Discovery of passive wireless devices

Abstract

A method is disclosed that includes receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about which of the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to each of the wireless devices, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; determining categories of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; determining operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device based on the determined categories of the passive wireless devices assigned to the wireless device; and transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the operation-related functions to be performed by the wireless device.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The following exemplary embodiments relate to wireless communication and connection with passive wireless devices.

Background Art

[0002] Wireless communication networks such as cellular communication networks have evolved and can be used for various purposes including the Internet of Things (IoT). The connections used in IoT are expected to increase significantly. As a large number of interconnected devices come into existence, it is beneficial to improve production efficiency and enhance the comfort of life, for example, by reducing the size, cost, and power consumption of passive wireless devices that can function as IoT devices.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The scope of protection required for various embodiments of the present invention is defined by the independent claims. If exemplary embodiments and features not falling within the scope of the independent claims are described herein, they should be construed as examples useful for understanding the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0004] According to a first aspect, an apparatus comprising means for receiving association information including information regarding a plurality of passive wireless devices and information regarding to which respective wireless device each of the plurality of passive wireless devices is assigned, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; means for determining a category of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based at least in part on a response signal received from at least a part of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices; means for determining a function regarding an operation to be performed by the wireless device based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device; and means for transmitting a request indicating the function regarding the operation to be performed by the wireless device to the wireless device.

[0005] In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the means comprises at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code together with the at least one processor cause the execution of the device.

[0006] According to a second aspect, there is a device provided comprising at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, receive association information including information about a plurality of passive radio devices and information about which each of the plurality of passive radio devices is assigned to, the radio device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive radio device assigned to the radio device, and the device is configured to perform the following: determine a category of passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices; determine an operation function that the radio device should perform based on the determined category for the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; and transmit a request to the radio device indicating the operation function that the radio device should perform.

[0007] A third aspect provides a method for receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive radio devices and information about which each of the plurality of passive radio devices is assigned to, wherein the radio device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; determining a category of passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices; determining an activation function that the radio device should perform based on the determined category for the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; and transmitting a request to the radio device indicating the activation function that the radio device should perform.

[0008] In some embodiments according to the third aspect, the method is a computer implementation method.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect, a computer program is provided which includes instructions to cause a device to perform the following: receiving association information including at least information about a plurality of passive radio devices and information about which each of the plurality of passive radio devices is assigned to, wherein the radio device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; determining a category of passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices; determining an activation function that the radio device should perform based on the determined category for the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; and transmitting a request to the radio device indicating the activation function that the radio device should perform.

[0010] According to a fifth aspect, a computer program is provided which stores instructions for performing the following: receiving association information including at least information about a plurality of passive radio devices and information about which each of the plurality of passive radio devices is assigned to, wherein the radio device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; determining a category of passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices; determining an activation function that the radio device should perform based on the determined category for the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; and transmitting a request to the radio device indicating the activation function that the radio device should perform.

[0011] According to a sixth aspect, a non-temporary computer-readable medium is provided which includes program instructions causing a device to perform the following actions: receiving association information including at least information about a plurality of passive radio devices and information about which each of the plurality of passive radio devices is assigned to, wherein the radio device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; determining a category of passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices; determining an operational function that the radio device should perform based on the determined category of passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; and transmitting a request to the radio device indicating the operational function that the radio device should perform.

[0012] According to the seventh aspect, a non-temporary computer-readable medium is provided which stores program instructions for performing the following: receiving association information including at least information about a plurality of passive radio devices and information about which each of the plurality of passive radio devices is assigned to, wherein the radio device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; determining a category of passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices; determining an operational function that the radio device should perform based on the determined category for the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; and transmitting a request to the radio device indicating the operational function that the radio device should perform.

[0013] According to the eighth aspect, a computer-readable medium is provided which stores program instructions for performing the following: receiving association information including at least information about a plurality of passive radio devices and information about which each of the plurality of passive radio devices is assigned to, wherein the radio device is configured to transmit an activation signal to the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; determining a category of passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices based at least in part on response signals received from at least some of the passive radio devices included in the plurality of passive radio devices; determining an operational function that the radio device should perform based on the determined category for the passive radio devices assigned to the radio device; and transmitting a request to the radio device indicating the operational function that the radio device should perform.

[0014] According to the ninth aspect, a system comprising at least a first wireless device, a second wireless device, and a third wireless device, wherein the first wireless device is means for receiving association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about whether the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to the second wireless device or the third wireless device, and the second and third wireless devices are configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the second and third wireless devices, and the first wireless device at least partially based on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices A system is provided comprising: means for determining the category of passive wireless devices included in; means for the first wireless device to determine the function of operation that the second wireless device should perform based on the category determined for the passive wireless devices assigned to the second wireless device; means for the first wireless device to determine the function of operation that the third wireless device should perform based on the category determined for the passive wireless devices assigned to the third wireless device; and means for the first wireless device to transmit to the second wireless device a request indicating the function of operation that the second wireless device should perform; and means for the first wireless device to transmit to the third wireless device another request indicating the function of operation that the third wireless device should perform.

[0015] According to the tenth aspect, a system comprising at least a first wireless device, a second wireless device, and a third wireless device, wherein the first wireless device receives association information including information about a plurality of passive wireless devices and information about whether the plurality of passive wireless devices are assigned to the second wireless device or the third wireless device, and the second and third wireless devices are configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to the second and third wireless devices, and the first wireless device transmits activation signals to the plurality of passive wireless devices at least partially based on response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices A system is provided which determines the category of passive wireless devices included in a system, the first wireless device determines the function of operation that the second wireless device should perform based on the category determined for the passive wireless devices assigned to the second wireless device, the first wireless device determines the function of operation that the third wireless device should perform based on the category determined for the passive wireless devices assigned to the third wireless device, the first wireless device transmits a request to the second wireless device indicating the function of operation that the second wireless device should perform, and the first wireless device transmits another request to the third wireless device indicating the function of operation that the third wireless device should perform.

