Method and apparatus for managing low power wake up radio in a wireless network system

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate. Embodiments herein provide a method and system for managing low power wake up radio in a wireless network system. The method comprises detecting, by UE, Low power-Wake up radio (LP-WUR) configuration provided by network apparatus.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING LOW POWER WAKE UP RADIO IN A WIRELESS NETWORK SYSTEM

[0001] The disclosure relates to wireless communication and more particularly relates to a method and system for managing low power wake up radio in a wireless network system.

[0002] Fifth generation (5G) mobile communication technologies define broad frequency bands such that high transmission rates and new services are possible, and can be implemented not only in "Sub 6 gigahertz (GHz)" bands such as 3.5GHz, but also in "Above 6GHz" bands referred to as millimeter wave (mmWave) including 28GHz and 39GHz. In addition, it has been considered to implement sixth generation (6G) mobile communication technologies (referred to as Beyond 5G systems) in terahertz (THz) bands (for example, 95GHz to 3THz bands) in order to accomplish transmission rates fifty times faster than 5G mobile communication technologies and ultra-low latencies one-tenth of 5G mobile communication technologies.

[0003] At the beginning of the development of 5G mobile communication technologies, in order to support services and to satisfy performance requirements in connection with enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB), Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC), and massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC), there has been ongoing standardization regarding beamforming and massive multi input multi output (MIMO) for mitigating radio-wave path loss and increasing radio-wave transmission distances in mmWave, supporting numerologies (for example, operating multiple subcarrier spacings) for efficiently utilizing mmWave resources and dynamic operation of slot formats, initial access technologies for supporting multi-beam transmission and broadbands, definition and operation of BandWidth Part (BWP), new channel coding methods such as a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code for large amount of data transmission and a polar code for highly reliable transmission of control information, L2 pre-processing, and network slicing for providing a dedicated network specialized to a specific service.

[0004] Currently, there are ongoing discussions regarding improvement and performance enhancement of initial 5G mobile communication technologies in view of services to be supported by 5G mobile communication technologies, and there has been physical layer standardization regarding technologies such as Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) for aiding driving determination by autonomous vehicles based on information regarding positions and states of vehicles transmitted by the vehicles and for enhancing user convenience, New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) aimed at system operations conforming to various regulation-related requirements in unlicensed bands, new radio (NR) user equipment (UE) Power Saving, Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) which is UE-satellite direct communication for providing coverage in an area in which communication with terrestrial networks is unavailable, and positioning.

[0005] Moreover, there has been ongoing standardization in air interface architecture / protocol regarding technologies such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for supporting new services through interworking and convergence with other industries, Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) for providing a node for network service area expansion by supporting a wireless backhaul link and an access link in an integrated manner, mobility enhancement including conditional handover and Dual Active Protocol Stack (DAPS) handover, and two-step random access for simplifying random access procedures (2-step random access channel (RACH) for NR). There also has been ongoing standardization in system architecture / service regarding a 5G baseline architecture (for example, service based architecture or service based interface) for combining Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies, and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) for receiving services based on UE positions.

[0006] As 5G mobile communication systems are commercialized, connected devices that have been exponentially increasing will be connected to communication networks, and it is accordingly expected that enhanced functions and performances of 5G mobile communication systems and integrated operations of connected devices will be necessary. To this end, new research is scheduled in connection with eXtended Reality (XR) for efficiently supporting Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR) and the like, 5G performance improvement and complexity reduction by utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), AI service support, metaverse service support, and drone communication.

[0007] Furthermore, such development of 5G mobile communication systems will serve as a basis for developing not only new waveforms for providing coverage in terahertz bands of 6G mobile communication technologies, multi-antenna transmission technologies such as Full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas and large-scale antennas, metamaterial-based lenses and antennas for improving coverage of terahertz band signals, high-dimensional space multiplexing technology using Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM), and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS), but also full-duplex technology for increasing frequency efficiency of 6G mobile communication technologies and improving system networks, AI-based communication technology for implementing system optimization by utilizing satellites and Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the design stage and internalizing end-to-end AI support functions, and next-generation distributed computing technology for implementing services at levels of complexity exceeding the limit of UE operation capability by utilizing ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources.

