. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions that, when executed by the device, cause the device to perform at least one of the methods described in the third or fourth aspect above.

[0013] In a tenth embodiment, a terminal device is provided. The terminal device may include a receiving circuit configured to receive system information of a first cell from a network device in a wireless network, the receiving circuit providing one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access, and a decision circuit configured to determine, based on at least the system information, to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network whose frequency does not belong to one or more of the provided frequencies.

[0014] In an eleventh embodiment, a network device is provided. The network device may include a transmitting circuit configured to transmit system information of a first cell in a radio network to a terminal device, the system information of the first cell providing one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access in order for the terminal device to decide whether to select or re-select a second cell in a radio network to which one or more frequencies provided belong, or to select or re-select a third cell in a radio network to which one or more frequencies provided belong do not belong.

[0015] It should be understood that the summary section is not intended to identify any key or important features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent throughout the following description.

[0016] Next, several exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This figure shows an exemplary communication network on which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. [Figure 2]A diagram showing an exemplary scenario of cell selection and / or cell reselection of a terminal device capable of implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] A diagram showing a flowchart of communication signaling according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] A flowchart showing a method implemented on a terminal device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] A flowchart showing a method implemented on a network device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] A schematic block diagram showing an apparatus suitable for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] A block diagram showing an exemplary computer-readable medium according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements.

[0019] Here, the principles of the present disclosure will be described with reference to some exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are described only for illustrative purposes without suggesting any limitation to the scope of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that they will be helpful for those skilled in the art to understand and implement the present disclosure. The disclosure described in this specification can be implemented in various ways other than those described below.

[0020] In the following description and claims, unless otherwise specified, all technical terms and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains.

[0021] In this disclosure, expressions such as "one embodiment," "a certain embodiment," and "exemplary embodiment" indicate that the described embodiments may include certain features, structures, or characteristics, but not all embodiments necessarily include certain features, structures, or characteristics. Furthermore, such expressions do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, if certain features, structures, or characteristics are described in relation to an embodiment, it is considered within the knowledge of those skilled in the art that such features, structures, or characteristics may be affected in other embodiments, whether or not they are explicitly stated.

[0022] Terms such as "first" and "second" may be used herein to describe various elements, but it should be understood that these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, the first element may be referred to as the second element, and similarly, the second element may be referred to as the first element. Where used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the terms described.

[0023] The terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprising," "comprises," "having," "has," "including," and / or "includes," when used in this specification, specify the presence of the described features, elements, and / or components, etc., but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. As used herein, "at least one of the following <list of two or more elements>" and "at least one of <list of two or more elements>", and similar expressions, mean at least any one of the elements in the list of two or more elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements, when the list of two or more elements is connected by "and" or "or".

[0024] As used in this application, the term "circuit" may refer to one or more or all of the following. (a) Only hardware circuit implementation (such as implementation of only analog circuits and / or digital circuits) and (b) Combination of hardware circuits and software (where applicable): (i) Combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuits and software / firmware, and (ii) Software (including digital signal processors), any part of a hardware processor having software and memory, which cooperate to perform various functions in a device such as a mobile phone or a server, and (c) A hardware circuit and / or a processor, such as a microprocessor or a part of a microprocessor, which requires software (such as firmware) for operation. However, there may be no software when it is not required for operation.

[0025] This definition of circuit applies to all use of the term in this application, including in any claim. Further as used in this application, the term circuit also includes, but is not limited to, a hardware circuit or processor (or more processors) or a part of a hardware circuit or processor and the accompanying software and / or firmware implementation. The term circuit also includes, for example, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device, or a similar integrated circuit in a server, cellular network device, or other computer or network device, where applicable to a particular claim element.

[0026] In this specification, the term “communication network” refers to a network conforming to any appropriate communication standard, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), etc. Furthermore, communication between terminal devices and network devices in a communication network may be carried out in accordance with any appropriate generation of communication protocol, including, but not limited to, first generation (1G), second generation (2G), 2.5G, 2.75G, third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), 4.5G, future fifth generation (5G) communication protocols, and / or other protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. Embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to a variety of communication systems. Given the rapid development of communications, there will of course be future communication technologies and systems to which embodiments of this disclosure can be applied. The scope of this disclosure should not be considered to be limited to the aforementioned systems only.

[0027] As used herein, the term “network device” refers to a node in a communications network from which terminal devices access the network and receive services. Depending on the terminology and technology applied, a network device may be called, for example, a node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved node B (eNodeB or eNB), an NR NB (also known as a gNB), a remote radio unit (RRU), a radio header (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a low-power node such as a relay, femto, or pico, a base station (BS), or an access point (AP).

[0028] The term "terminal device" refers to any end device capable of wireless communication. Examples, though not exhaustive, may also refer to a terminal device as a communication device, user equipment (UE), subscriber station (SS), mobile subscriber station, mobile station (MS), or access terminal (AT). Terminal devices may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, cell phones, smartphones, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, tablets, wearable terminal devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, desktop computers, image capture terminal devices such as digital cameras, game terminal devices, music storage and playback devices, vehicle wireless terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop mounted devices (LMEs), USB dongles, smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, watches or other wearables, head-mounted displays (HMDs), vehicles, drones, medical devices and applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial equipment and applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in an industrial and / or automated processing chain context), electronic devices that may include consumers, and equipment operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks. In the following description, the terms “terminal device,” “communication device,” “terminal,” “user equipment,” and “UE” can be used synonymously.