[0016] According to the eleventh aspect, an apparatus is provided comprising: means for receiving from another radio device a request indicating an operational function to be performed with respect to a passive radio device; means for determining, based on the request, whether the operational function includes transmitting an operational signal to the passive radio device causing the passive radio device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining the characteristics of transmitting the operational signal; and means for performing the operational function with respect to the passive radio device.

[0017] In some embodiments according to the eleventh aspect, the means comprises at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code together with the at least one processor cause the execution of the device.

[0018] According to the twelfth aspect, there is a device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured together with the at least one processor to cause the device to: receive a request from another radio device indicating an operational function that the device should perform with respect to a passive radio device; determine, based on the request, whether the operational function includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive radio device causing the passive radio device to transmit a response signal; if so, determine the characteristics of transmitting the activation signal; and perform the operational function with respect to the passive radio device.

[0019] A method is provided which, according to the 13th aspect, includes receiving a request from another radio device indicating an actuation function to be performed with respect to a passive radio device, determining, based on the request, whether the actuation function includes transmitting an actuation signal to the passive radio device causing the passive radio device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining the characteristics of transmitting the actuation signal, and performing the actuation function with respect to the passive radio device.

[0020] In some embodiments according to the 13th aspect, the method is a computer implementation method.

[0021] A computer program is provided which includes, at a minimum, instructions to cause the device to perform the following actions: receiving a request from another radio device indicating an operational function to be performed with respect to a passive radio device; determining, based on the request, whether the operational function includes transmitting an operational signal to the passive radio device causing the passive radio device to transmit a response signal; if so, determining the characteristics of transmitting the operational signal; and performing the operational function with respect to the passive radio device.

[0022] According to the 15th aspect, a computer program is provided which stores instructions for performing at least: receiving a request from another radio device indicating an operational function to be performed with respect to a passive radio device; determining, based on the request, whether the operational function includes transmitting an operational signal to the passive radio device causing the passive radio device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining the characteristics of transmitting the operational signal; and performing the operational function with respect to the passive radio device.

[0023] According to the 16th aspect, a non-temporary computer-readable medium is provided which includes a program instruction causing the device to perform at least: receiving a request from another radio device indicating an operational function to be performed with respect to a passive radio device; determining, based on the request, whether the operational function includes transmitting an activation signal to the passive radio device causing the passive radio device to transmit a response signal, and if so, determining the characteristics of transmitting the activation signal; and performing the operational function with respect to the passive radio device.

[0024] According to the 17th aspect, there is provided a non - transient computer - readable medium storing program instructions for performing at least: receiving, from another wireless device, a request indicating a function regarding an operation to be performed by the device with respect to a passive wireless device; determining, based on the request, whether the function regarding the operation includes transmitting, to the passive wireless device, an operation signal for causing the passive wireless device to transmit a response signal; determining, if it includes, characteristics regarding transmitting the operation signal; and performing a function regarding an operation related to the passive wireless device.

[0025] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0026] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of a wireless access network. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an example of an embodiment for activating and discovering a passive wireless device. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing a signaling chart according to an example of an embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a device. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a device.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] The following embodiments are illustrative. In this specification, reference may be made to "an", "one", or "some" embodiments at several places in the text, but these do not necessarily mean that each reference is made to the same embodiment, or that a particular feature applies only to a single embodiment. It is also possible to combine single features of different embodiments to provide other embodiments.

[0028] As used in this application, the term “circuit” means all of the following: (a) hardware-only circuit implementations, such as implementations of analog and / or digital circuits only; (b) (where applicable) (i) combinations of processors, or (ii) parts of a processor / software including (one or multiple) digital signal processors, software and (one or multiple) memory that work together to enable a device to perform various functions; and (c) circuits such as (one or multiple) microprocessors or parts of (one or multiple) microprocessors that require software or firmware for operation even if the software or firmware is not physically present. This definition of “circuit” applies to all uses of the term in this application. As a further example, as used in this application, the term “circuit” also includes implementations of a processor (or multiple processors) or parts of a processor, and their (or their) accompanying software and / or firmware. The term “circuit” also includes, for example, baseband integrated circuits or application processor integrated circuits in a mobile phone, or similar integrated circuits in a server, cellular network device, or other network device, as applicable to a specific element. The circuit embodiments described above can also be considered embodiments that provide means for carrying out the methods or processes described in this document.

[0029] The techniques and methods described herein can be implemented by various means. For example, these techniques can be implemented in hardware (one or more devices), firmware (one or more devices), software (one or more modules), or a combination thereof. In the case of hardware implementation, the (one or more) devices of the embodiment can be implemented inside one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), graphics processing units (GPUs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or a combination thereof. In the case of firmware or software, implementation can be done through at least one chipset module (e.g., a procedure, a function, etc.) that performs the functions described herein. The software code can be stored in a memory unit and executed by the processor. The memory unit can be implemented inside the processor or outside the processor. In the latter case, the memory unit can be communicatively coupled to the processor via preferred means. Furthermore, the components of the systems described herein can be rearranged and / or complemented by additional components to facilitate the realization of various embodiments described herein, and as those skilled in the art will understand, these components are not limited to the exact configuration shown in the given figures.

[0030] The embodiments described herein can be implemented in communication systems such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or any other second-generation cellular communication system, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (MTS, 3G) based on basic wideband-code division multiple access (W-CDMA), high-speed packet access (HSPA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, systems based on IEEE 802.11 specifications, systems based on IEEE 802.15 specifications, and / or fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication systems or cellular communication systems, or at least one of these. However, these embodiments are not limited to the systems shown as examples, and those skilled in the art can apply the solutions to other communication systems having the necessary characteristics.

[0031] Figure 1 shows a simplified example of a system architecture, illustrating several elements and functional entities, all of which are logical units and may differ from those shown in the illustration. The connections shown in Figure 1 are logical connections, and actual physical connections may differ. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the system may include functions and structures other than those shown in Figure 1. The example in Figure 1 shows a portion of an exemplary wireless access network.

