integrated circuits

Abstract

To provide a procedure for saving power in user equipment.SOLUTION: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit that transmits a power saving signal (PoSS) to a UE camping on a BS, the PoSS including a behavior indication that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, the PoSS further including a configuration indication that indicates a configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, the integrated circuit including: The PoSS is generated to cause the UE to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated, skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and apply the configuration parameter, wherein the PoSS is transmitted as DCI, wherein the behavior indication and the configuration indication are jointly encoded in a common field of the DCI, wherein the jointly encoded behavior indication is to skip PDCCH monitoring, and wherein the configuration indication is an indication on CSI.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit that controls a base station (BS) in a communication system such as a 3GPP communication system.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Currently, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP®: the 3rd Generation Partnership Project) is working on technical specifications for next-generation cellular technology, also referred to as 5th Generation (5G).

[0003] One objective is to provide a single technical framework that addresses all usage scenarios, requirements, and deployment scenarios, including at least enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine type communication (mMTC) (see, for example, Section 6 of TR 38.913 Version 15.0.0, which is incorporated herein by reference). For example, deployment scenarios for eMBB may include indoor hotspots, dense urban areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and high-speed environments. Deployment scenarios for URLLC may include industrial control systems, mobile healthcare management (remote monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment), real-time control of vehicles, and wide-area monitoring and control systems for smart grids. Deployment scenarios for mMTC may include scenarios using a large number of devices with data transmission that is less affected by latency, such as smart wearables and sensor networks. eMBB services and URLLC services are similar in that both require very wide bandwidth, but differ in that URLLC services may preferably require ultra-low latency.

[0004] The second objective is to achieve forward compatibility. Backward compatibility with Long-Term Evolution (LTE, LTE-A) cellular systems is not required, which facilitates the design of entirely new systems and / or the introduction of new features. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0005] Non-limiting and exemplary embodiments contribute to providing improved procedures for saving power in user equipment.

[0006] In one general example, the technology disclosed herein features a user equipment (UE) comprising: a receiving unit that, during operation, receives a power saving signal (PoSS) from a serving base station where the UE is camped; and a UE-side processing circuit that, during operation, monitors the reception of the PoSS and determines the UE's behavior regarding the processing of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). The PoSS includes a behavior instruction that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, the PoSS further includes a setting instruction that instructs at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, and the UE-side processing circuit, during operation, decides to perform PDCCH monitoring when the first behavior is instructed, to skip PDCCH monitoring when the second behavior is instructed, and applies the at least one setting parameter accordingly.

[0007] In one general example, the technology disclosed herein includes the following steps performed by a UE: namely, receiving a Power Saving Signal (PoSS) from a serving base station where the UE is camped; and monitoring the reception of the PoSS to determine the UE's behavior regarding the processing of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), wherein the PoSS includes a behavior instruction that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior; the PoSS further includes a configuration instruction that instructs at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior; and the processing circuit determines whether to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is instructed, or to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is instructed, and applies the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0008] In one general example, the technology disclosed herein features a base station (BS) comprising: a transmitting unit that, while operating, transmits a power saving signal (PoSS) to at least one user equipment (UE) camped on the BS; and a BS-side processing circuit that, while operating, generates the PoSS. The PoSS includes a behavior instruction that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior; the PoSS further includes a setting instruction that instructs at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior; and the PoSS is generated such that the UE runs a PDCCH monitor when the first behavior is instructed, skips the PDCCH monitor when the second behavior is instructed, and applies the corresponding at least one setting parameter.

[0009] It should be noted that general or specific embodiments can be implemented as systems, methods, integrated circuits, computer programs, storage media, or any selective combination thereof.

[0010] Further benefits and advantages of the disclosed embodiments and various embodiments will become apparent from this specification and the drawings. These benefits and / or advantages can be obtained individually by the various embodiments and features of this specification and the drawings. However, it is not necessary to provide all of these features in order to obtain one or more of such benefits and / or advantages. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] In the following, exemplary embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] Diagram showing a representative architecture of the 3GPP NR system. [Figure 2] Diagram showing exemplary user and control plane architectures for LTE eNB, gNB, and UE. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the messages exchanged between the gNB and the UE when executing power saving procedures using PoSS. [Figure 4] Diagram showing a simplified example configuration of UE and gNB. [Figure 5] A diagram showing the configuration of a UE according to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] Flowchart of UE behavior according to an exemplary embodiment [Figure 7] Flowchart of UE behavior according to another exemplary embodiment [Figure 8] Timing diagram of the UE's behavior according to an exemplary embodiment of the first behavior. [Figure 9] Timing diagram of the UE's behavior according to an exemplary embodiment of the second behavior. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the configuration of the DCI according to an exemplary embodiment of the first solution. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the configuration of the DCI according to another exemplary embodiment of the first solution. [Figure 12] A diagram showing the configuration of the DCI according to an exemplary embodiment of the second solution. [Figure 13]A diagram showing the configuration of the DCI according to another exemplary embodiment of the second solution. [Figure 14] A diagram showing the configuration of the DCI according to an exemplary embodiment of the third solution. [Figure 15] A diagram showing the configuration of the DCI according to another exemplary embodiment of the third solution. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] (5G NR system architecture and protocol stack) 3GPP is working on the next release of fifth-generation cellular technology, simply referred to as 5G, which includes the development of new radio access technologies (NR) operating in the frequency range up to 100 GHz. 3GPP must identify and develop the technical elements necessary to successfully standardize NR systems that meet both urgent market needs and longer-term requirements in a timely manner. To achieve this, advancements in radio interfaces and radio network architectures are considered in the study item "New Radio Access Technology." The results and agreements are compiled in technical report TR38.804 v14.0.0, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0013] In particular, the overall system architecture envisions an NG-RAN (Next Generation Radio Access Network) including gNBs, which provide NG-Radio Access User Plane (SDAP / PDCP / RLC / MAC / PHY) and Control Plane (RRC) protocol terminations to the UE. The gNBs are interconnected with each other by Xn interfaces. The gNBs are also connected to the NGC (Next Generation Core) by Next Generation (NG) interfaces, more specifically to the AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) (e.g., a specific core entity performing the AMF) by NG-C interfaces, and to the UPF (User Plane Function) (e.g., a specific core entity performing the UPF) by NG-U interfaces. The NG-RAN architecture is shown in Figure 1 (see, for example, Section 4 of 3GPP TS38.300 v15.2.0, incorporated herein by reference).