[0008] In the context of New Radio (NR) User Equipment (UE), one of the significant challenges is managing power consumption, particularly during the process of monitoring the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and decoding Downlink Control Information (DCI). Even when the UE is in an IDLE or INACTIVE state, it is still required to perform specific operations such as receiving paging messages. This involves monitoring DCI scrambled with Paging-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (P-RNTI) during designated paging occasions (PO) based on a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configuration. Consequently, this requirement leads to power drain even when the UE is not actively engaged in communication.

[0009] To address this issue, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in Release 18 is exploring the use of a Low Power Wake-Up Radio (LP-WUR) to achieve power savings. The LP-WUR is a separate hardware component designed to monitor and receive particular sequences and / or signals while consuming significantly less power compared to the main radio used for receiving signals from the network, such as the NR or Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. The LP-WUR monitors for a wake-up indication, such as a configured Wake-Up Signal (WUS) or sequence, allowing a main radio (MR) to remain in an OFF or Sleep state, which consumes less power than when active. When the LP-WUR detects the WUS, it signals the MR to transition to an ON state and perform the necessary operations, thereby reducing overall power consumption in the UE.

[0010] However, the introduction of the LP-WUR impacts existing Layer 2 procedures on the UE side, necessitating modifications to support the Wake-Up Radio. These changes are used for seamless integration and effective power management in the evolving NR framework.

[0011] In addition to power management challenges, Release 18 of 3GPP is also focused on supporting Extended Reality (XR) type traffic, which imposes new requirements for lower latencies and higher data rates. To meet these latency and throughput demands, the Radio Access Network (RAN) must be aware of XR-specific parameters and handle traffic based on Protocol Data Unit (PDU) Sets. A PDU Set comprises one or more PDUs carrying the payload of a single unit of information generated at the application level, such as a frame or video slice for XR services.

[0012] One critical parameter within a PDU Set is the PDU Set Importance Information (PSI), which indicates the relative importance of a PDU Set compared to others within a Quality of Service (QoS) flow. Both the base station in 5G (referred to as gNB) and the UE use this information to perform PDU discard during congestion scenarios, such as network congestion or overload. The PSI is part of the PDU Set information provided to the gNB from the User Plane Function (UPF) as part of the GTP-U header information.

[0013] Given that multiple QoS flows can be mapped to the same Data Radio Bearer (DRB), there is a need to manage PSI levels across QoS flows mapped to the same DRB when performing congestion-based discard. According to the 3GPP TS 23.501 specification, PSI across QoS flows with the same priority level can be considered for congestion-based discard. The gNB obtains information on the QoS priority level from the PDU Session establishment message from the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF). Since the UE applies the same principles for uplink (UL) traffic as for downlink (DL) traffic, the UE also requires QoS priority level information to perform PSI-based discard across QoS flows mapped to a DRB.

[0014] Therefore, it is necessary to address the aforementioned disadvantages, issues, or other shortcomings, or at least provide a useful alternative to improve power management and traffic handling in NR UEs.

[0015] The principal object of the embodiments herein is to provide a system and method for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system.

[0016] Another object of the embodiment herein is to provide the changes in Layer 2 procedures to support the use of the LP-WUR in a UE.

[0017] Yet another object of the embodiments herein is to provide the UE in IDLE or INACTIVE state to perform certain functions such as receiving paging messages, short messages for system information change, measurements for cell (re)selection to support IDLE / INACTIVE state mobility, etc., which would be impacted when the LP-WUR is introduced to receive the wake-up indication and MR is moved to OFF or sleep state.

[0018] Yet another object of the embodiment herein is to handle extended Reality (XR) traffic in New Radio (NR), a 5th generation Radio Access Technology (RAT).