[0029] The use scenarios identified for 5G are Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC), and Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (URLLC). Another identified area is Time-Sensitive Communications (TSC). In particular, mMTC, URLLC, and TSC are associated with new IoT use cases targeted in vertical industries. It is assumed that all eMBB, mMTC, URLLC, and TSC use cases need to be supported on the same network.

[0030] A 3GPP study on "Self-Assessment for IMT-2020 Submission" confirmed that NB-IoT and LTE-MTC (also known as eMTC) can satisfy the IMT-2020 requirements of nMTC and be certified as 5G technologies. Regarding URLLC support, URLLC features were introduced in Release 15 for both LTE and NR, and NR URLLC was extended in Release 16 to include Extended URLLC (eURLLC) and within the Industrial IoT work item. Release 16 also introduced support for Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and 5G integration for TSC use cases.

[0031] In addition to use cases already adequately addressed by the technologies mentioned, the following categories of midrange use cases have been identified as potential subjects for some NR extensions.

[0032] One key goal of 5G is to enable connected industries. 5G connectivity can act as a catalyst for the next wave of industrial transformation and digitalization, improving flexibility, expanding productivity and efficiency, reducing maintenance costs, and further enhancing operational safety. Devices in such environments include, for example, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, thermometers, motion sensors, accelerometers, and actuators. It is desirable to connect these sensors and actuators to 5G wireless access and core networks. The use cases and requirements for large-scale industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) described in TR22.804, TS22.104, TR22.832, and TS22.261 include not only URLLC services with particularly high requirements, but also relatively low-end services that are fully wireless with small device form factor requirements and / or battery life of several years. The requirements for these services are higher than LPWA (i.e., LTE-MTC / NB-IoT) but lower than URLLC and eMBB.

[0033] Similar to connected industries, 5G connectivity can act as a catalyst for the next wave of smart city innovation. As an example, TR22.804 describes smart city use cases and their requirements. Smart city verticals cover data collection and processing to efficiently monitor and control urban resources and further serve urban residents. In particular, the deployment of surveillance cameras is an integral part of smart cities, but also an integral part of factories and industries.

[0034] Finally, wearable use cases include smartwatches, e-health related devices, personal protective equipment (PPE), and medical monitoring devices used in public safety applications. One characteristic of these use cases is the small size of the devices.

[0035] As a baseline, the requirements for these three use cases, including general requirements in terms of device complexity, device size, and deployment scenarios, and the use case-specific requirements in terms of industrial wireless sensors, video surveillance, and wearables, are as follows:

[0036] In terms of device complexity, the main theme of the new device types is to reduce the cost and complexity of the devices compared to the high-end eMBB and URLLC devices of Release 15 / Release 16. This is especially true in the case of industrial sensors.

[0037] In terms of device size, a requirement for many use cases is that the standard allows for the design of devices with compact form factors.

[0038] In terms of deployment scenarios, the system must support all FR1 / FR2 bandwidths for both FDD and TDD.

[0039] For industrial wireless sensors, the standard use cases and requirements are described in TR22.832 and TS22.104. The availability of communication services is 99.99%, and the end-to-end latency is less than 100ms. The standard bitrate is less than 2Mbps for all use cases (potentially asymmetric, e.g., UL heavy traffic), and the device is fixed. The battery must last for at least several years. For safety-related sensors, the latency requirement is low, 5-10ms (TR22.804).

[0040] In terms of video surveillance, as stated in TR22.804, the standard economic video bitrate is 2-4 Mbps, latency <500 ms, and confidence level 99-99.9%, while high-end video, such as high-end video for agricultural use, requires 7.5-25 Mbps. Note that traffic patterns are dominated by UL transmissions.

[0041] In terms of wearables, the baseline bitrate for smart wearable applications is 5-50 Mbps for DL ​​and 2-5 Mbps for UL, while the device's peak bitrate will be higher, up to 150 Mbps downlink and up to 50 Mbps uplink. The device's battery must last for several days (up to 1-2 weeks).

[0042] Techniques for reducing UE complexity, recovering coverage, and saving UE power for these use cases have been explored in the RedCap study item documented in TR38.875. The intent of this work item is to specify a list of UE features and parameters with low end-capability for Release 16eMBB and URLLC NR to act on the three use cases described above.