[0032] Figure 1 shows terminal devices 100 and 102 configured to wirelessly connect to an access node 104 (e.g., NodeB) that provides a cell, over one or more communication channels within the cell. The access node 104 can also be referred to as a node. The wireless link from a terminal device to (e.g.) NodeB is called an uplink or reverse link, and the wireless link from (e.g.) NodeB to a terminal device is called a downlink or forward link. It should be understood that (e.g.) NodeB or its functionality can be implemented using any node, host, server, access point, entity, etc., suitable for such use. Also, while this exemplary embodiment describes one cell for simplicity, in some exemplary embodiments one access node may provide multiple cells.

[0033] A communication system may include multiple (e.g.) NodeBs, in which case the (e.g.) NodeBs may be configured to communicate with each other via wired or wireless links designed for that purpose. These links may be used for signaling purposes. (e.g.) A NodeB is a computer device configured to control the wireless resources of the communication system to which it is coupled. (e.g.) A NodeB may also be called any other type of interface device, including a base station, access point, or relay station capable of operating in a wireless environment. (e.g.) A NodeB includes or is coupled to a transceiver. (e.g.) The transceiver of a NodeB provides a connection to an antenna unit that establishes a bidirectional wireless link with a user device. The antenna unit may include multiple antennas or antenna elements. (e.g.) A NodeB may be further connected to a core network 110 (CN or next-generation core NGC). Depending on the system, the CN counterpart may be a serving gateway (S-GW, which routes and forwards user data packets), a packet data network gateway (P-GW) that provides connectivity from terminal devices (UEs) to the external packet data network, or a mobile management entity (MME).

[0034] A terminal device (also called a UE, user equipment, user terminal, or user device) refers to a type of device to which resources on an air interface are allocated and granted, and therefore any feature described herein in conjunction with a terminal device can be implemented together with a corresponding device such as a relay node. An example of such a relay node is a layer 3 relay (self-backhauling relay) directed to a base station. Another example of such a relay node is a layer 2 relay. Such a relay node may include a terminal device part and a distributed unit (DU) part. A centralized unit (CU) can coordinate the operation of the DU, for example, via an F1AP interface.

[0035] Terminal devices can mean portable computer devices, including wireless mobile communication devices that operate with or without a subscriber identification module (SIM) or embedded SIM (eSIM), including, but not limited to, mobile stations (cell phones), smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handsets, devices using wireless modems (such as alarm or measuring devices), laptops and / or touchscreen computers, tablets, game consoles, notebooks, and multimedia devices. User devices can also be understood as exclusive or near-exclusive uplink-only devices, such as cameras or video cameras that load images or video clips onto a network. Terminal devices can also be devices capable of operating within an Internet of Things (IoT) network, a scenario in which objects possess the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. Terminal devices can also utilize the cloud. In some applications, terminal devices can include small portable devices with wireless components (such as watches, earphones, or glasses), where computations are performed in the cloud. The terminal device (or, in some embodiments, a Layer 3 relay node) is configured to perform one or more user device functions.

[0036] The various technologies described herein can also be applied to cyber-physical systems (CPS) (systems of collaborating computational elements that control physical entities). CPS can enable the implementation and utilization of a large number of interconnected ICT devices (sensors, actuators, processors, microcontrollers, etc.) embedded in physical objects in different locations. Mobile cyber-physical systems, in which the physical system in question has inherent mobility, are a subcategory of cyber-physical systems. Examples of mobile cyber-physical systems include mobile robots and electronic devices carried by humans or animals.

[0037] Furthermore, although the device is shown as a single entity, it can also implement different units, processors, and / or memory units (not shown in Figure 1).

[0038] 5G enables the use of multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, more base stations or nodes than LTE (the so-called small cell concept), including macro sites that work in conjunction with smaller base stations, and the adoption of various radio technologies depending on service needs, use cases, and / or available frequencies. 5G mobile communications will support a wide range of use cases and related applications, including video streaming, augmented reality, different data sharing methods, and various forms of machine-type applications such as (large-scale) machine-type communications (mMTC), including vehicle safety, different sensors, and real-time control. 5G is expected to have multiple radio interfaces, namely sub-6GHz, cmWave, and mmWave, and to be able to integrate with existing legacy radio access technologies such as LTE. Integration with LTE can be implemented, at least in the initial stages, as a system where LTE provides macro coverage and aggregation to LTE brings 5G radio interface access from small cells. In other words, 5G is planned to support both inter-RAT operability (such as LTE-5G) and inter-RI operability (inter-radio interface operability, such as sub-6GHz-cmWave and sub-6GHz-cmWave-mmWave). One concept that is expected to be used in 5G networks is network slicing, which involves forming multiple independent, dedicated virtual subnetworks (network instances) within the same infrastructure to run services with different latency, reliability, throughput, and mobility requirements.

[0039] The current architecture in LTE networks is entirely distributed wireless and entirely centralized core network. Low-latency applications and services in 5G require bringing content closer to the wireless, which can lead to local breakout and multi-access edge computing (MEC). 5G enables analytics and knowledge generation to take place at the data source. This approach requires leveraging resources that may not be continuously connected to the network, such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and sensors. MEC provides a distributed computing environment for hosting applications and services. MEC also has the ability to store and process content very close to the mobile subscriber to speed up response times. Edge computing covers a wide range of technologies, including wireless sensor networks, mobile data acquisition, mobile signature analysis, cooperative distributed peer-to-peer ad hoc networking, as well as local cloud / fog computing, grid / mesh computing, dew computing, mobile edge computing, cloudlet-based processing, distributed data storage and retrieval, autonomous self-healing networks, remote cloud services, augmented and virtual reality, data caching, the Internet of Things (essential for large-scale connectivity and / or latency), and critical communications (autonomous vehicles, traffic safety, real-time analytics, time-critical control, healthcare applications).

[0040] The communication system may communicate with and / or utilize services provided by other networks such as the public switched telephone network or the Internet 112. The communication network may also support the use of cloud services, for example, by running at least a portion of the core network's operation as a cloud service (represented by “cloud” 114 in Figure 1). The communication system may also include, for example, a central control entity that provides facilities for different operators’ networks to cooperate in spectrum sharing.