[0019] Yet another object of the embodiments herein is to disclose methods and systems for handling XR traffic and, in particular, handling of PDU Set importance information at the UE,

[0020] Yet another object of the embodiments herein is to signal the QoS priority information to the UE and handling of PDU Set importance information across QoS flows mapped within a DRB.

[0021] In one aspect, a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises receiving, from a network apparatus, system information including configuration information associated with a low power - wake up signal (LP-WUS), measuring a serving cell and in case that a measurement result of the serving cell is below a threshold stopping monitoring, based on a wake up receiver (LR), the LP-WUS, and monitoring, based on a main radio (MR), a paging occasion (PO) for a paging message or a paging early indication (PEI).

[0022] In another aspect, a UE in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises a transceiver and at least one processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to receive, from a network apparatus, system information including configuration information associated with low power - wake up signal (LP-WUS), to measure a serving cell, and in case that a measurement result of the serving cell is below a threshold to stop monitoring, based on a wake up receiver (LR), the LP-WUS, and to monitor, based on a main radio (MR), a paging occasion (PO) for a paging message or a paging early indication (PEI).

[0023] In one aspect, the objects are achieved by providing a method and system for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system. The method comprises detecting by a UE a LP-WUR configuration provided by a network apparatus. Further, the UE configures the LP-WUR of the UE to monitor for a Low power-wake up signal (LP-WUS) based on the LP-WUR configuration. The UE monitors for the LP-WUS using the LP-WUR and performs measurement of at least one of the LP-WUS and a Low Power Synchronization Signal (LP-SS) using the LP-WUR. Further, the UE (100) determines whether at least one of a Wake up Receiver (LR) of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, the UE is able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS, and the WUS is intended for the UE based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS. Further, the UE performs at least one of transmitting from the LP-WUR an out-of-coverage indication message to a the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR an LR monitor indication message to the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR a wake-up indication to the MR of the UE. The out-of-coverage indication message indicates to the MR that the LR is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS. The LR monitor indication message indicates to the MR that the LR cannot be used to monitor the LP-WUS when the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS. Further, the wake-up indication indicates to the MR that the LP-WUS is intended for this UE when the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS.

[0024] In an embodiment, the method comprises transmitting a message to the network apparatus by the UE indicating that the LR is out of coverage using the MR when the MR receives the out-of-coverage indication message from the LP-WUR.

[0025] In an embodiment, the method includes logging, by the UE, out-of-coverage events if configured by the network apparatus to log a LR out-of-coverage report and transmits the logged report to the network apparatus upon transitioning to CONNECTED state.

[0026] In an embodiment, the method comprises monitoring by the UE for paging or PEI using the MR upon receiving the out-of-coverage indication message from the LP-WUR.

[0027] In an embodiment, the method comprises monitoring by the UE for paging or PEI using the MR in paging occasions till a next LP-WUS occasion upon receiving the LP-WUR an LR monitor indication message from the LP-WUR.

[0028] In an embodiment, the method includes determining the configuration by the network apparatus to skip monitoring the PEI and LP-WUS when using LR for wake up indication monitoring. Further the UE skips to monitor PEI and LP-WUS and directly monitor paging after receiving wake up indication from LR.

[0029] In an embodiment, the method comprises monitoring by the UE for paging or PEI using the MR when configured to skip PEI after WUS and upon receiving the out-of-coverage indication message from the LP-WUR.

[0030] In an embodiment, the method includes determining by the UE whether the LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS, comprising measuring a signal strength of at least one of the LP-WUS and the LP-SS by the UE. Further, determining by the UE that the LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the signal strength of at least one of the LP-WUS and the LP-SS meets the defined threshold for a defined time interval.

[0031] In an embodiment, the method includes determining by the UE whether the LP-WUR has received the wake-up indication and determining by the UE whether at least one of the WUS is intended for the UE when the LP-WUR has received the wake-up indication.