[0043] This task item has the following objectives: I) Indicate support for the following UE complexity reduction features [RAN1, RAN2, RAN4] a) Reduced maximum UE bandwidth i. The maximum bandwidth of the FR1 function reduction UE during and after initial access is 20 MHz. ii. The maximum bandwidth of the FR2 function reduction UE during and after initial access is 100 MHz. b) Minimum number of Rx branches to reduce i. In frequency bands where a legacy NR UE is required to have a minimum of 2Rx antenna ports, the minimum number of Rx branches supported by the reduced-feature UE specification is 1. The specification also supports 2Rx branches for reduced-feature UEs in these bands. ii. In frequency bands where legacy NR UEs (other than 2Rx vehicle UEs) are required to have a minimum of 4Rx antenna ports, the number of Rx branches supported by the reduced-function UE specification is 1. The specification also supports 2Rx branches for reduced-function UEs in these bands. iii. The method is specified by a gNB that can determine the number of Rx branches in the UE. c) Maximum number of DL MIMO layers In feature-reduced UEs with the i.1Rx branch, the 1DL MIMO layer is supported. ii.2 In a reduced-feature UE with the Rx branch, the 2DL MIMO layer is supported. d) Maximum modulation order that is relaxed Support for 256QAM in i.DL is optional (instead of mandatory) for FR1 feature reduction UEs. ii. Other relaxations of the maximum modulation order are not specified for the feature reduction UE. e) Dual operation i. HD-FDD Type A with minimal specification impact (note that FD-FDD and TDD are also supported). II) Specify a definition of one reduction UE type, which includes the ability to identify reduction UEs, restricts the use of reduction capabilities to reduction UEs only, and further includes the ability to prevent reduction UEs from using capabilities not intended for reduction UEs, including at least carrier aggregation, dual connectivity, and wide bandwidth [RAN2, RAN1]. a) The existing UE capability framework is used, and capability change signaling is specified only when necessary. III) Specify the ability to make a reduced-function UE explicitly identifiable to the network via early indication in Msg1 and / or Msg3 and MsgA, if supported, including the ability to configure early indication by the network [RAN2, RAN1]. IV) Specify a system information indicator that indicates whether a reduced-function UE can camp in a cell / frequency; the indicator may be specific to the number of Rx branches of the UE [RAN2, RAN1]. [RAN2] Specifies the necessary updates for V)UE capabilities (38.306) and RRC parameters (38.331). VI) Specify support for the following enhanced DRX enhancements in the reduced-function UE [RAN2, RAN3, RAN4]. a) Extended DRX for RRC inactiv and idle with a maximum eDRX cycle of 10.24s, without using PTW and PH, and having a common design between RRC inactiv and idle (e.g., a common set of eDRX values). b) Mechanism and feasibility details regarding the maximum length of the extended DRX cycle for the RRC inactive and idle, which must be checked by the extended DRX, SA2, CT1 and / or RAN4 of the RRC inactive and idle, having a maximum eDRX cycle of 10485.76s. c) RAN2 determines the nodes that make up eDRX using RRC_idle and RRC_inactive. VII) Specify the following RRM measurement relaxations for neighboring cells of a reduced-function device, and support for RRC_idle / inactive / connected [RAN2, RAN4]. a) Specify measurement (RSRP / RSRQ) based fixed criteria and not-at-cell edge criteria [RAN2]. i. Enabling / disabling RRM measurement relaxation must be under network control. Specify both broadcast and dedicated signaling for enabling / disabling RRM measurement relaxation. b) Specify UE requirements for RRM measurement relaxation [RAN4]. c) RRM measurement relaxation is not specified for serving cells. VIII) Specify the above RAN4 core requirements.

[0044] It should be noted that the uplink coverage enhancement solution specified in the NR Coverage Enhancement work item (NR_cov_enh) is assumed by default to be applicable to reduced-function UEs (with minor modifications to the reduced-function UE if found necessary). The power-saving enhancement solution specified in the UE Power-Saving Enhancement work item (NR_UE_pow_sav_enh) is assumed by default to be applicable to reduced-function UEs. Release 15 SSB bandwidth is reused, and L1 changes are minimized. The work defined as part of this work item does not overlap with LAPW use cases. Coexistence with non-reduced-function UEs is guaranteed. This work item focuses on single connectivity with SA mode and operation at a single bandwidth at a time.

[0045] Cell selection and re-selection in RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE modes are described in 3GPP TS38.300v.17.0.0 as follows: 9.2.1 Mobility in RRC_IDLE 9.2.1.1 Cell Selection The PLMN selection principle in NR is based on the 3GPP PLMN selection principle. Cell selection is required during transitions from RM-DEREGISTERED to RM-REGISTERED, from CM-IDLE to CM-CONNECTED, and from CM-CONNECTED to CM-IDLE, and is based on the following principle. - The UE NAS layer identifies the selected PLMN and its equivalent PLMN. - Cell selection is always based on CD-SSBs located in the synchronous raster (see Section 5.2.4). - The UE searches the NR frequency band to identify the strongest cell for CD-SSB for each carrier frequency. Next, it reads the cell system information broadcast to identify this PLMN. - The UE then either searches for each carrier ("initial cell selection") or uses stored information to shorten the search ("stored information cell selection"). - The UE requests identification of a suitable cell, and if it cannot identify a suitable cell, it requests identification of an acceptable cell. When a suitable cell is found, or when only acceptable cells are found, it camps in this cell and starts the cell reselection procedure. - A suitable cell is one whose measured cell attributes satisfy the cell selection criteria, the cell PLMN is a selected PLMN, registered or equivalent PLMN, the cell is not prohibited or reserved, and the cell is not part of a tracking area on the list of “Roaming Prohibited Tracking Areas”. - An acceptable cell is one whose measured cell attributes satisfy the cell selection criteria and is not a prohibited cell. - IAB-MT applies the cell selection procedure described below to cells that have the following differences: - IAB-MT ignores cell prohibition or cell reservation indications included in cell system information broadcasts. - IAB-MT only considers a cell as a candidate for cell selection when the cell system information broadcast indicates IAB support for a selected PLMN or selected SNPN. Transition to RRC_IDLE When transitioning from RRC_CONNECTED or RRC_INACTIVE to RRC_IDLE, the UE must camp in a cell as a result of cell selection according to the frequency assigned by RRC, if any, in the state transition message. Recovery from outside coverage The UE should attempt to find a suitable cell using the method described in the stored information or the initial cell selection described above. If a suitable cell is not found at any frequency or RAT, the UE must attempt to find an acceptable cell. In multi-beam operation, cell quality is derived from the beams corresponding to the same cell (see Section 9.2.4). 9.2.1.2 Reselect Cells The UE for RRC_IDLE performs cell reselection. The principle of the procedure is as follows: - Cell re-selection is always based on the CD-SSB located in the synchronized raster (see Section 5.2.4). - The UE measures the attributes of the serving and neighboring cells to enable reselection. - For searching and measuring neighboring cells between frequencies, only the carrier frequency needs to be indicated. - Cell reselection identifies the cells that the UE must camp. This is based on cell reselection criteria that include serving and neighboring cell measurements. - Inter-frequency reselection is based on cell ranking. - Inter-frequency reselection is based on absolute priority, in which the UE attempts to camp at the highest available priority frequency. -NCL is provided by the serving cell to address specific cases of in-frequency and inter-frequency neighboring cells. - Exclusion lists can be provided to nearby cells within and between specific frequencies so that the UE does not re-select them. - The allow list is provided only to neighboring cells within and between specific frequencies in order to request re-selection from the UE. - Cell re-selection can depend on speed. - Service-specific prioritization, - Slice-specific cell reselection information is provided to make it easier for the UE to reselect cells that support a particular slice. In multi-beam operation, cell quality is derived from the beams corresponding to the same cell (see Section 9.2.4). 9.2.2 Mobility in RRC_INACTIVE 9.2.2.2 Reselect Cells In RRC_INACTIVE, the UE performs cell reselection. The principle of the procedure is the same as in the RRC_IDLE state (see Section 9.2.1.2).