[0014] A variety of different deployment scenarios may be supported (see, for example, 3GPP TR38.801 v14.0.0 incorporated herein by reference). For example, decentralized deployment scenarios (see, for example, Section 5.2 of TR38.801; decentralized deployments are shown in Section 5.4) are presented therein, where base stations supporting 5G NR can be deployed. Figure 2 shows an exemplary decentralized deployment scenario (see, for example, Figure 5.2-1 of TR38.801), additionally showing user equipment (UE) and an LTE eNB connected to both gNB and LTE eNB. The new eNB for NR 5G is sometimes exemplaryly referred to as a gNB. The eLTE eNB is an evolution of the eNB that supports connectivity to the EPC (Advanced Packet Core) and NGC (Next Generation Core).

[0015] The user plane protocol stack for NR (see, for example, 3GPP TS38.300 v15.2.0, Section 4.4.1, which is incorporated herein by reference) includes the PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol, see Section 6.4 of TS38.300), RLC (Radio Link Control, see Section 6.3 of TS38.300), and MAC (Medium Access Control, see Section 6.2 of TS38.300) sublayers, which terminate at the gNB on the network side. Furthermore, a new Access Stratum (AS) sublayer (SDAP (Service Data Adaptation Protocol)) is introduced above the PDCP (see, for example, Section 6.5 of 3GPP TS38.300 version 15.2.0, which is incorporated herein by reference). A control plane protocol stack is also defined for NR (see, for example, TS38.300, Section 4.4.2). An overview of Layer 2 functions is provided in Section 6 of TS38.300. The functions of the PDCP, RLC, and MAC sublayers are listed in Section 6.4, Section 6.3, and Section 6.2 of TS38.300, respectively. The functions of the RRC layer are listed in Section 7 of TS38.300. The above sections of TS38.300 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0016] For example, the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer handles logical channel multiplexing, and scheduling and scheduling-related functions including processing of various numerologies.

[0017] For the physical layer, the MAC layer uses services in the form of transport channels. A transport channel may be defined by how information is transmitted over the radio interface and with what characteristics the information is transmitted. The Random Access Channel (RACH) does not carry transport blocks, but is also defined as a transport channel processed by MAC. One of the procedures supported by the MAC layer is the random access procedure.

[0018] The physical layer (PHY) is responsible for, for example, coding, PHY HARQ processing, modulation, multi-antenna processing, and mapping of signals to appropriate physical time-frequency resources. The physical layer also handles the mapping of transport channels to physical channels. The physical layer provides services to the MAC layer in the form of transport channels. A physical channel corresponds to a set of time-frequency resources used for transmission of a specific transport channel, and each transport channel is mapped to a corresponding physical channel. One physical channel is PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), which is used for random access.

[0019] Use cases / deployment scenarios for NR can include enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (URLLC), and massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC), which have diverse requirements in terms of data rate, latency, and coverage. For example, eMBB is expected to support peak data rates (20 Gbps on the downlink and 10 Gbps on the uplink) on the order of three times those provided by IMT-Advanced, and user-experienced data rates. On the other hand, in the case of URLLC, more stringent requirements of ultra-low latency (0.5 ms each in UL and DL for user plane latency) and high reliability (1-10 within 1 ms) -5 ) are imposed. Finally, mMTC may preferably require high connection density (1,000,000 devices per 1 km in urban environments), wide coverage in harsh environments, and extremely long-lived (15-year) batteries for low-cost devices. 2 per 1 km) in urban environments, wide coverage in harsh environments, and extremely long-lived (15-year) batteries for low-cost devices may be required.

[0020] Therefore, OFDM neurology suitable for one use case (e.g., subcarrier interval, OFDM symbol duration, cyclic prefix (CP) duration, number of symbols per scheduling interval) may not work well for another use case. For example, low-latency services may preferably require shorter symbol durations (and thus larger subcarrier intervals) and / or fewer symbols per scheduling interval (also known as TTI) than mMTC services. Furthermore, deployment scenarios with large channel delay spread may preferably require longer CP durations than scenarios with short delay spread. To maintain similar CP overhead, the subcarrier interval should be optimized accordingly. NR can support multiple values ​​for subcarrier interval. In response, subcarrier intervals of 15kHz, 30kHz, 60kHz, etc., are currently being considered. The symbol duration Tu and subcarrier interval Δf are directly related through the equation Δf = 1 / Tu. Similar to LTE systems, the term “resource element” may be used to represent the smallest resource unit consisting of one subcarrier for each OFDM / SC-FDMA symbol length.

[0021] In the new 5G-NR wireless system, a resource grid consisting of subcarriers and OFDM symbols is defined for each neural network and carrier, for both the uplink and downlink. Each element in the resource grid is referred to as a resource element and is identified based on its frequency index in the frequency domain and its symbol position in the time domain (see 3GPP TS38.211 v15.2.0 incorporated herein by reference).