[0041] By utilizing network function virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN), edge clouds can also be integrated into radio access networks (RANs). Using an edge cloud means that access node operations are performed at least partially on servers, hosts, or nodes operably coupled to remote radio heads or base stations, including the radio portion. It is also possible to distribute node operations across multiple servers, nodes, or hosts. By applying a cloudRAN architecture, RAN real-time functions can be executed on the RAN side (in the distributed unit DU104), while non-real-time functions can be executed centrally (in the centralized unit CU108).

[0042] Furthermore, it should be understood that the allocation of effort between core network operations and base station operations differs from, or may not exist, that of LTE. Other technologies that can be used include, for example, Big Data and all-IP, which can change how the network is built and managed. 5G (or New Radio, NR) networks are designed to support multiple layers, and MEC servers can be placed between the core and base stations or node B (gNB). It should also be understood that MEC can be similarly applied to 4G networks.

[0043] 5G can also enhance or complement 5G service coverage by utilizing satellite communications, for example, by providing backhaul or service availability in areas that do not have terrestrial coverage. Satellite communications can utilize not only geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite systems but also low earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems, such as mega-constellations. Satellite 106 included in a constellation can carry gNBs or at least a portion thereof that form a ground cell. Alternatively, satellite 106 can be used to relay signals from one or more cells to Earth. Ground cells can be formed through ground relay nodes 104, or by gNBs located on the ground or within the satellite, or a portion of the gNB may be on the satellite, such as a DU, and a portion of the gNB may be on the ground, such as a CU. In addition to or instead of this, high-altitude platform station (HAPS) systems can also be used.

[0044] The illustrated system is an example of a part of a wireless access system, and the system may include multiple (e.g.) NodeBs, terminal devices may access multiple wireless cells, and the system may also include other devices such as physical layer relay nodes or other network elements. At least one of the (e.g.) NodeBs may be a Home (e.g.) NodeB. Furthermore, the geographical area of ​​a wireless communication system may provide multiple different types of wireless cells and multiple wireless cells. Wireless cells can be macrocells (or umbrella cells), which are large cells typically with a diameter of up to tens of kilometers, or small cells such as microcells, femtocells, or picocells. The (e.g.) NodeB in Figure 1 may provide any of these types of cells. A cellular wireless system can be implemented as a multi-layer network including multiple types of cells. In some exemplary embodiments, one access node in a multi-layer network provides one or more cells of one type, and therefore multiple (e.g.) NodeBs are required to provide such a network structure.

[0045] To meet the needs for deploying and improving the performance of communication systems, the "plug-and-play" (e.g.) NodeB concept is introduced. Networks that can use plug-and-play (e.g.) NodeBs can include home (e.g.) NodeBs (H(e.g.)nodeBs) as well as home node B gateways, i.e., HNB-GWs (not shown in Figure 1). An HNB gateway (HNB-GW) that can be installed within a carrier's network can de-aggregate traffic from many HNBs into the core network.

[0046] The Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to grow rapidly. Therefore, IoT devices that can utilize 5G connectivity can include passive radios, which can be understood as devices such as tags and / or sensors. Passive radio devices can also be understood as IoT devices if they are part of an IoT use case. These passive radio devices require power to enable data transmission and / or reception. For example, passive radio devices may consume tens or hundreds of milliwatts of power during transmission and reception. Therefore, it is beneficial to consider ways to optimize power consumption and power acquisition to enable the realization of the Internet of Everything. Thus, it is desirable to have passive radio devices that are 10 or 100 times cheaper and consume less power. Furthermore, 3GPP has defined NB-IoT / eMTC and NR reduced capability (RedCap) for IoT applications to meet the requirements for low-cost, low-power devices for wide-area IoT communication.

[0047] One aspect to consider regarding target use cases involving passive wireless devices is their ability to work with energy harvesting, given the limited device size. Cellular devices can consume tens or hundreds of milliwatts of power for transmit and receive processing. Taking an NB-IoT module as an example, the current consumption for receive processing is approximately 60mA at a supply voltage higher than, for example, 3.1V, and for transmit processing it is 70mA at a transmit power of 0dBm. The output power supplied by an energy harvester can be less than 1 milliwatt in most cases, considering that practical devices are small, measuring just a few square centimeters. Because the available power is much smaller than the consumed power, in some use cases, directly powering cellular devices by energy harvesting may be impractical.

[0048] In a situation where more and more things are expected to be interconnected to improve production efficiency and the comfort of life, further reductions in the size, cost, and power consumption of passive wireless devices are likely to be required. Furthermore, in some IoT applications, battery-less passive wireless devices are expected to be necessary. This is because, for example, replacing the batteries in passive wireless devices is not practical as it would mean enormous consumption of materials and manpower. Therefore, in applications involving a large number of devices, such as ID tags and sensors, energy harvesting can be used to power passive wireless devices for autonomous communication.

[0049] One option for battery-less passive devices such as tags is to utilize radio frequency identification (RFID). In some examples, RFID tags can have a low power consumption of as little as 1 microwatt. Techniques that enable such low power consumption include envelope detection for receiving downlink data and backscatter communication for transmitting uplink data. RFID can utilize envelope detection for receiving downlink data and backscatter communication for transmitting uplink data. In one embodiment, passive communication can exist between a reader device and a tag. The reader device includes a unit configured to send and receive signals. In this embodiment, the unit has a transmitter for broadband transmission, followed by a power amplifier and antenna that transmit a carrier wave. The tag then has an antenna that receives the carrier wave. In this case, the tag modifies one or more characteristics of the carrier wave. These characteristics include, for example, amplitude, phase, and / or center frequency. The tag may include various units that can perform the modifications. In this embodiment, the tag includes at least an RF harvester that extracts electromagnetic energy from the received RF signal, a detection unit that detects the received RF signal, a clock that generates a clock signal, and a logic unit that controls the operation of the tag. The tag then reflects the modified signal as an uplink reflected signal. The uplink reflected signal is received by the reader's antenna, the signal is then amplified using a low-noise amplifier, and then the receiver receives the reflected signal. Thus, by acquiring data transmission without the generation of a carrier wave by the tag, the required energy demand and cost can be reduced.