[0046] As described above, a good solution for cell selection and reselection is needed for reduced-function terminal devices and other similar terminal devices. For example, the parameter RedCapAccessAllowed was introduced in NR's SIB4 under InterFreqInfo-v1700. The parameter RedCapAccessAllowed indicates whether a reduced-function UE is allowed access to frequencies. However, it does not specify how this information is available to the UE.

[0047] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a solution for performing cell selection and / or cell reselection of terminal devices in a wireless network. The principles and embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that these embodiments are provided so that those skilled in the art can carry out the solutions proposed herein and do not limit the scope of this application in any way.

[0048] Referring first to Figure 1, Figure 1 shows an exemplary communication system 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be carried out. System 100 is part of a communication network but may include a terminal device 110 and a network device 120. When idle or inactive, terminal device 110 can select a cell to camp. As shown in Figure 1, terminal device 110 can select a cell 130 of network device 120 and camp in cell 130. In the communication system, "UL" indicates a communication uplink in the direction from the terminal device to the network device, and "DL" indicates a communication downlink in the direction from the network device to the terminal device.

[0049] Figure 2 shows an exemplary scenario 200 of cell selection and / or cell re-selection of a terminal device 110 that can implement embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the terminal device 110 is located within cells 130, 210, and 220. Cells 130, 210, and 220 can associate the same network device or different network devices. Cells 130 (e.g., cell 1), 210 (e.g., cell 2), and 220 (e.g., cell 3) can be neighboring cells or cells formed in the same geographic area under different frequency coverage. The number of cells is given for illustrative purposes only and does not imply any limitation. The terminal device 110 can select a cell to camp in. For example, the terminal device 110 can select cell 130 (e.g., cell 1) of network device 120 and camp in cell 130. The terminal device 110 can receive system information for cell 130 when it is camped in cell 130. After camping in cell 130, the terminal device 110 can continue to perform cell reselection to camp in other neighboring cells with high priority / good channel quality (e.g., second cell 210 or third cell 220).

[0050] It should be understood that the number of network devices and terminal devices is given for illustrative purposes only and does not imply any limitation. System 100 may include any appropriate number of network devices and / or terminal devices adapted to carry out embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0051] Communication in communication system 100 may be carried out in accordance with any suitable communication protocol, including, but not limited to, cellular communication protocols such as first-generation (1G), second-generation (2G), third-generation (3G), fourth-generation (4G), and fifth-generation (5G), wireless local network communication protocols such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11, and / or any other protocols that are currently known or are to be developed in the future. Furthermore, communication may also utilize any suitable wireless communication technology, including, but not limited to, code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division duplex (FDD), time division duplex (TDD), multiple input multiple output (MIMO), orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM), and / or any other technologies that are currently known or are to be developed in the future.

[0052] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below. Refer here to Figure 3, which illustrates a signaling chart showing a process 300 between a terminal device and a network device according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For illustrative purposes only, process 300 will be described with respect to Figure 1. Process 300 may encompass the terminal device 110 and network device 120 in Figure 1.

[0053] In process 300, the network device 120 transmits system information 304 for a first cell in the wireless network to the terminal device 110 (302). The system information 304 provides one or more frequency ranges (FRS) to which a defined type of terminal device is permitted to access. The terminal device 110 receives the system information 304 for the first cell from the network device 120. Based on at least the system information 304 for the first cell, the terminal device 110 decides to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network that belongs to one or more frequency ranges (FRS) to which frequencies (FR) are provided, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network that does not belong to one or more frequency ranges (FRS) to which frequencies (FR) are provided (308). In this way, cell selection and re-selection for a defined type of terminal device can be improved.

[0054] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can be determined to be of a defined type. In some embodiments, the defined type of terminal device may include at least a first type which can be a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device. In some embodiments, the fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device may comply with a bandwidth standard which may be either a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz in the frequency range of 600 to 6000 MHz, or a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz in the frequency range of 26 to 47 GHz. In this way, cell selection and re-selection of the reduced capability terminal device can be improved.

[0055] In some embodiments, if the terminal device 110 can identify the second cell within the duration, the terminal device 110 can select or re-select the second cell. If the terminal device 110 cannot identify the second cell within the duration, the terminal device 110 can select or re-select the third cell. Thus, cell selection and re-selection by a defined type of terminal device is energy-efficient and reliable.

[0056] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can further determine the duration based on system information. In some embodiments, the system information may include duration information for a defined type of terminal device to identify the second cell. Thus, cell selection and re-selection for a defined type of terminal device can be adapted according to actual needs.