[0032] In another aspect, the objects are achieved by providing the UE for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system. The UE includes a memory storing information about a coverage area of the UE, a processor, and a low power wake-up radio controller communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor. The low power wake-up radio controller detects the LP-WUR configuration provided by a network apparatus and configures an LP-WUR of the UE to monitor for a LP-WUS based on the LP-WUR configuration. Further, the LP-WUR monitors for the LP-WUS using the LP-WUR and performs measurement of at least one of the LP-WUS and a LP-SS using the LP-WUR. The low power wake-up radio controller determines whether at least one of a LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS. The UE is able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS and the WUS is intended for the UE based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS. Furthermore, the low power wake-up radio controller performs at least one of transmitting from the LP-WUR an out-of-coverage indication message to the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR an LR monitor indication message to the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR a wake-up indication to the MR of the UE indicating that the LP-WUS is intended for this UE. The out-of-coverage indication message indicates the LR is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, whereas the LR monitor indication message indicates that the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS. Further, the wake-up indication to the MR is transmitted when the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS.

[0033] These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It is understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

[0034] The disclosure provides method and apparatus for managing low power wake up radio in a wireless network system.

[0035] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings in which:

[0036] Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of the UE for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system according to the embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0037] Fig. 2 illustrates a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved in determining when a UE's LR is in the LP-WUS coverage area of the cell and the actions performed by the UE upon determining the UE is out of coverage according to the embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0038] Fig. 3 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved in determining when the UE's LR is in the LP-WUS coverage area of the cell and the actions performed by the UE upon determining the UE is out of coverage, which includes the reporting of the change in the LR's usage status to the network apparatus by the UE upon detection of loss in coverage of the LP-WUS according to the embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0039] Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved when the UE's LR cannot be used to monitor the LP-WUS and the MR takes over the monitoring of paging till the next WUS occasion according to the embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0040] Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved upon reception of the LP-WUS and the UE is configured to skip Paging Early Indication (PEI) monitoring by the network according to the embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0041] Fig. 6 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the method for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system according to the embodiment as disclosed herein.

[0042] Fig. 7 is a sequence diagram that illustrates a sample signaling flow depicting the procedure of providing the QoS Priority information as part of RadioBearerConfiguration in the RRCReconfiguration message and the UE using this QoS Priority information to calculate DRB level PDU Set Importance information to be used during Congestion-based discard procedure at PDCP according to embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0043] Fig. 8 is a sequence diagram that illustrates a sample signaling flow depicting the procedure of providing the mapping of QoS level PDU Set Importance information to DRB level importance information, which is used during Congestion-based discard procedure at PDCP according to embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0044] Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram that illustrates a sample signaling flow depicting the embodiment of providing the UE NAS with the QoS Priority information as part of PDU SESSION SETUP ACCEPT / PDU SESSION MODIFICATION ACCEPT NAS message and also shows UE NAS-AS interaction and usage of this QoS Priority information to calculate DRB level PDU Set Importance information to be used during Congestion-based discard procedure at PDCP according to embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0045] It may be noted that to the extent possible, like reference numerals have been used to represent like elements in the drawing. Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that elements in the drawing are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimension of some of the elements in the drawing may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve the understanding of aspects of the invention. Furthermore, the elements may have been represented in the drawing by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show those specific details that are pertinent to the understanding the embodiments of the invention so as not to obscure the drawing with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

[0046] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and details in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. Also, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The term "or" as used herein, refers to a non-exclusive or, unless otherwise indicated. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein can be practiced and to further enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples are not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

[0047] As is traditional in the field, embodiments are described and illustrated in terms of blocks that carry out a described function or functions.　These blocks, which referred to herein as managers, units, modules, hardware components or the like, are physically implemented by analog and / or digital circuits such as logic gates, integrated circuits, microprocessors, microcontrollers, memory circuits, passive electronic components, active electronic components, optical components, hardwired circuits and the like, and optionally be driven by firmware and software. The circuits, for example, be embodied in one or more semiconductor chips, or on substrate supports such as printed circuit boards and the like.　The circuits constituting a block be implemented by dedicated hardware, or by a processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associated circuitry), or by a combination of dedicated hardware to perform some functions of the block and a processor to perform other functions of the block. Each block of the embodiments be physically separated into two or more interacting and discrete blocks without departing from the scope of the proposed method.　Likewise, the blocks of the embodiments be physically combined into more complex blocks without departing from the scope of the proposed method.