[0050] Furthermore, several studies have shown that passive tags based on or slightly modified from air interfaces can support power consumption of several microwatts or tens of microwatts. Some of these studies focus on long-range communication. In particular, long-range (LoRa) tags using commercially available stock components can transmit sensing data to receivers located, for example, 381 meters away.

[0051] In applications related to passive devices, there can be devices with different roles that can be understood as wireless devices. An activation radio device, which can also be called an activator, can be understood as a device that transmits one or more NR activation signals intended for passive radio, such as a tag or sensor. An activator can be a terminal device, an access node such as a gNB, or a transmit-receive point (TRP). A passive radio device, which can also be called a passive radio device, can extract energy from the NR activation signal and generate a response signal, which can be called a backscatter signal, at the same or a different frequency in the NR spectrum as the activation signal. Thus, the activation signal can provide a trigger for the passive radio device to transmit a response signal, and the passive radio device can optionally extract energy from the activation signal. The response signal can also encode information specific to the passive radio device, such as the identity (ID) of the passive radio device. A reading radio device (which can also be called a reader) can be understood as a wireless device that listens for response signals from one or more tags and attempts to detect the ID of an active tag. The reader can be a terminal device, an access node such as a gNB, or a TRP.

[0052] Passive radio devices, such as tags or sensors, can operate in at least two modes. One mode is an energy harvesting mode in which the passive radio device collects energy from radio signals transmitted to it on a given spectrum. The other mode is a data transfer mode in which the passive radio device can generate a unique signal. This unique signal carries data specific to the passive radio device, such as the ID of the passive radio device or data collected by the passive radio device. These two modes can be implemented half-duplex or full-duplex, in other words, sequentially or simultaneously. Passive radio devices should acquire enough energy to be discoverable even when they are not powered, in order to support interaction between the passive radio device and the 5G network infrastructure.

[0053] Since passive radio devices have no active (i.e., powered) elements and therefore no means of making themselves visible or audible, one initial task for a network to support and integrate passive radio devices such as tags within its network infrastructure is to discover them. This problem can be difficult at mmWave frequencies, for example, because active entities such as access nodes and terminal devices can receive and transmit in a directional manner.

[0054] Figure 2 shows an example embodiment for activating and discovering a passive wireless device. In this embodiment, at least one wireless device is a passive wireless device, at least one wireless device acts as an activator, and at least one wireless device acts as a reader. In this embodiment, the passive wireless device is tag 210, the wireless device acting as the reader is terminal device 212, and the wireless device acting as the activator is terminal device 214. However, in some other embodiments, activator 214 may be another wireless device, such as an access node like an eNB or gNB, and / or similarly, reader 212 may also be another wireless device, such as an access node like an eNB or gNB. Activator 214 transmits an activation signal 220 to tag 210, tag 210 responds by transmitting a signal indicating its presence, which is received by reader 212. In some other embodiments, there may be multiple tags to which terminal device 214 transmits the activation signal, and reader 212 may receive responses from multiple tags.

[0055] Due to the inherent characteristics of passive radios, the detection and / or ranging of passive radio devices can be a difficult task. For example, as mentioned above, passive radios may not have a power source, may be mobile, and their ability to detect other radio devices may be limited to a short distance, such as within a radius of 5-10 meters. Furthermore, the mobility and operation of passive radios, such as how much data they have collected, may be transparent to the network. Due to the above limitations, it may not be possible to use paging operations applicable to terminal devices, and therefore having an activator in close proximity to the passive tag may be beneficial.

[0056] As described above, other wireless devices can discover a passive wireless device when it receives an activation signal and transmits a response signal indicating its presence, allowing another wireless device to receive the response signal. However, in some cases, this procedure can be accompanied by interference. An example of such interference is passive-to-passive

[0057] Therefore, it is beneficial to reduce the interference observed by the reader. One technique that can be used is to coordinate the functions related to the operation of activators when multiple activators are present. For example, when multiple passive radio devices are present, the reader can rank different passive radio devices and trigger subsequent functions of the activators (e.g., off, retransmission pattern, etc.) in relation to the ranking of the passive radio devices.

[0058] In one embodiment, a leader can rank multiple passive radio devices, each of which is the source of a response signal indicating the presence of a passive radio device, based on the quality of the discovery result derived from the quality of the received response signal. Thus, the leader can rank passive radio devices based on the quality of each response signal received. The leader can then prioritize and co-schedule the retransmission of activation signals for one or more passive radio devices by one or more activators based on the ranking. In this embodiment, the leader is informed of the association between activator IDs and a list of passive radio devices targeted by the activators. In other words, the leader is informed of which passive radio devices are assigned to which activators.

[0059] At this time, the message that the leader can send to prioritize and mutually schedule the retransmission of activation signals may be a request that includes flags regarding passive radio devices, delays, and optionally the results of the first attempt to discover the passive radio device, such as the received power. For example, the flag regarding passive radio devices may be a high flag indicating that the activator should handle the reactivation of the passive radio device with high priority, or a low flag indicating that this reactivation can be handled after the reactivation of all high-priority passive radio devices. The delay may indicate when each activator should send another activation signal to the passive radio device, which may be called a retransmission of an activation signal, after receiving the message sent by the leader. The message may be sent using various means depending on whether the activator is included in an access node or a terminal device, and whether the leader is included in an access node or a terminal device. For example, a message can be transmitted using an information element in a physical sidelink shared channel (SL PSSCH IE) via downlink or uplink small data transmission (DL / UL SDT), or using a payload in a physical downlink or uplink shared channel (PD / USCH). The flags, delays, and / or transmit power to be used for other activation signals can be understood as characteristics of the activation signal. In addition to or instead of this, the characteristics of the activation signal may also include other indications regarding when and how the activation signal should be transmitted.

[0060] Based on ranking, the leader may terminate the function related to the operation of one or more activators. Termination can be achieved by sending an indication such as a short message indicator that carries a list of passive radio device IDs and a corresponding termination flag associated with the group, e.g., terminate=TRUE for {tag1, ...tagX}, and this message can be sent via the SL or U / DL data channel.