[0022] (Control signaling / PDCCH / DCI / Search space) The primary purpose of DCI (Downlink Control Information) in 5G NR is the same as in LTE: it is a special set of information for scheduling downlink data channels (e.g., PDSCH) or uplink data channels (e.g., PUSCH). 5G NR defines several different DCI formats (see, for example, Section 7.3.1 of TS38.212 v15.2.0, incorporated herein by reference). An overview is given in the table below. [Table 1]

[0023] The PDCCH search space is the region within the downlink resource grid (time-frequency resources) that can carry PDCCH (DCI). In a broader sense, the radio resource region is used by base stations to transmit control information downlink to one or more UEs. The UEs perform blind decoding through the search space in an attempt to discover PDCCH data (DCI). Conceptually, the search space concept in 5G NR is similar to the LTE search space, but there are many differences in detail.

[0024] (Synchronization signal block measurement timing setting (SMTC) - PSS / SSS, PBCH) NR introduces a so-called synchronization signal block (SSB), which includes a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH). The PSS and SSS can be used by the UE to discover, synchronize with, and identify the network. The PBCH carries minimal system information, including instructions on when the rest of the broadcast system information is transmitted.

[0025] In LTE, these three signals, PSS, SSS, and PBCH, were also used, but not as part of a single SSB. In NR, these three components of SSB are always transmitted together, and for example, they have the same period. A given SSB may be repeated within an SS burst set, which may be used for gNB beam sweeping transmissions. An SS burst set may be limited to a specific period (e.g., a 5ms window). In initial cell selection, the UE may assume a default period for the SS burst set of 20ms.

[0026] The PSS in 5G NR is a physical layer-specific signal used to identify radio frame boundaries and is a type of m-sequence. The SSS in 5G NR is a physical layer-specific signal used to identify subframe boundaries and is also an m-sequence (see, for example, Section 7.4.2 of TS38.211 v15.2.0 incorporated herein by reference).

[0027] (reference signal) Similar to LTE, several different types of reference signals (RS) are used in 5G NR (see Section 7.4.1 of 3GPP TS38.211 v15.3.0, incorporated herein by reference). At least the following reference signals are available for 5G NR: • CSI-RS (Channel Status Reference Signal) usable for acquiring channel status information and beam management. • PDSCH DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) usable for PDSCH demodulation. • PDCCH DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) usable for PDCCH demodulation • PBCH DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) usable for PBCH demodulation • PTRS (Phase Tracking Reference Signal) usable for phase tracking of PDSCH • Tracking reference signal usable for time tracking

[0028] Furthermore, PBCH DMRS can be exemplary considered as part of the SSB reference signal (see 3GPP TS38.215 v15.3.0 Section 5.1.1 "SS reference signal received power (SS-RSRP)").

[0029] The main differences between the reference signal in 5G NR communication systems and the reference signal in LTE are that in 5G NR, there is no cell-specific reference signal, a new reference signal PTRS has been introduced for time / phase tracking, DMRS has been introduced for both downlink and uplink channels, and in NR, the reference signal is transmitted only when needed.

[0030] As a DL-only signal, the CSI-RS received by the UE is used to estimate the channel and report channel quality information to the gNB. During MIMO operation, the NR can use different antenna techniques based on the carrier frequency. At low frequencies, the system uses a relatively small number of active antennas for MU-MIMO and adds FDD operation. In this case, the UE can use the CSI-RS to calculate the CSI and report the CSI in the UL direction. The CSI-RS can be further characterized according to the following: This is used to obtain DL CSI. • Used for RSRP measurements during mobility and beam management. It is also used for frequency / time tracking, demodulation, and UL reciprocity-based precoding. • CSI-RS is configured specifically for the UE, but multiple users can share the same resources. The 5G NR standard enables a high level of flexibility in CSI-RS configuration, allowing resources to be configured for up to 32 ports. • CSI-RS resources can start with any OFDM symbol in the slot and typically occupy 1 / 2 / 4 OFDM symbols depending on the configured number of ports. CSI-RS can be periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic (due to DCI triggers). • For time / frequency tracking, CSI-RS can be either periodic or aperiodic. It is transmitted in bursts of 2 or 4 symbols that spread across one or two slots.

[0031] (The concept of pseudo-collocation (QCL)) The concept of pseudo-collocation (QCL) is used in LTE and NR and can be simplified as follows: If two signals are QCL, this means that the UE can assume the same receive / transmit parameters for large channel parameters (e.g., Doppler shift, Doppler spread, mean delay, delay spread, spatial receive parameters, and beam direction). This helps improve channel estimation and receive performance.

[0032] As mentioned above, conventional UEs perform PDCCH monitoring and blind decoding, which are not necessarily required, and this consumes energy unnecessarily.

[0033] Therefore, the inventors have identified the possibility of reducing the costs for PDCCH monitoring and blind decoding by providing a Power Saving Signal (PoSS) that allows the UE to be triggered to monitor the PDCCH or instructed to skip PDCCH monitoring until a predetermined time. When the UE skips PDCCH monitoring, the UE active time can be reduced, which saves power. As shown in Figure 3, the base station transmits a PoSS to the UE, which can generally cause the UE to follow two different behaviors. In the first behavior, shown on the left side of Figure 3, the PoSS instructs the UE to monitor the PDCCH. In this case, the UE receives the PDCCH and sends back a scheduled transmission according to the received PDCCH. On the other hand, if the PoSS instructs the UE to follow the second behavior, the UE skips monitoring the PDCCH, as schematically shown on the right side of Figure 3. Therefore, the gNB does not transmit a PDCCH to the UE. Even if a PDCCH is transmitted, the UE cannot receive it.

[0034] In the following, UEs, base stations, and procedures that meet these needs are described with respect to new radio access technologies envisioned for 5G mobile communication systems, although these may also be used in LTE mobile communication systems. Various embodiments and modifications are also described. The following disclosures are facilitated by and may be based, for example, on the above descriptions and findings, at least in part therein.