[0048] The accompanying drawings are used to help easily understand various technical features and it is understood that the embodiments presented herein are not limited by the accompanying drawings. As such, the proposed method is construed to extend to any alterations, equivalents and substitutes in addition to those which are particularly set out in the accompanying drawings. Although the terms first, second, etc. used herein to describe various elements, these elements are not be limited by these terms. These terms are generally used to distinguish one element from another.

[0049] In one aspect, the objects are achieved by providing a method and system for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system. The method comprises detecting by a UE a LP-WUR configuration provided by a network apparatus. Further, the UE configures the LP-WUR of the UE to monitor for a LP-WUS based on the LP-WUR configuration. The UE monitors for the LP-WUS using the LP-WUR and performs measurement of at least one of the LP-WUS and a LP-SS using the LP-WUR. Further, the UE (100) determines whether at least one of a LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, the UE is able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS, and the WUS is intended for the UE based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS. Further, the UE performs at least one of transmitting from the LP-WUR an out-of-coverage indication message to the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR an LR monitor indication message to the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR a wake-up indication to the MR of the UE. The out-of-coverage indication message indicates to the MR that the LR is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS. The LR monitor indication message indicates to the MR that the LR cannot be used to monitor the LP-WUS when the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS. Further, the wake-up indication indicates to the MR that the LP-WUS is intended for this UE when the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS.

[0050] In another aspect, the objects are achieved by providing the UE for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system. The UE includes a memory storing information about a coverage area of the UE, a processor, and a low power wake-up radio controller communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor. The low power wake-up radio controller detects the LP-WUR configuration provided by a network apparatus and configures an LP-WUR of the UE to monitor for a LP-WUS based on the LP-WUR configuration. Further, the LP-WUR monitors for the LP-WUS using the LP-WUR and performs measurement of at least one of the LP-WUS and a LP-SS using the LP-WUR. The low power wake-up radio controller determines whether at least one of a LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, the UE is able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS, and the WUS is intended for the UE based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS. Furthermore, the low power wake-up radio controller performs at least one of transmitting from the LP-WUR an out-of-coverage indication message to the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR an LR monitor indication message to the MR of the UE, or transmitting from the LP-WUR a wake-up indication to the MR of the UE indicating that the LP-WUS is intended for this UE. The out-of-coverage indication message indicates the LR is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the LR of the UE is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, whereas the LR monitor indication message indicates that the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS. Further, the wake-up indication to the MR is transmitted when the UE is not able to use the LR of the UE for monitoring the LP-WUS.

[0051] The LP-WUR operates independently of the MR, monitoring for a WUS even when the MR is in an OFF state or a low-power sleep state. Upon detection of the WUS, the LP-WUR signals the MR to transition to the ON state. This design enables the MR to perform necessary operations when required, significantly reducing power consumption by keeping the MR in lower power states for extended periods.

[0052] The LP-WURs are designed to operate using minimal power compared to traditional wake-up mechanisms or active receivers. This significantly extends the battery life of devices, which is used for IoT (Internet of Things) devices, sensors, and other battery-powered systems that require long operational lifetimes without frequent battery replacement. By allowing devices to remain in a low-power sleep mode most of the time and wake up in response to specific wake-up signals, LP-WURs contribute to reducing the overall power consumption of wireless networks and devices. This is especially beneficial in scenarios where energy efficiency is a primary concern.

[0053] The LP-WURs can enhance the reliability of communication systems by providing an efficient means of waking up devices from sleep modes to receive data or instructions. This improves responsiveness and reduces latency compared to systems that rely on periodic wake-ups or constant monitoring.