[0057] In some embodiments, the duration can be pre-configured within the terminal device 110. This reduces resource overhead. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can determine the duration based on a predetermined timer value. Alternatively or additionally, the terminal device 110 can determine the duration based on the terminal device's battery level. Alternatively or additionally, the terminal device 110 can determine the duration based on the terminal device's overheating state. Alternatively or additionally, the terminal device 110 can determine the duration based on whether any of one or more cells of two or more frequencies are detectable. In this way, the cell selection and reselection of a given type of terminal device can be further adapted to actual scenarios.

[0058] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can select or re-select a second cell or a third cell based on a re-selection priority set up for one or more frequencies provided according to system information. In some embodiments, the re-selection priority set up for one or more provided frequencies may have a higher priority for selecting the second cell than for a third cell whose frequency does not belong to the one or two or more provided frequencies. In some embodiments, the system information may include information for configuring a re-selection priority set up for one or more frequencies such that a specified type of terminal device has a higher re-selection priority set up for one or more frequencies than for frequencies whose frequency does not belong to the one or two or more provided frequencies. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can determine a first re-selection priority set up for the first frequency of the second cell and the second frequency of the third cell. Based on the first re-selection priority set up and the system information, the terminal device 110 can determine a second re-selection priority set up for the first and second frequencies such that the second re-selection priority set up for the first frequency is determined to be higher than the second re-selection priority set up for the second frequency, regardless of whether the first re-selection priority set up for the first frequency is lower than the first frequency re-selection priority set up for the second frequency. Next, the terminal device 110 can decide to re-select the second cell or the third cell based on the second re-selection priority of the first and second frequencies. In this way, the reliability of the cell selection and re-selection operations can be improved.

[0059] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can further measure the cell quality of a cell. The terminal device 110 can determine that the cell's frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies. Based on the determination that the cell's frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, the terminal device 110 can apply an offset value for cell selection or reselection to the measured cell quality. For example, if an offset is applied to a first cell whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, and not to a second cell whose frequency does not belong to one or more of the provided frequencies, the offset will improve / worse the measured cell quality of the first cell compared to the measured quality of the second cell. In some embodiments, the offset value can be determined by the terminal device 110 or provided in system information. In some embodiments, the system information may include information on an offset value for which a specified type of terminal device can apply to the cell quality of cells whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies. Thus, the chances for the terminal device to select or reselect the provided frequencies can be adjusted according to the actual need.

[0060] In some embodiments, system information can be received from the first cell via a system information block 4 (SIB4). In this way, the reliability of cell selection and re-selection operations can be improved without increasing resource overhead. In some embodiments, system information can be indicated by the parameter redcapAccessAllowed within the system information block 4 (SIB4 improves cell selection and re-selection operations).

[0061] In some embodiments, at least one of the second and third cells can be different from the first cell. In this way, the terminal device 110 can utilize the system information of the cell where the UE is camped, as well as system information previously received from some other cells.

[0062] There can be various ways in which the network device 120 performs cell selection and reselection operations that utilize the redcapAccessAllowed parameter. In one embodiment, the terminal device 110 can use the redcapAccessAllowed parameter with an indication of the frequency of the cell selection and reselection procedure. In one embodiment, the terminal device 110 can skip frequencies for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is not provided for cell selection and reselection evaluation. In other words, the terminal device 110 can ignore frequencies for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is not provided.

[0063] In one embodiment, if a suitable cell is not identified via the frequencies provided by the redcapAccessAllowed parameter within the duration, the terminal device 110 can search for a suitable cell from any frequency. In one embodiment, the duration can be predefined in the specification or provided by the network. Alternatively, the duration can be determined by the UE implementation based on, for example, a predetermined timer value, the battery level of the terminal device 110, an overheating condition, or whether any cell is detectable from a given frequency. In another embodiment, if another cell that provides frequency indication to the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is not applicable to the cell evaluation, the terminal device 110 can apply the same principle using the redcapAccessAllowed indication for cell selection and reselection, i.e., it can skip frequencies not provided by the redcapAccessAllowed parameter for cell selection and reselection evaluation.

[0064] In one embodiment, a reduced-function terminal device (e.g., terminal device 110) can consider cell reselection priorities only for frequencies where the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is provided. In other words, terminal device 110 does not need to perform cell selection or reselection evaluation for frequencies where the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is not indicated.

[0065] For example, a reduced-function terminal device can consider any frequency for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is not provided as having a lower cell reselection priority than the frequencies for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is provided. For example, if frequencies #1, #3, and #4 for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is not provided have cell reconfiguration priorities of 7, 5, and 4 respectively (higher values ​​mean higher priority), and frequencies #2, #5, and #6 for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is provided have cell reconfiguration priorities of 6, 3, and 3 respectively, the reduced-function terminal device can consider frequency #2 as the highest priority, #5 and #6 as the second highest priority, and frequencies #1, #3, and #4 as descending priorities. In this case, the terminal device 110 determines these frequency priorities itself. In other words, the handling of frequency priorities is not specified or signaled to the terminal device 110.

[0066] In one embodiment, the terminal device 110 can add an offset value to the measured cell quality at the frequency for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is provided. The offset value can be added to the measured RSRP / RSRQ / RSSI, for example, in dB or dBM. By doing so, the terminal device 110 has a higher chance of selecting the frequency for which the redcapAccessAllowed parameter is provided compared to other frequencies.

[0067] For example, an exemplary implementation can be carried out as follows: redcapAccessAllowed means This indicates whether the reduced-function UE is allowed access to the frequency. If no frequency is provided in InterFreqCarrierFreqInfo-v1700, the reduced-function UE may skip the frequency for cell reselection.

[0068] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method 400 implemented in a terminal device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For illustrative purposes, method 400 will be described in reference to terminal device 110 with respect to Figure 1. Method 400 can improve cell selection and reselection in a defined type of terminal device.