[0035] In general, it should be noted that many assumptions are made herein so that the principles underlying this disclosure can be explained clearly and understandably. However, these assumptions should be understood as merely examples made herein for illustrative purposes and not to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the principles of the following disclosures, as set forth in the claims, may also be applied to different scenarios not expressly described herein, in ways not expressly described herein.

[0036] Furthermore, while the specific terminology used in the context of new radio access technologies for the next 3GPP 5G communication systems has not yet been fully determined, some of the terms used below, such as procedures, entities, and layers, are closely related to the terminology used in current standardization of LTE / LTE-A systems or 3GPP 5G. Therefore, the terminology may change in the future without affecting the functionality of the embodiments. As a result, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments and their scope of protection should not be limited to specific terms used exemplary herein due to the lack of newer or ultimately agreed-upon terminology, but should be understood more broadly with respect to the functions and ideas that form the basis of the functionality and principles of this disclosure.

[0037] For example, a mobile station or mobile node or user terminal or user equipment (UE) is a physical entity (physical node) in a communication network. A single node may have multiple functional entities. A functional entity refers to a software or hardware module that performs a predetermined set of functions and / or provides a predetermined set of functions to the same node, another node, or other functional entities in the network. A node may have one or more interfaces that connect it to communication equipment or media with which it can communicate. Similarly, a network entity may have logical interfaces that connect functional entities to communication equipment or media with which it can communicate to other functional entities or corresponding nodes.

[0038] Here, the term "base station" or "radio base station" refers to a physical entity within a communication network. Similar to a mobile station, a base station can have multiple functional entities. A functional entity refers to a software or hardware module that performs a predetermined set of functions and / or provides a predetermined set of functions to the same node, another node, or other functional entities in the network. A physical entity performs several control tasks for communication devices, including one or more of scheduling and configuration. It should be noted that the functions of a base station and a communication device may be integrated within a single device. For example, a mobile terminal may also implement base station functions for other terminals. The term used in LTE is eNB (or eNodeB), while the term currently used in 5G NR is gNB.

[0039] Figure 4 shows a general, simplified, illustrative block diagram of user equipment (also referred to as communication devices) and scheduling devices (which are illustratively assumed to be located within a base station (e.g., an eLTE eNB (or ng-eNB) or a gNB in ​​5G NR)). The UE and eNB / gNB communicate with each other via a (radio) physical channel using their respective transceivers.

[0040] A communication device may comprise a transceiver and a processing circuit. The transceiver may include a receiver and / or a transmitter, and / or function as both. The processing circuit may be one or more processors or one or more hardware components such as any LSI. An input / output point (or input / output node) exists between the transceiver and the processing circuit, and the processing circuit can control the transceiver via the input / output point (or input / output node) during operation, i.e., it can control the receiver and / or transmitter and exchange received / transmitted data. The transceiver may include an RF (radio frequency) front end, including one or more antennas, amplifiers, RF modulators / demodulators, etc., as both a transmitter and receiver. The processing circuit can perform control tasks such as controlling the transceiver to transmit user data and control data provided by the processing circuit, and / or to receive user data and control data that is further processed by the processing circuit. The processing circuit may also be responsible for performing other processes such as judgment, discrimination, determination, calculation, measurement, etc. The transmitter may be responsible for performing the transmitting process and other processes related to the transmitting process. The receiver may be responsible for performing the receiving process and other processes related to the receiving process, such as monitoring the channel.

[0041] The solutions provided below are described primarily in relation to 5G NR standardization for unlicensed operations (e.g., standalone or dual connectivity). Nevertheless, as already suggested above, these ideas, concepts, and improvements are not limited to 5G NR unlicensed standardization but are equally applicable to licensed operations of 5G NR, and equally applicable to unlicensed and / or licensed operations in LTE(-A) communication systems. Furthermore, future communication systems may benefit from the concepts disclosed in this application.

[0042] A first embodiment is described below with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

[0043] Figure 5 shows a simplified, exemplary UE configuration according to this solution, illustrating a UE configuration that can be implemented based on the general UE configuration described in relation to Figure 4 above. The various components of the UE shown in this figure can be interconnected with one another, for example, using corresponding input / output nodes (not shown) to exchange control data, user data, and other signals. Although not illustrated for illustrative purposes, the UE may include further components.

[0044] As is evident from this figure, the UE may include a power saving signal receiver, a power saving signal monitor circuit, a behavior determination circuit, and a setting selection circuit to participate in the improved procedures for reducing the UE power consumption described below.

[0045] In this case, as will become apparent from the following disclosure, the processor (processing circuit) may be exemplary configured to at least partially perform one or more steps of monitoring the reception of a Power Saving Signal (PoSS) from a serving base station where the UE is camping, and determining the UE's behavior regarding the processing of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), wherein the PoSS includes a behavior instruction that instructs the UE to follow a first or second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a configuration instruction that instructs at least one configuration parameter associated with the first or second behavior. The processor decides to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated, or to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and applies at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0046] The receiver may be configured to perform at least partially one or more of the following steps: receiving a power saving signal, and receiving information about thresholds via system information or configuration messages (such as configuration messages for the RRC protocol).

[0047] Figure 6 is a sequence diagram of the UE behavior following this improved power saving procedure.

[0048] We will exemplify the assumption that the UE is in idle mode, but it is also possible that the UE is in connected mode. The radio cell in which the UE is currently camped will be exemplarily referred to below as the serving radio cell controlled by the serving base station.