[0061] Figure 3 shows a signaling chart according to an embodiment in which a reader 310 ranks passive radio devices and modifies the function relating to the operation of multiple activators, which in this embodiment are activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328. In this embodiment, the reader 310 can be a suitable radio device such as a terminal device or an access node. In this embodiment, a coordinating entity such as a location management function (LMF) or terminal device included in a network such as a 5G network can select activator-reader pairs for multiple passive radio devices such as tags. The coordinating entity in this embodiment notifies the reader 310 of the IDs of the activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328 and one or more passive radio devices assigned to each activator. The coordinator grants leader 310 the right to coordinate the functions relating to the operation of activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328, and may also require leader 310 to collect target key performance indicators (KPIs) for each passive radio device and test at least one of the KPIs against a threshold which may be called T1. The KPIs may relate to one or more signal measurements obtained from the response signal, such as arrival time and received power.

[0062] In this embodiment, activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328 transmit activation signals to one or more passive radio devices assigned to the unit, referred to as target passive radio devices. The target passive radio devices then receive their respective activation signals and respond with response signals, which can be called passive radio signals or response signals from backscatter, and are specific response signals associated with each passive radio device. The reader 310 then receives one or more response signals from the passive radio devices and thus detects a subset of passive radio devices that is less than or equal to the number of target passive radio devices. Thus, as shown in block 330, the reader 310 detects at least one passive radio device that is included in the target passive radio device.

[0063] Next, as shown in block 332, the leader 310 performs ranking of target passive radio devices, in other words, passive radio devices assigned to be detected. Ranking can be performed so that passive radio devices are assigned to categories. Various categories can exist for ranking, such as high-quality passive radio devices or low-quality passive radio devices. Other categories may also be used. High-quality passive radio devices may include passive radio devices that are determined to have been successfully detected and whose target KPI is found to be higher than the threshold T1. The target KPI may include one or more of the following: arrival time, received power, etc. T1 may be predetermined by the coordinator or predetermined autonomously by the leader 310. Low-quality passive radio devices may be radio devices that have been successfully detected and whose KPI is below the threshold T1. There may also be a third category of devices that failed to be detected, which includes passive radio devices that are part of the target passive radio devices but were not detected. Although three different categories are mentioned in this specification, different numbers of categories may exist in some other embodiments. For example, if there are N categories, there can be N different functions related to the actions that an activator should perform with respect to the assigned passive wireless device. There can also be multiple KPIs to be tested against their respective target values. Based on the results of testing one or more KPIs against their respective target values, passive wireless devices can be assigned to different categories.

[0064] Next, in block 334, leader 310 determines the subsequent functions of activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328 based on their ranking, i.e., based on the category of one or more passive radio devices to which activators 320, 322, 324, 326, and 328 are assigned. Activators of passive radio devices assigned to the high-quality category are determined to be those which will be required to stop transmitting activation signals to passive radio devices in that category. Activators of passive radio devices assigned to the low-quality category are determined to be those which will be required to retransmit activation signals to passive radio devices in that category. Activators of passive radio devices assigned to the failure category are determined to be those which will be required to retransmit activation signals to passive radio devices in that category, and the retransmission will be performed at maximum power and with the highest priority.

[0065] In this embodiment, there are two passive radio devices ID3 and ID4, each assigned to a second category, which is a low-quality category, and activators 322 and 320, respectively. In this embodiment, the leader 310 determines that activators 322 and 320 should retransmit activation signals to their respective passive radio devices. The leader 310 may also attach delay indicators for each activator 322 and 320 indicating the timing of when the activators should begin transmitting activation signals. This can be beneficial in avoiding situations where activators simultaneously retransmit activation signals to assigned passive radio devices within the same category, and thus minimizing both activator-passive radio device interference and passive radio device-passive radio device interference. For example, the leader 310 may determine that activation device 326 should retransmit the activation signal dt4 seconds after receiving this request, and activation device 324 should retransmit the activation signal dt3≠dt4 seconds after receiving this request. Additionally, it may be determined that the activation signal should be retransmitted at maximum power and highest priority to indicate that the tag was not detected. Optionally, information regarding the KPIs of passive wireless devices assigned to the activator 324 can also be transmitted.

[0066] Therefore, the leader 310 sends request 340 to the activator 326. Request 340 is a request for the activator 326 to retransmit the activation signal to the passive radio device ID 4 assigned to it. The request may further indicate the delay dt 4, the KPI associated with the passive radio device ID 4 assigned to the activator 326, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the highest priority and maximum power.

[0067] Also, the reader 310 transmits a request 342 to the activator 324. The request 342 is a request to retransmit an activation signal to the passive wireless device ID3 assigned to the activator 324. The request can further indicate a delay dt3, a KPI related to the passive wireless device ID3 assigned to the activator 326, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the highest priority and maximum power.

[0068] In this exemplary embodiment, there are two passive wireless devices, ID1 and ID2, each assigned to a third category which is a failure category for the respective activators 326 and 324. In this exemplary embodiment, the reader 310 determines that the activators 326 and 324 should retransmit an activation signal to their respective assigned passive wireless devices. Also, the reader 310 can attach a delay indicator for each of the activators 322 and 320 indicating the timing as to when the activator should start transmitting the activation signal. For example, the reader 310 can determine that the activator 322 should retransmit the activation signal dt2 seconds after receiving this request, and the activator 320 should retransmit the activation signal dt1≠dt2 seconds after receiving this request. The reader 310 can also determine that the activation signal should be retransmitted with the lowest priority. Optionally, information regarding the KPIs of the passive wireless devices assigned to the active devices 322 and 320 can also be transmitted. Note that in this exemplary embodiment, dt3<<min{dt1, dt2} and dt4≠dt3 and dt4<<min{dt1, dt2}.

[0069] Therefore, the reader 310 transmits a request 344 to the activator 322. The request 342 is a request to retransmit an activation signal to the passive wireless device ID2 assigned to the activator 322. The request can further indicate a delay dt2, a KPI related to the passive wireless device ID2 assigned to the activator 322, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the lowest priority.