[0069] In block 420, the terminal device 110 receives system information for a first cell from the network device 120 in the wireless network. The system information may provide one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access. In block 420, the terminal device 110 decides, based at least on the system information, to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network whose frequency does not belong to one or more of the provided frequencies.

[0070] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can be determined to be of a defined type. In some embodiments, the defined type of terminal device may include at least a first type which may be a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device. In some embodiments, the fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device may comply with a bandwidth standard which may be either a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz in the frequency range of 600 to 6000 MHz, or a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz in the frequency range of 26 to 47 GHz.

[0071] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can select or re-select the second cell if the terminal device can identify the second cell within the duration, and can select or re-select the third cell if the terminal device cannot identify the second cell within the duration.

[0072] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can further determine the duration based on system information. In some embodiments, the duration can be pre-configured within the terminal device 110. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can determine the duration based on at least one of a predetermined timer value, the terminal device's battery level, the terminal device's overheating state, or whether one or more cells of two or more frequencies are detectable.

[0073] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may select or re-select a second cell or a third cell based on a re-selection priority set up for one or more frequencies provided according to system information. In some embodiments, the re-selection priority set up for one or more provided frequencies may have a higher priority for selecting the second cell than for a third cell to which no frequency belongs among the one or more provided frequencies.

[0074] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may further determine a first reselection priority for the first frequency of the second cell and the second frequency of the third cell, and determine a second reselection priority for the first and second frequencies based on the first reselection priority and system information such that the second reselection priority for the first frequency is determined to be higher than the second reselection priority for the second frequency, regardless of whether the first reselection priority for the first frequency is lower than the first reselection priority for the second frequency, and then decide to reselect the second cell or the third cell based on the second reselection priority for the first and second frequencies.

[0075] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can further measure the cell quality of a cell to determine that the cell's frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, and based on the determination that the cell's frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, it can apply an offset value for cell selection or re-selection to the measured cell quality. In some embodiments, the offset value can be determined by the terminal device 110 or provided in system information.

[0076] In some embodiments, system information can be received from the first cell via a system information block 4 (SIB4). In some embodiments, system information can be indicated in the system information block 4 (SIB4) by the parameter redcapAccessAllowed. In some embodiments, at least one of the second and third cells can be different from the first cell.

[0077] Figure 5 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method 500 implemented in a network device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For explanatory purposes, method 500 will be described with reference to Figure 1 from the perspective of network device 120. Method 500 can support an improved scheme for cell selection and reselection.

[0078] In block 520, the network device 120 transmits system information for a first cell in the wireless network to the terminal device 110. The system information for the first cell provides one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted access to the terminal device 110, in order to decide whether to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network whose frequency does not belong to one or more of the provided frequencies.

[0079] In some embodiments, a defined type of terminal device may include at least a first type that can be a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device. In some embodiments, a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device may comply with a bandwidth standard that may be either a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz in the frequency range of 600 to 6000 MHz, or a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz in the frequency range of 26 to 47 GHz.

[0080] In some embodiments, the system information may include information on the duration of a defined type of terminal device for identifying a second cell. In some embodiments, the system information may include information for configuring the reselection priority of one or more frequencies such that a defined type of terminal device has a higher reselection priority than frequencies that do not belong to one or more frequencies. In some embodiments, the system information may include information on an offset value that a defined type of terminal device applies to the cell quality of cells whose frequencies belong to one or more frequencies.

[0081] In some embodiments, when transmitting system information, the network device 120 can transmit the system information via the system information block 4 (SIB4) of the first cell. In some embodiments, the system information can be indicated in the system information block 4 (SIB4) by the parameter redcapAccessAllowed. In some embodiments, at least one of the second and third cells can be different from the first cell.

[0082] In some embodiments, an apparatus capable of performing any of the methods 400 (e.g., a terminal device 110) may include means for performing each step of the methods 400. The means can be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the means can be implemented in a circuit or a software module.

[0083] In some embodiments, the apparatus may include, in a terminal device 110, means for receiving system information of a first cell from a network device in a wireless network, wherein the system information provides one or more frequencies to which a predetermined type of terminal device is permitted to access; and means for determining, based on at least the system information, to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network whose frequency does not belong to one or more of the provided frequencies.

[0084] In some embodiments, the device may further include means for determining that the terminal device is of a defined type. In some embodiments, the defined type of terminal device may include at least a first type, which may include a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device. In some embodiments, the fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device may comply with a bandwidth standard that may include either a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz in the frequency range of 600–6000 MHz or a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz in the frequency range of 26–47 GHz.

[0085] In some embodiments, the apparatus may further include means for the terminal device to select or re-select a second cell if it can identify the second cell within the duration, and means for the terminal device to select or re-select a third cell if it cannot identify the second cell within the duration.

[0086] In some embodiments, the device may further include means for determining the duration based on system information. In some embodiments, the duration can be pre-configured within the terminal device 110.

[0087] In some embodiments, the device may further include means for determining the duration based on at least one of a predetermined timer value, the battery level of the terminal device, the overheating state of the terminal device, or whether any of the cells of one or more frequencies are detectable.

[0088] In some embodiments, the device may further include means for selecting or re-selecting a second cell or a third cell based on a re-selection priority configured for one or more frequencies provided according to system information. In some embodiments, the re-selection priority configured for one or more provided frequencies may have a higher priority for selecting the second cell than for a third cell to which no frequency belongs among the provided one or more frequencies.