[0049] As shown in Figure 6, the UE first receives the PoSS and verifies that the PoSS was received correctly. Next, the UE determines the behavior instruction of the PoSS. Two possible behaviors may be instructed: the first behavior may include running the PDCCH monitor, while the second behavior may include skipping the PDCCH monitor, and therefore saving energy. Depending on which behavior is instructed, the UE then evaluates the PoSS configuration instruction and, accordingly, runs the PDCCH monitor and applies one or more configuration parameters associated with the first behavior. Otherwise, the UE evaluates the DCI configuration instruction and skips the PDCCH monitor. In this case, the UE applies one or more configuration parameters associated with the second behavior.

[0050] The process may then return to the step of checking whether PoSS was detected.

[0051] Figure 7 shows a sequence diagram of UE behavior according to another exemplary improved power saving procedure. In the first step, the UE must be verified to be configured by the base station to monitor the Power Saving Signal (PoSS). Otherwise, the process returns to the startup procedure. On the other hand, if the UE is configured to monitor PoSS, in the next step, the UE receives and monitors the reception of PoSS. This may be in the form of DCI, according to the exemplary embodiment. If PoSS is not detected, the UE performs default behavior. In the exemplary embodiment, default behavior is defined as the behavior when PoSS is incorrectly indicated by the UE. For such reasons, the UE has no behavior indication from the PoSS DCI. Specifically, the flow diagram shows that if PoSS is not detected, the UE may have two different possible default behaviors. If the UE is in an intermittent receive (DRX) state which is ON ("DRX_ON"), the UE only needs to perform normal PDCCH monitoring. Alternatively, the default behavior when PoSS is not detected may be not monitoring PDCCH while DRX_OFF.

[0052] If PoSS is detected, the UE evaluates the behavioral instructions included in the DCI of the PoSS. From these behavioral instructions, the UE determines whether the instructed UE behavior is to skip the PDCCH monitor or to perform the PDCCH monitor. If the behavioral instructions indicate that the PDCCH monitor should be performed, the DCI configuration instructions are evaluated and the configuration parameters associated with the first behavior are applied. According to this embodiment, the first behavior includes monitoring the PDCCH and therefore does not provide energy-saving functionality.

[0053] On the other hand, if the behavior instruction indicates that the PDCCH monitor should be skipped, the evaluation of the setting instruction guides the UE to apply at least one setting parameter associated with the second behavior. The second behavior is related to energy saving and specifically includes skipping the PDCCH monitor.

[0054] The process may then return to the step of checking whether PoSS was detected.

[0055] Figure 8 shows a timing diagram illustrating the first behavior of the UE according to an exemplary embodiment. According to this embodiment, the UE monitors a power saving signal (PoSS), sometimes also referred to as a power saving channel, on the configured resources.

[0056] As will be explained in more detail later, the first behavior generally involves triggering the UE to begin monitoring the PDCCH. If no trigger is detected, for example, the UE's default behavior may be not to receive and decode the PDCCH. This means that the base station may need to schedule the UE in a short amount of time. To promote power saving, the interval between this instruction and the actual scheduling may be as short as possible. To this end, the UE needs to begin performing time / frequency tracking, automatic gain control (AGC) training, channel status information (CSI) / radio resource management (RRM) measurement and reporting, and sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission. In this way, the base station can acquire downlink / uplink (DL / UL) channel status in a timely manner and begin scheduling in a short amount of time. This can reduce the total UE active time, which can save power. Furthermore, to save power, PDCCH monitoring can be reduced by further instructions for control resource sets (CORESET), search space information, and / or slot sets.

[0057] As schematically and illustratively shown in Figure 8, after ramping up, the UE receives a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) burst, and immediately thereafter receives a PoSS instructing it to start PDCCH monitoring. During the warming-up block, the UE receives reference signals (RS) for time and / or frequency tracking, automatic gain control (AGC), channel status information (CSI) reference resources, and radio resource management (RRM) reference resources. Furthermore, CSI reporting resources, and finally, sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission resources, are available to the UE.

[0058] As shown in Figure 8, the UE remains active for the next two SSB bursts, and then returns to an inactive state.

[0059] Figure 9, unlike Figure 8, shows a timing diagram for when the UE receives a PoSS indicating that the UE should skip the PDCCH monitor. This may be referred to in this disclosure as the UE's second behavior. In this situation, after receiving the PoSS, the UE ramps down and remains inactive during the off period. Exemplarily, the off period lasts for three or more SSB bursts.

[0060] Specifically, PoSS can instruct the UE to skip the PDCCH monitor until a specified time. If PoSS is not detected, the UE's default behavior may be to receive the PDCCH.

[0061] For the second behavior, no further time / frequency tracking, AGC training, CSI / RRM measurement / reporting, or SRS transmission is required. The UE may be instructed not to receive PDCCH until the next quasi-static DRX cycle or the next opportunity to receive the configured PoSS. Alternatively, the UE may be instructed not to receive PDCCH in the next X slot (X may be dynamically instructed or quasi-statically configured).

[0062] Furthermore, in addition to being instructed not to receive PDCCH, the UE may also be instructed not to receive PoSS until the next quasi-static DRX cycle or until the next opportunity to receive a set PoSS. Alternatively, the UE may be instructed not to receive PoSS in the next X slot (X may be dynamically instructed or quasi-statically set).

[0063] To provide a PoSS that can instruct the UE on the first and second behaviors as needed, it is proposed to send a PoSS DCI to the UE that enables the integration of different functions, such as PDCCH monitor triggering and skipping, into a single DCI design.

[0064] Generally, a single DCI is shared by UE behavior instructions for both PDCCH monitoring and triggering. As a result, the UE only needs to decode a single unified PoSS DCI to access further behavior instructions. Exemplarily, three concepts, described in more detail below, can be used for this purpose. First, detailed UE behavior instructions (i.e., settings) are encoded in a second field, which can be obtained based on the interpretation of a first field. Second, instructions to skip and trigger the PDCCH monitor and setting instructions may be combined and encoded in just one common field. Third, the interpretation of instructions to skip or trigger the PDCCH monitor is based on the detected Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI), while the settings for the indicated behavior are encoded in a separate field of PoSS.