[0054] The Layer 2 protocols like Radio Resource Control (RRC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) might need to be improved in order to support LP-WUR efficiently. To handle LP-WUR wake-up indications and synchronize with the MR's state transitions, these improvements might include creating new messages or protocols. To optimize the power-saving advantages of LP-WUR without sacrificing operational effectiveness, integration with current power management techniques is also used.

[0055] The present embodiments disclosed herein provide a system and method to support LP in a wireless system. The present method includes handling of operation at UE in IDLE / INACTIVE state to support the LP-WUR. Further, the present method details the signaling for providing the configurations for use of the LP-WUR. The present method also provides the method for handling different coverage areas of LP-WUS and paging channel in a cell.

[0056] Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 through 9, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figure, these are shown preferred embodiments.

[0057] Fig. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates hardware components associated with the UE (100) for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system according to the embodiments as disclosed herein. With reference to Fig. 1, the UE (100) can encompass a diverse range of devices including but not limited to laptops, palmtops, desktops, mobile phones, smartphones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), tablets, wearable devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, virtual reality devices, foldable devices, flexible devices, display devices, and immersive systems. In an embodiment, the UE (100) includes a memory (101), a processor (102), an Input / Output (I / O) interface (108), and a low power wake up radio controller (104).

[0058] The memory (101) stores instructions to be executed by the processor (102). The memory (101) can include non-volatile storage elements. Examples of such non-volatile storage elements may include magnetic hard disks, optical disks, floppy disks, flash memories, or forms of electrically programmable memories (EPROM) or electrically erasable and programmable (EEPROM) memories. In addition, the memory (101) may in some examples be considered a non-transitory storage medium. The term non-transitory may indicate that the storage medium is not embodied in a carrier wave or a propagated signal. However, the term non-transitory should not be interpreted that the memory (101) is non-movable. In some examples, the memory (101) stores larger amounts of information. In certain examples, a non-transitory storage medium may store data that can over time change (e.g., in Random Access Memory (RAM) or cache). The memory (101) stores the information about a coverage area of the UE (100).

[0059] The processor (102) may include one or a plurality of processors. The one or the plurality of processors may be a general-purpose processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or the like, a graphics-only processing unit such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), a visual processing unit (VPU), and / or an AI-dedicated processor such as a neural processing unit (NPU). The processor (102) may include multiple cores and is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory (101). The processor (102) fetches the capabilities of the UE (100) and information regarding the occurrence of the events.

[0060] The I / O interface (108) transmits the information between the memory (101) and external peripheral devices. The peripheral devices are the input-output devices associated with a network apparatus (107). The I / O interface (108) receives several pieces of information from a plurality of UEs, network devices, servers, and the like. The I / O interface (108) ensures that the operating speed of the processor is synchronized with respect to the input and output devices. The I / O interface (108) establishes a connection between different peripheral devices like communicator (103), the memory (101), and others for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system.

[0061] In an embodiment, the low power wake up radio controller (104) of the UE (100) communicates with the processor (102), I / O interface (108), and memory (101) for dynamically varying the AI / ML capacity of the UE (100) for optimal user experience. The low power wake up radio controller (104) receives the type of UE events occurring from the AI / ML classification model and performs suitable UE operations. The low power wake up radio controller (104) manages low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system.

[0062] In an embodiment, the low power wake up radio controller (104) detects the low power wake up radio (106) configuration provided by the network apparatus (107) and configures the LP-WUR (106) of the UE (100) to monitor for a LP-WUS based on the LP-WUR (106) configuration. The low power wake up radio controller (104) then monitors for the LP-WUS using the LP-WUR (106) and performs measurements of at least one of the LP-WUS and a LP-SS using the LP-WUR (106). Thereafter, the low power wake up radio controller (104) determines, based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS, whether at least one of a LR of the UE (100) is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, whether the UE (100) is able to use the LR of the UE (100) for monitoring the LP-WUS, and whether the WUS is intended for the UE (100). The low power wake up radio controller (104) performs at least one of transmitting an out-of-coverage indication message to the MR (105) of the UE (100), a LR monitor indication message to the MR (105) of the UE (100), or a wake up indication to the MR (105) of the UE (100). The out-of-coverage indication message indicates to the MR (105) that the LR is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the LR of the UE (100) is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS. The LR monitor indication message indicates to the MR (105) that the LR cannot be used to monitor the LP-WUS when the UE (100) is not able to use the LR of the UE (100) for monitoring the LP-WUS. Further, the wake up indication indicates to the MR (105) that the LP-WUS is intended for this UE (100) when the UE (100) is not able to use the LR of the UE (100) for monitoring the LP-WUS.