[0089] In some embodiments, the apparatus may further include means for determining a first reselection priority for the first frequency of the second cell and the second frequency of the third cell; means for determining a second reselection priority for the first and second frequencies based on the first reselection priority and system information, such that the second reselection priority for the first frequency is set higher than the second reselection priority for the second frequency, regardless of whether the first reselection priority for the first frequency is lower than the first reselection priority for the second frequency; and means for determining whether to reselect the second cell or the third cell based on the second reselection priority for the first and second frequencies.

[0090] In some embodiments, the apparatus may further include means for measuring the cell quality of a cell, means for determining that the frequency of the cell belongs to one or more provided frequencies, and means for adding an offset value for cell selection or re-selection to the measured cell quality based on the determination that the frequency of the cell belongs to one or more provided frequencies. In some embodiments, the offset value may be determined by a terminal device 110 or provided in system information.

[0091] In some embodiments, system information can be received from the first cell via a system information block 4 (SIB4). In some embodiments, system information can be indicated in the system information block 4 (SIB4) by the parameter redcapAccessAllowed. In some embodiments, at least one of the second and third cells can be different from the first cell.

[0092] In some embodiments, the apparatus may further include means for performing other steps in some embodiments of Method 400. In some embodiments, the means may include at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured by the at least one processor to provide the performance of the apparatus.

[0093] In some embodiments, an apparatus capable of performing any of the methods 500 (e.g., a network device 120) may include means for performing each step of the methods 500. The means can be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the means can be implemented in a circuit or a software module.

[0094] In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a network device 120 for transmitting system information of a first cell in a wireless network to a terminal device 110, wherein the system information of the first cell may include providing one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access, so that the terminal device can decide to select or re-select a second cell in a wireless network to which one or more frequencies provided belong, or to select or re-select a third cell in a wireless network to which one or more frequencies provided belong do not belong.

[0095] In some embodiments, a defined type of terminal device may include at least a first type that can be a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device. In some embodiments, a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device may comply with a bandwidth standard that may be either a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz in the frequency range of 600 to 6000 MHz, or a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz in the frequency range of 26 to 47 GHz.

[0096] In some embodiments, the system information may include duration information for a specified type of terminal device to identify a second cell. In some embodiments, the system information may include information for a specified type of terminal device to configure the reselection priority of one or more frequencies to be higher than the reselection priority of frequencies that do not belong to one or more frequencies. In some embodiments, the system information may include information for offset values ​​that a specified type of terminal device applies to the cell quality of the cell to which one or more frequencies belong.

[0097] In some embodiments, the means for transmitting system information may include means for transmitting system information via a system information block 4 (SIB4) of the first cell. In some embodiments, the system information may be indicated in the system information block 4 (SIB4) by the parameter redcapAccessAllowed. In some embodiments, at least one of the second and third cells may be different from the first cell.

[0098] In some embodiments, the apparatus may further include means for performing other steps in some embodiments of Method 500. In some embodiments, the means may include at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured by the at least one processor to provide the performance of the apparatus.

[0099] Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of a device 600 suitable for carrying out embodiments of the present disclosure. The device 600 can be provided to carry out a communication device, for example, a terminal device 110 or a network device 120 as shown in Figure 1. As shown in the figure, the device 600 includes one or more processors 610, one or more memories 620 coupled to the processors 610, and one or more transmitters and / or receivers (TX / RX) 640 coupled to the processors 610.

[0100] The TX / RX640 is for bidirectional communication. The TX / RX640 has at least one antenna to facilitate communication. The communication interface can represent any interface necessary for communication with other network elements.

[0101] The processor 601 can be any type suitable for a local technology network and may include one or more of the following: a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and, as a non-limiting embodiment, a processor based on a multicore processor architecture. The device 600 may have a multiprocessor, such as an application-specific integrated circuit chip that is temporally slaved to a clock synchronized with the main processor.

[0102] Memory 620 may include one or more non-volatile memories and one or more volatile memories. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, read-only memory (ROM) 624, electronically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, hard disk, compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), and other magnetic and / or optical storage. Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random-access memory (RAM) 622 that does not persist during power-down duration and other volatile memories.

[0103] The computer program 630 includes computer executable instructions that are executed by the associated processor 610. The program 630 can be stored in the ROM 620. The processor 610 can perform any appropriate operation and processing by loading the program 630 into the RAM 620.

[0104] Embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by program 630 so that device 600 can perform any of the processes described with respect to Figures 2 to 5. Embodiments of the present disclosure can also be implemented by hardware or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0105] In some embodiments, the program 630 may be tangibly contained in a computer-readable medium that can be contained in device 600 (such as memory 620) or other storage devices accessible by device 600. Device 600 can load the program 630 from the computer-readable medium into RAM 622 for execution. The computer-readable medium may include any type of tangible non-volatile storage, such as ROM, EPROM, flash memory, hard disk, CD, or DVD. Figure 7 shows an embodiment of the computer-readable medium 700 in the form of a CD or DVD. The computer-readable medium stores the program 630.

[0106] In general, various embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some embodiments can be implemented in hardware, while others can be implemented in firmware or software that can be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computer device. Various embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated and described using block diagrams, flowcharts, or any other pictorial representation, but it should be understood that the blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques, or methods described herein can be implemented, in non-limiting examples, in hardware, software, firmware, special-purpose circuits or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers, or other computer devices, or a combination thereof.

[0107] This disclosure also provides at least one computer program product that is stored in tangible form on a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions that are executed on a device on a target real or virtual processor to perform the methods described above with respect to Figures 2-5, such as those contained in a program module. Generally, a program module includes routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, etc., that perform a specific task or implement a specific abstract data type. The functions of a program module can be combined as needed in various embodiments, or divided among program modules. The machine-executable instructions of a program module can be executed in a local or distributed device. In a distributed device, the program module can reside on both local and remote storage media.