[0065] Furthermore, the PoSS DCI may be UE group-specific or UE-specific. In the UE group-specific case, the way the bitmap is constructed may be similar to the existing NR DCI format_*. Each UE may be configured, exemplarily, with an index to correspond to its own indication within the DCI, so that the UE can determine which indication in the UE group-specific PoSS is for its own indication.

[0066] (Solution 1 - First field and second field) Next, a first exemplary solution for PoSS DCI is described with reference to Figure 10. According to this solution, the DCI includes a first field and a second field.

[0067] The first field contains a single bit that instructs the UE to either perform the PDCCH monitor (first behavior) or skip the PDCCH monitor (second behavior). According to the instructed behavior, the UE processes a second field that indicates the settings associated with the first or second behavior. The second field may be placed directly following each first field and contains an identifier linked to a previously configured table.

[0068] According to one exemplary embodiment, the first field indicates whether to run the PDCCH monitor or not, with respect to the PDCCH monitor, where the UE's default behavior is not to monitor the PDCCH. Alternatively, the first field indicates whether to skip monitoring the PDCCH, in which case the default behavior is not to skip monitoring the PDCCH.

[0069] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 10, a second field is provided in the DCI that is interpreted in accordance with the instructions of the first field. The second field contains setting instructions corresponding to the contents of the first field. For example, if the first field instructs to perform PDCCH monitoring, the UE interprets the second field to instruct at least one setting related to how to monitor the PDCCH, such as one or a combination of the following: • Channel Status Information (CSI) Reference Resources • Wireless Resource Management (RRM) reference resources ·CSI Reporting Resources • RRM Reporting Resources • Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission resources • Pseudo-collocation of CSI / RRM reference resources • Pseudo-collocation of CSI reporting resources, RRM reporting resources, and / or SRS transmission resources • Control Resource Set (CORESET) information • Search space information • Set of slots for PDCCH monitor • Skipping of PoSS monitors within a certain time or frequency resource; for example, if PoSS instructs a UE to start monitoring a PDCCH, subsequent PoSS monitors may be skipped or partially skipped. • Hybrid Auto-Retransmission Request-Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) Resource Parameter Instructions

[0070] For example, these configuration parameters may be included in a first table associated with a first behavior.

[0071] On the other hand, if the first field indicates not to monitor the PDCCH, the UE interprets a second field that sets how to skip monitoring the PDCCH, for example, if the first field indicates to skip monitoring the PDCCH, it will set the next setting, namely skipping monitoring the PDCCH and / or skipping monitoring the PoSS, or a combination thereof, until the next quasi-static DRX cycle, or until the next opportunity for a set power saving signal / channel, or in the next X slot (where X is dynamically indicated or quasi-statically set).

[0072] These configuration parameters may be included in a second table associated with the second behavior.

[0073] For both types of instructions, the combination of behavior and / or setting parameters may be configured by radio resource control (RRC).

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, this improvement may be implemented using a UE group-specific PoSS DCI, where the DCI includes a bitmap pattern having a first field and a second field in each bitmap for each UE of a group of UEs (e.g., UE#1, UE#2, and UE#3). Three UEs are shown illustratively in Figure 11. However, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, this PoSS DCI can of course also address four or more UEs. As described above, the gNB and UEs can exchange index values ​​with respect to this group-specific PoSS DCI so that the UE can determine which of the various sets of the first and second fields is intended for the UE.

[0075] (Solution 2 - Joined Fields) Next, a second exemplary solution for PoSS DCI is described with reference to Figure 12.

[0076] According to this solution, PoSS DCI includes a combined field for behavior instructions and configuration instructions for either the first or second behavior.

[0077] As shown in Figure 12, the PoSS DCI includes a common field that combines and encodes information about skips, triggers, and associated configuration parameters according to the required UE behavior. For example, the bitmap for the UE may include a 3-bit word representing the instruction index of the configuration table. Table 1 below shows an example of such a combined configuration table. [Table 2]

[0078] The entries in Table 1 may be set by, for example, RRC. As described above, each bitmap in the common field selects one row, and as a result selects one set of configuration parameters and behavior (column "PDCCH Monitor" is TRUE or FALSE).

[0079] As shown in Table 1, there may be an imbalance in the number of configuration parameters applicable to running the PDCCH monitor and the configuration parameters relevant when skipping the PDCCH monitor. Overall, the combined coding in the common fields shown in Figure 12 allows for reduced overhead compared to, for example, Solution 1 described above.

[0080] This improvement may be implemented using a PoSS DCI specific to each UE group. As shown in Figure 13, the PoSS DCI includes a bitmap pattern with combined fields for each UE in a group of UEs (e.g., UE#1, UE#2, and UE#3). Three UEs are shown illustratively in Figure 13. However, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, this PoSS DCI can of course address only one UE or four or more UEs.

[0081] As shown in Figure 13, the PoSS DCI includes a bitmap for each UE in a group that combines and encodes information on skips, triggers, and associated configuration parameters according to the required UE behavior. For example, the bitmap for each UE may contain a 3-bit word representing the instruction index of the configuration table. Table 1 shows an example of such a combined configuration table.

[0082] (Solution 3 - Using RNTI and PoSS DCI fields) Next, a third exemplary solution for the PoSS DCI is described with reference to Figure 14. According to this solution, the DCI includes a field containing an instruction indicating a setting for the first behavior or a field containing an instruction indicating a setting for the second behavior. Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, different RNTIs are used to address a particular UE and to indicate the intended behavior.