[0063] The low power wake up radio controller (206) transmits a message to the network apparatus (107) indicating that the LR is out of coverage using the MR (105) when the MR (105) receives the out-of-coverage indication message from the LP-WUR (106). The LP-WUR (106) monitors for paging or PEI using the MR (105) when configured to skip PEI after WUS and upon receiving the out-of-coverage indication message from the LP-WUR (106). Further, the LP-WUR (106) monitors for paging or PEI using the MR (105) when configured to skip PEI after WUS and upon receiving the out-of-coverage indication message from the LP-WUR (106). The LP-WUR (106) determines, based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS, whether the LR of the UE (100) is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, which comprises determining whether a signal strength of at least one of the LP-WUS and the LP-SS meets a defined threshold or determining that the LR of the UE (100) is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the signal strength of at least one of the LP-WUS and the LP-SS meets the defined threshold.

[0064] The LP-WUR (106) determining whether at least one of the WUS is intended for the UE (100) comprises determining whether the LP-WUR (106) has received the wake up indication and determining whether at least one of the WUS is intended for the UE (100) when the LP-WUR (106) has received the wake up indication. This ensures that the UE (100) can manage its power consumption efficiently by waking up the necessary components when a relevant signal is detected. By accurately determining the coverage and intended recipient of the LP-WUS, the low power wake up radio controller (104) enhances the reliability and efficiency of the UE (100) in low-power operations. This capability is particularly beneficial in scenarios where the UE (100) operates in environments with varying signal strengths, ensuring that the device remains responsive while conserving energy.

[0065] The low power wake up radio controller (106) is an inventive hardware component that is incorporated into the UE (100) through processing circuitry comprising logic gates, integrated circuits, microprocessors, microcontrollers, memory circuits, passive and active electronic components, optical components, hardwired circuits, or similar technologies. These circuits can be manifested in one or more semiconductor chips or on substrate supports such as printed circuit boards.

[0066] At least one of the plurality of components of the low power wake up radio controller (104) may be implemented through an AI / ML model. A function associated with the AI model may be performed through the memory (101) and the processor (102). The one or a plurality of processors controls the processing of the input data in accordance with a predefined operating rule or the AI / ML model stored in the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory. The predefined operating rule or artificial intelligence model is provided through training or learning.

[0067] Here, being provided through learning means that by applying a learning process to a plurality of learning data, a predefined operating rule or AI / ML model of a desired characteristic is made. The learning may be performed in a device itself in which AI / ML according to an embodiment is performed and / or may be implemented through a separate server / system.

[0068] The AI / ML model may include of a plurality of neural network layers. Each layer has a plurality of weight values and performs a layer operation through calculation of a previous layer and an operation of a plurality of weights. Examples of neural networks include, but are not limited to, convolutional neural network (CNN), deep neural network (DNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), restricted Boltzmann Machine (RBM), deep belief network (DBN), bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), generative adversarial networks (GAN), and deep Q-networks.

[0069] The learning process is a method for training a predetermined target device (for example, a robot) using a plurality of learning data to cause, allow, or control the target device to make a determination or prediction. Examples of learning processes include, but are not limited to, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning.

[0070] Whilst Fig. 1 depicts the hardware components of the UE (100), it is to be noted that alternative embodiments are not confined to these elements. The UE (100) may comprise a greater or lesser number of hardware components in other embodiments. Additionally, the labels or names assigned to these elements are purely for illustrative purposes and do not restrict the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it is possible for one or more components to be merged together to perform the same or a substantially similar function.