[0108] Program code for carrying out the methods of this disclosure can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code can be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, so that when the program code is executed by the processor or controller, the functions / operations specified in the flowchart and / or block diagrams are performed. The program code may run entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, as a standalone software package, partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0109] In connection with this disclosure, computer program code or related data may be carried by any suitable carrier to enable a device, apparatus, or processor to perform the various processes and operations described above. Examples of carriers include signals, computer-readable media, and the like.

[0110] Computer-readable media may be computer-readable signal media or computer-readable storage media. Computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media include electrical connectors having one or more wires, portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. As used herein, the term “non-transient” refers to the limitations of the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not signaling) as opposed to the limitations of data storage persistence (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

[0111] Furthermore, although the operations are described in a specific order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in a specific order shown, or sequentially, or that all illustrated operations be performed in order to achieve a desired result. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, although some specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of this disclosure, but rather as descriptions of features that may be unique to a particular embodiment. Certain features described in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented separately or in any preferred partial combination in multiple embodiments.

[0112] While this disclosure has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the disclosure set forth in the attached claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as exemplary forms for carrying out the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 110 Terminal devices 120 network devices 300 Processing between terminal devices and network devices according to certain embodiments of this disclosure 302 Send 304 System information of the first cell that provides the frequencies to which specified types of terminal devices are permitted to access. 306 Received 308 Decide to select or re-select a second cell to which the frequency belongs, or to select or re-select a third cell to which the frequency does not belong.

Claims

1. A terminal device for communication, At least one processor, At least one memory to store instructions, Equipped with, When the instruction is executed by the at least one processor, the terminal device shall have at least the following: Receiving system information of a first cell from a network device in a wireless network, wherein the system information provides one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access. Based at least the system information, it is determined to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network whose frequency belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network whose frequency does not belong to one or more of the provided frequencies. A terminal device that performs this action.

2. The aforementioned terminal device further, To determine that the terminal device is of the type specified above, If the terminal device can identify the second cell within the duration, it selects or re-selects the second cell, and If the terminal device cannot identify the second cell within the specified time, it shall select or re-select the third cell. The terminal device according to claim 1, which causes at least one or more of the following to be performed.

3. The terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the aforementioned defined type of terminal device includes at least a first type that includes a fifth-generation (5G) reduced capability (REDCAP) user device.

4. The terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the fifth-generation (5G) reduced-function (REDCAP) user device conforms to a bandwidth standard that includes either a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz in a frequency range of 600 to 6000 MHz, or a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz in a frequency range of 26 to 47 GHz.

5. The aforementioned terminal device further, The aforementioned system information, A predetermined timer value, The battery level of the aforementioned terminal device, Overheating state of the terminal device, or Whether any of the one or two or more of the above-mentioned cells can be detected, The terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the duration is determined based on at least one of the following.

6. The terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the duration is pre-configured within the terminal device.

7. The aforementioned terminal device is The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device is configured to select or reselect the second cell or the third cell based on a reselection priority configured for the one or more frequencies provided in accordance with the system information.

8. The terminal device according to claim 7, wherein the reselection priority configured for the one or more provided frequencies has a higher priority for selecting the second cell than the third cell to which the frequency does not belong among the one or more provided frequencies.

9. The aforementioned terminal device further, Determine the first reselection priority for the first frequency of the second cell and the second frequency of the third cell. Based on the first reselection priority and the system information, the second reselection priorities of the first and second frequencies are determined such that, regardless of whether the first reselection priority of the first frequency is lower than the first reselection priority of the second frequency, the second reselection priority of the first frequency is determined to be higher than the second reselection priority of the second frequency. Based on the second reselection priority of the first frequency and the second frequency, it is decided to reselect the second cell or to reselect the third cell. The terminal device according to claim 8, wherein the device is configured to be such as.

10. The aforementioned terminal device further, Measure the cell quality of the cells, The frequency of the cell is determined to belong to the one or more frequencies provided, Based on the determination that the frequency of the cell belongs to one or more of the provided frequencies, an offset value is applied to the measured cell quality for cell selection or reselection. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be such as.

11. The aforementioned offset value is, The terminal device according to claim 10, which is determined by the terminal device or provided by the system information.

12. The aforementioned system information is, The following is received from the first cell via the system information block 4 (SIB4): or In the system information block 4 (SIB4), the parameter REDCAPAccessAllowed is indicated, The terminal device according to claim 1, which is one or both of the above.

13. The terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the second cell and the third cell is different from the first cell.

14. A network device for communication, At least one processor, At least one memory to store instructions, Equipped with, When the instruction is executed by the at least one processor, it causes at least the network device to: A network device that causes a terminal device to transmit system information relating to neighboring cells of a first cell in a wireless network, and for the terminal device to decide whether to select or re-select a second cell in the wireless network whose frequency belongs to one or more frequencies provided, or to select or re-select a third cell in the wireless network whose frequency does not belong to one or more frequencies provided, the system information of the first cell provides one or more frequencies to which a specified type of terminal device is permitted to access.

15. At least one of the second and third cells differs from the first cell, The aforementioned system information is, The aforementioned defined type of terminal device identifies the second cell using duration information, or The aforementioned specified type of terminal device provides information for configuring the reselection priority of the one or two or more frequencies, which is higher than the reselection priority of frequencies that do not belong to the one or two or more frequencies. or Information of offset values ​​for which the aforementioned specified type of terminal device applies to the cell quality of cells whose frequencies belong to one or more of the aforementioned frequencies. The network device according to claim 14, comprising one or more of the following.

Images