[0070] The leader 310 also sends request 346 to the activator 320. Request 346 is a request for the activator 320 to retransmit the activation signal to the passive radio device ID 1 assigned to it. The request may further specify a delay dt1, a KPI related to the passive radio device ID 1 assigned to the activator 320, and an indication that the retransmission should be sent with the lowest priority.

[0071] In this embodiment, there exists one passive radio device ID0 to which each activator 328 is assigned to a first category, which is a high-quality category. When the reader 310 determines that passive radio device ID0 has been successfully detected, it sends a request 348 to the activator 328 to which passive radio device ID0 is assigned. Request 348 includes a request to stop transmitting activation signals to passive radio device ID0. Thus, stopping helps reduce activator-passive radio device interference by ensuring that activation signals from passive radio devices in the high-quality category do not interfere with the reception of response signals from other passive radio devices. Request 348 includes identification information for passive radio devices in at least this category and optionally includes measurement KPIs for passive radio devices. This can be useful, for example, if the activator 328 requires KPIs for further processing regarding passive radio devices.

[0072] The embodiments described above may offer advantages such as optimization of activator transmission, minimization of interference between passive wireless devices, and / or minimization of interference between activator and passive wireless devices.

[0073] Figure 4 shows a device 400 according to one embodiment, which may be a device such as a terminal device or a device included in a terminal device, and which can embody the activator or reader described above. The device 400 includes a processor 410. The processor 410 interprets computer program instructions and processes data. The processor 410 may include one or more programmable processors. The processor 410 may include programmable hardware having embedded firmware, and may also include one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) in addition to or instead of this.

[0074] The processor 410 is coupled to the memory 420. The processor is configured to read and write data to and from the memory 420. The memory 420 may contain one or more memory units. The memory units may be volatile or non-volatile. In some embodiments, there may be one or more non-volatile memory units and one or more volatile memory units, or one or more non-volatile memory units, or one or more volatile memory units. Volatile memory may be RAM, DRAM, or SDRAM, etc. Non-volatile memory may be ROM, PROM, EEPROM, flash memory, optical storage, or magnetic storage, etc. Generally, memory can be called a non-temporary computer-readable medium. The memory 420 stores computer-readable instructions executed by the processor 410. For example, non-volatile memory stores computer-readable instructions, and the processor 410 uses volatile memory for temporary storage of data and / or instructions to execute the instructions.

[0075] Computer-readable instructions may be stored in memory 420 beforehand, or, in addition to or instead of this, the device may receive them via electromagnetic carrier signals and / or copy them from a physical entity such as a computer program product. When a computer-readable instruction is executed, the device 400 performs the functions described above.

[0076] In the context of this document, “memory” or “computer-readable medium” may be any non-temporary medium or means that can store, transmit, propagate or transmit instructions used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus or device such as a computer.

[0077] The device 400 further includes, or is connected to, an input unit 430. The input unit 430 includes one or more interfaces for receiving user input. The one or more interfaces may include one or more motion sensors and / or orientation sensors, one or more cameras, one or more accelerometers, one or more microphones, one or more buttons, and one or more touch detection units. Furthermore, the input unit 430 may include interfaces to which external devices can be connected.

[0078] The device 400 also includes an output unit 440. The output unit includes or is connected to one or more displays capable of rendering visual content, such as light-emitting diode (LED) displays, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) displays. The output unit 440 further includes one or more audio outputs. One or more audio outputs may be speakers or a headphone set, etc.

[0079] The device 400 may further include a connectivity unit 450. The connectivity unit 450 enables wired and / or wireless connectivity to an external network. The connectivity unit 450 may include one or more antennas and one or more receivers that can be integrated into or connected to the device 400. The connectivity unit 450 may include an integrated circuit or set of integrated circuits that provides wireless communication capability to the device 400. Alternatively, the wireless connectivity function may be a wired application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0080] Furthermore, the device 400 may also include various components not shown in Figure 4. These various components may be hardware components and / or software components.

[0081] The device 500 in Figure 5 is an example embodiment of a device that is an access node, or a device included in an access node, and can embody the activator or reader described above. The device may be, for example, a circuit or chipset applicable to an access node to realize the described embodiment. The device 500 may be an electronic device including one or more electronic circuits. The device 500 may include a communication control circuit 510 such as at least one processor, and at least one memory 520 including computer program code (software) 522, and the at least one memory and the computer program code (software) 522 together with at least one processor are configured to cause the device 500 to execute one of the examples of access node embodiments described above.

[0082] The memory 520 can be implemented using any preferred data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. The memory may include a configuration database for storing configuration data. For example, the configuration database may store a current list of neighboring cells and, in some embodiments, the structure of frames used within the detected neighboring cells.

[0083] The device 500 may further include a communication interface 530, which includes hardware and / or software, for providing communication connectivity according to one or more communication protocols. The communication interface 530 can provide the device with wireless communication capability for communication in a cellular communication system. The communication interface can provide, for example, a wireless interface to a terminal device. The device 500 may further include another interface to a core network, such as a network coordinator device, and / or to an access node of the cellular communication system. The device 500 may further include a scheduler 540 configured to allocate resources.

[0084] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the examples of embodiments shown in the attached drawings, it is clear that the present invention is not limited to these examples of embodiments and can be modified in multiple ways within the scope of the attached claims. Accordingly, all words and expressions should be interpreted broadly, and they are for illustrative purposes only and not limiting. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the concept of the present invention can be implemented in various ways as the art progresses. Furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that, although not essential, the embodiments described can be combined with other embodiments in various ways.