[0083] For example, depending on whether the PDCCH monitor is run or skipped, different RNTIs are used to mask the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) values ​​of the PoSS DCI.

[0084] As shown in Figure 14, within the detected PoSS DCI, the CRC is transmitted along with a field containing an instruction for at least one specific configuration parameter associated with either the first or second behavior. The field may contain, for example, three bits.

[0085] For example, if a CRC descramble check indicates an RNTI associated with skipping the PDCCH monitor, the UE interprets the instruction field in PoSS DCI as an instruction for a configuration parameter related to skipping the PDCCH monitor. For instance, the UE might know how long it can remain in sleep mode.

[0086] On the other hand, if the CRC descrambling check indicates an RNTI associated with the execution of the PDCCH monitor, the UE interprets the instructions in the PoSS DCI as indicating the settings associated with the first behavior. For example, the UE accesses tables such as Table 2 shown below to retrieve a set of configuration parameters, recognizes the destinations for CSI reports and SRS transmissions, and then starts the PDCCH monitor. It is also possible to perform updates. [Table 3]

[0087] Setting entries for trigger or skip instructions may be configured, for example, by RRC, along with specific first and second RNTIs related to the first and second behaviors, respectively.

[0088] As shown in Figure 15, this improvement may be implemented using a PoSS DCI specific to a UE group. According to this embodiment, the DCI includes a bitmap pattern having fields for each UE of a group of UEs (e.g., UE#1, UE#2, and UE#3) in each bitmap. Three UEs are shown illustratively in Figure 15. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, this PoSS DCI may of course address only one UE or four or more UEs. Furthermore, according to a third embodiment, different RNTIs are used to address a particular UE and to indicate the intended behavior.

[0089] Each UE in each group accesses the appropriate field according to its sequential position in the complete bitmap pattern, based on a previously defined index.

[0090] (Further aspects) According to a first aspect, a user device (UE) is provided, comprising: a receiving unit that, while operating, receives a power saving signal (PoSS) from a serving base station where the UE is camped; and a UE-side processing circuit that, while operating, monitors the reception of the PoSS and determines the UE behavior regarding the processing of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), wherein the PoSS includes a behavior instruction that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a setting instruction that instructs at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, and the processing circuit, while operating, determines to perform PDCCH monitoring when the first behavior is instructed, to skip PDCCH monitoring when the second behavior is instructed, and to apply the at least one setting parameter accordingly.

[0091] According to a second aspect provided in addition to the first aspect, if the first field indicates that the PDCCH monitor should be run, then at least one configuration parameter is: Channel Status Information (CSI) reference resource, Wireless Resource Management (RRM) reference resources, CSI reporting resources, RRM reporting resources, Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission resources, Pseudo-collocation of CSI / RRM reference resources, Pseudo-collocation of CSI reporting resources, RRM reporting resources, and / or SRS transmission resources, Control resource set (CORESET) information, Search space information and, A set of slots for the PDCCH monitor, PoSS monitor skip, Hybrid Automatic Resend Request-Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) resource parameter instruction, Includes at least one or a combination of the following.

[0092] According to the first or a third aspect provided in addition to the second aspect, if the first field indicates skipping the PDCCH monitor, at least one configuration parameter includes skipping the PDCCH monitor and / or skipping the PoSS monitor until the next quasi-static DRX cycle, or until the next opportunity for a configured power saving signal / channel, or in the next X slot (where X is dynamically indicated or quasi-statically configured).

[0093] In addition to any of the first to third embodiments, according to the fourth embodiment provided, the UE selects at least one configuration parameter from a configuration table during operation, and optionally the configuration table is configured by radio resource control (RRC).

[0094] In accordance with the fifth aspect provided in addition to any of the first to fourth aspects, the PoSS received by the UE includes behavioral and / or configuration instructions for a group of UEs.

[0095] In addition to any of the first to fifth embodiments, according to a sixth embodiment, PoSS is received as downlink control information (DCI), the DCI comprising at least one first field for behavior indication, the first field comprising a value indicating a first behavior or a second behavior, and the DCI comprising at least one second field for setting indication, the second field comprising a value which, depending on the value of the first field, is interpreted as indicating at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior.

[0096] In addition to the sixth aspect, according to the seventh aspect provided, the first field instructs the UE to start the PDCCH monitor or not to start the PDCCH monitor, with the default behavior being not to start the PDCCH monitor, or the first field instructs the UE to skip the PDCCH monitor or not to skip the PDCCH monitor, with the default behavior being not to skip the PDCCH monitor.

[0097] In addition to the first to fifth embodiments, according to the eighth embodiment provided, PoSS is received as downlink control information (DCI), and behavioral instructions and setting instructions are combined and coded in a common field of the DCI.

[0098] In addition to the eighth and fourth embodiments, according to the ninth embodiment provided, the contents of the common field include a bitmap used by the UE to select at least one configuration parameter, and the configuration table includes behavioral instructions and configuration instructions.

[0099] In addition to the first to fifth embodiments, according to a tenth embodiment provided, PoSS is received as downlink control information (DCI), behavior instructions are encoded as a first or second radio network transient identifier (RNTI) that masks the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value of the DCI, the RNTI identifies the UE and instructs a first or second behavior.

[0100] In addition to the tenth and fourth embodiments, according to the eleventh embodiment provided, the DCI includes at least one bitmap used by the UE to select at least one configuration parameter from a configuration table.

[0101] A method is provided in which the processing circuit determines whether to perform a PDCCH monitor if the first behavior is instructed, if the second behavior is instructed, and whether to skip the PDCCH monitor if the second behavior is instructed, and accordingly apply the at least one setting parameter.