[0085] List of Abbreviations AD: Assistance Data ASIC: Integrated System for Specific Applications CA: Carrier Aggregation CB-TT: Crossbeam Cross Barrier Tap Tracking CL: Career List CN: Core Network CP: Career Phase CPS: Cyber-Physical System CU: Centralized Unit DL: Downlink DL-AoD: Downlink Departure Angle DL-TDOA: Downlink arrival time difference DRAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory DSP: Digital Signal Processing DSPD: Digital Signal Processing Device DU: Distributed Unit E-CID: Enhanced Cell ID EEPROM: Electronically erasable programmable read-only memory eSIM: Embedded Subscriber Identification Module FPGA: Field-Programmable Gate Array FR1: Frequency range 1 FR2: Frequency range 2 GEO: Geostationary Earth Orbit gNB: gnodeB GPU: Graphics Processing Unit GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications HAPS: High Altitude Platform Station HNB: Home Node B HSPA: High-Speed ​​Packet Access ICT: Interconnection ID: Identity IE: Information element IoT: Internet of Things KPI: Key Performance Indicators LED: Light-emitting diode LEO: Low Earth Orbit LCD: Liquid crystal display LCoS: Reflective Liquid Crystal LMF: Location management function LoRa: Long distance LOS: Line of Sight LPP: LTE Positioning Protocol LTE: Long-Term Evolution MEC: Multi-Access Edge Computing MIMO: Multiple Input, Multiple Output MME: Mobile Management Entity mMTC: Large-scale machine-type communication Multi-RTT: Multi-cell round trip time NB-IoT: Narrowband Internet of Things NFV: Network Functions Virtualization NGC: Next-generation core NLOS: Non-line of sight line NR:New Radio PDA: Personal Digital Assistant PDSCH: Physical Downlink Shared Channel P-GW: Packet Data Network Gateway PLD: Programmable Logic Device PROM: Programmable Read-Only Memory PRS: Positioning Reference Signal PSSCH: Physical Sidelink Shared Channel PUSCH: Physical uplink shared channel RAM: Random Access Memory RAN: Wireless Access Network RAT: Wireless Access Technology RF: Radio frequency RI: Wireless Interface ROM: Read-Only Memory Rx: Receive SDN: Software-Defined Networking SDRAM: Synchronized Dynamic Random Access Memory SDT: Small Data Transmission SGW: Serving Gateway SIM: Subscriber Identification Module SL: Sidelink TRP: Send / Receive Point Tx: Send UE: User Device UL: Uplink UL-AoA: Uplink reach angle. UL-TDOA: Uplink arrival time difference. UMTS: Universal Mobile Communications System W-CDMA: Broadband Code Division Multiple Access [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 310 Leader 320 Activator 1 322 Activator 2 324 Activator 3 326 Activator 4 328 Activator 5 330 Detects (single or multiple) passive wireless devices 332 Ranking 334 Decision to restart 340-348 Request for reactivation

Claims

1. A device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code together with the at least one processor, Receiving association information including information about multiple passive wireless devices and information about which wireless device each of the multiple passive wireless devices is assigned to, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to it. The category is determined by ranking the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based on signal measurements that are at least partially included in the response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices. Based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device, the function related to the operation that the wireless device should perform is determined. Transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the function relating to the operation that the wireless device should perform, An apparatus characterized by being configured to cause the aforementioned device to perform the aforementioned action.

2. The apparatus further tests one or more key performance indicators against their respective thresholds, and the key performance indicators relate to one or more signal measurements obtained from the received response signals. The apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The apparatus further determines the category of the passive wireless device that is the source of the response signal, based on the tests of the one or more key performance indicators against their respective thresholds. The apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned device is Receiving a first response signal from a first passive wireless device included in the plurality of passive wireless devices, The system determines that at least one key performance indicator obtained from the received first response signal has a value higher than a first threshold, and classifies the first passive wireless device into a first category based on the determination. Determining that the function relating to the operation of the first wireless device to which the first passive wireless device is assigned includes stopping the retransmission of the first operation signal to the first passive wireless device, The apparatus according to claim 1, further performing the following.

5. The aforementioned device is Receiving a second response signal from a second passive wireless device included in the plurality of passive wireless devices, The system determines that at least one key performance indicator obtained from the received second response signal has a value lower than a first threshold, and classifies the second passive wireless device into a second category based on the determination. Determining that the function relating to the operation of the second wireless device to which the second passive wireless device is assigned includes retransmitting the second operation signal to the second passive wireless device, The apparatus according to claim 1, further performing the following.

6. The function relating to the operation of the second wireless device to which the second passive wireless device is assigned includes a first delay for retransmission of the second operation signal. The apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The aforementioned device is Determining that a third response signal has not been received from a third passive wireless device included in the plurality of passive wireless devices, Classifying the second passive wireless device into the third category, Determining that the function relating to the operation of the third wireless device to which the third passive wireless device is assigned includes the retransmission of the third operation signal to the second passive wireless device, The apparatus according to claim 1, further performing the following.

8. The function relating to the operation of the second wireless device to which the second passive wireless device is assigned includes a second delay for retransmission of the second activation signal. The apparatus according to claim 7.

9. The first delay is greater than the second delay. The apparatus according to claim 6.

10. The retransmission of the third activation signal to the second passive wireless device includes performing the retransmission with maximum power and highest priority. The apparatus according to claim 7.

11. The requirement includes information regarding key performance indicators for the passive wireless device that are assigned to the wireless device. The apparatus according to claim 1.

12. The aforementioned request is included in one of the following: an information element in a physical sidelink shared channel, a small data transmission in a downlink or uplink, or a payload in a physical downlink or uplink shared channel. The apparatus according to claim 1.

13. Receiving association information including information about multiple passive wireless devices and information about which wireless device each of the multiple passive wireless devices is assigned to, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to it. The category is determined by ranking the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based on signal measurements that are at least partially included in the response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices. Based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device, the function related to the operation that the wireless device should perform is determined. Transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the function relating to the operation that the wireless device should perform, A method characterized by including the following.

14. at least, Receiving association information including information about multiple passive wireless devices and information about which wireless device each of the multiple passive wireless devices is assigned to, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit activation signals to the passive wireless devices assigned to it. The category is determined by ranking the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices based on signal measurements that are at least partially included in the response signals received from at least some of the passive wireless devices included in the plurality of passive wireless devices. Based on the category determined for the passive wireless device assigned to the wireless device, the function related to the operation that the wireless device should perform is determined. Transmitting a request to the wireless device indicating the function relating to the operation that the wireless device should perform, Includes instructions to cause the device to perform, A computer program characterized by the following features.

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