[0102] In a thirteenth aspect, a base station (BS) is provided, comprising: a transmitting unit that, while operating, transmits a power saving signal (PoSS) to at least one user equipment (UE) camped on the BS; and a BS-side processing circuit that, while operating, generates a PoSS, wherein the PoSS includes a behavior instruction that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior; the PoSS further includes a setting instruction that instructs at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior; and the PoSS is generated such that the UE runs a PDCCH monitor when the first behavior is instructed, skips the PDCCH monitor when the second behavior is instructed, and applies the corresponding at least one setting parameter.

[0103] In addition to the thirteenth aspect, according to the fourteenth aspect provided, the processing circuit combines the PoSS for the group of UEs into a combined bitmap pattern during operation.

[0104] In accordance with the 13th or 14th aspect, plus the 15th aspect provided, PoSS is transmitted as Downlink Control Information (DCI), The DCI includes at least one first field for behavior indication, the first field including a value indicating a first behavior or a second behavior, and the DCI includes at least one second field for setting indication, the second field including a value that, depending on the value of the first field, is interpreted as indicating at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, or Behavior instructions and setting instructions are combined and encoded in the common field of DCI, or The behavior instruction is encoded as a first or second radio network transient identifier (RNTI) that masks the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value of the DCI, and the RNTI identifies the UE and instructs the first or second behavior.

[0105] (Implementation by hardware and software of this disclosure) This disclosure can be implemented by software, by hardware, or by software working in conjunction with hardware. Each functional block used in the description of each embodiment above can be implemented in part or in whole by an LSI such as an integrated circuit, and each process described in each embodiment can be controlled in part or in whole by the same LSI or combination of LSIs. An LSI can be formed individually as a chip, or a single chip can be formed to include some or all of the functional blocks. An LSI can include data input / output units coupled to itself. An LSI may be referred to here as an IC (integrated circuit), system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI depending on the degree of integration. However, the technology for realizing an integrated circuit is not limited to LSIs and can be realized using dedicated circuits, general-purpose processors, or dedicated processors. Furthermore, an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) that can be programmed after the manufacture of the LSI, or a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connections and settings of circuit cells located inside the LSI can also be used. This disclosure can be implemented as digital or analog processing. If LSIs are replaced by future integrated circuit technologies as a result of advances in semiconductor technology or other derivative technologies, functional blocks can be integrated using those future integrated circuit technologies. Biotechnology can also be applied.

[0106] This disclosure can be implemented by any type of device, apparatus, or system having communication capabilities (collectively referred to as communication apparatus).

[0107] Non-exclusive examples of communication devices include telephones (mobile phones, smartphones, etc.), tablets, personal computers (PCs) (laptops, desktops, netbooks, etc.), cameras (digital still / video cameras, etc.), digital players (digital audio / video players, etc.), wearable devices (wearable cameras, smartwatches, tracking devices, etc.), game consoles, digital book readers, telehealth / telemedicine devices, vehicles with communication capabilities (cars, airplanes, ships, etc.), and combinations of the above-mentioned devices.

[0108] Communication devices are not limited to portable or mobile devices, but also include all kinds of non-portable or fixed devices, devices, or systems, such as smart home devices (appliances, lighting fixtures, smart meters, control panels, etc.), vending machines, and any other "things" that may exist on an IoT (Internet of Things) network.

[0109] Communication includes data communication via cellular systems, wireless LAN systems, and communication satellite systems, as well as data communication using combinations of these.

[0110] Furthermore, the communication device also includes devices such as controllers and sensors that are connected to or linked to a communication device that performs the communication functions described in this disclosure. For example, the communication device includes controllers and sensors that generate control signals and data signals used by the communication device that performs the communication functions of the communication device.

[0111] Furthermore, communication equipment includes infrastructure facilities such as base stations, access points, and any other devices, equipment, or systems that communicate with or control the above-mentioned non-limited types of equipment.

[0112] Furthermore, various embodiments may be implemented by software modules executed by a processor or directly in hardware. Alternatively, software modules and hardware implementations can be combined. Software modules can be stored in any type of computer-readable storage medium, such as RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, registers, hard disks, CD-ROMs, and DVDs. It should also be noted that individual features of different embodiments, individually or in any combination, may be the subject of other embodiments.

[0113] Those skilled in the art will understand that numerous modifications and / or changes can be made to the present disclosure, as shown in the specific embodiments. Therefore, these embodiments should be considered illustrative and not restrictive in all respects.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit for controlling a base station (BS), wherein the integrated circuit is A transmitting circuit that transmits a power saving signal (PoSS) to at least one user device (UE) camped on the aforementioned BS, The processing circuit that generates the PoSS, Equipped with, The PoSS includes a behavior instruction that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a setting instruction that instructs at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior. The PoS is generated such that it causes the UE to execute the PDCCH monitor when the first behavior is instructed, to skip the PDCCH monitor when the second behavior is instructed, and to apply the at least one setting parameter. The aforementioned PoS is transmitted as Downlink Control Information (DCI), The behavior instruction and the setting instruction are combined and coded in the common field of the DCI, the combined and coded behavior instruction is to skip monitoring of the PDCCH, and the setting instruction is an instruction relating to channel status information (CSI). Integrated circuit.

2. The processing circuit combines the PoSS for the group of UEs into a combined bitmap pattern. The integrated circuit according to claim 1.

3. The DCI includes at least one first field for behavior indication, the first field including a value indicating the first behavior or the second behavior, the DCI includes at least one second field for setting indication, the second field including a value that, depending on the value of the first field, is interpreted as indicating the at least one setting parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, or The aforementioned behavior instructions and setting instructions are combined and encoded in the common field of the DCI, or The behavior instruction is encoded as a first or second radio network transient identifier (RNTI) that masks the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value of the DCI, the RNTI identifying the UE and instructing the first behavior or the second behavior. The integrated circuit according to claim 1.

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