[0071] Fig. 2 illustrates a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved in determining when a UE's LR is in the LP-WUS coverage area of the cell and the actions performed by the UE (100) upon determining the UE (100) is out of coverage according to the embodiments as disclosed herein. In a cellular network, LP-WUR (106) is part of the overall network architecture designed to optimize power consumption for IoT and other devices that need to remain in a low-power state most of the time. The LP-WUR (106) operates using a separate low-power radio module that is designed to stay in a low-power state until it receives a wake-up signal. The network apparatus (107) sends wake-up signals to the UE (100) using the MR (105). These wake-up signals are used to inform the UE (100) that it needs to wake up from its low-power state and prepare to receive or transmit data. The network apparatus (107) sends the configuration parameters to the UE (100) during initial registration as shown in the step S201. Further, the network apparatus (107) allocates the resources for LP-WUR (106) operation, such as assigning wake-up slots or time periods, and that the LP-WUR (106) settings are compatible with the device's capabilities and power-saving requirements. The main radio (105) configure LP-WUR to monitor for WUS in the step S202.

[0072] In an embodiment, the coverage areas of an LP-WUS are smaller than the reference channel, such as paging synchronization signal block, Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), and others. This means that the LP-WUS may cover a subset of the area covered by the primary communication channels, necessitating precise coordination between the UE (100) and the network apparatus (107) for seamless transitions between low-power and active states. In another embodiment, the coverage areas of the LP-WUS are larger than the reference channel, such as paging synchronization signal block, PUSCH, etc. This can be the case where the network apparatus (107) uses lower frequency bands to transmit the LP-WUS, which generally have better propagation characteristics and can cover larger areas. The adaptability in coverage areas allows the network to optimize power consumption and connectivity based on varying environmental and operational conditions.

[0073] In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) indicates the support of the LP-WUS to the UE (100) as part of a system information message (SIB1, a new System Information block message SIBx) and / or in dedicated signaling to the UE as part of an RRC Message, such as RRCReconfiguration message, RRCRelease, RRCReject, etc. This signaling ensures that the UE (100) is aware of the availability and configuration of the LP-WUS, allowing it to adjust its operation accordingly. In an embodiment, the indication of support of the LP-WUS in the cell can be an explicit indication, such as a flag broadcasted in a SIB message, and / or an implicit indication when the network provides LP-WUS configuration to the UE (100) as part of dedicated signaling. This dual approach of explicit and implicit signaling provides flexibility in how the network communicates LP-WUS support, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and scenarios.

[0074] In an embodiment, the UE (100) starts using the LP-WUR (106) when one or more of the following conditions are met: the network apparatus (107) indicates support of the LP-WUS in the cell, the UE (100) supports using the LP-WUR (106) and has signaled the capability to support the LP-WUS to the network apparatus (107), the UE (100) has a valid LP-WUS configuration, or the UE (100) is in the coverage area of the LP-WUS in the cell. These conditions ensure that the UE (100) activates the LP-WUR (106) when it is beneficial and feasible, thus optimizing power consumption without compromising connectivity. The coordination between the UE (100) and the network apparatus (107) ensures that the LP-WUR (106) is used effectively, providing a balance between low power consumption and reliable communication.

[0075] A textual representation of how System Information Block message (SIB1) information SIB1 indicating the support of LP-WUS is structured and encoded is depicted using Abstract Syntax Notation (ASN):

[0076] SIB1-v18-IEs ::= SEQUENCE {lowPowerWus ENUMERATED{true} OPTIONAL, -- Need RisLowPowerWusDeactivated ENUMERATED{true} OPTIONAL,wusBW ENUMERATED (n1point5, n5, n10,쪋) OPTIONS,lowPowerSS-periodicity ENUMERATED {ms40, ms80, ms160, ms240} OPTIONAL,nonCriticalExtension SEQUENCE {} OPTIONAL}

[0077] Where,

[0078] lowPowerWus-r18: flag indicating the support of the LP-WUS in the cell.

[0079] isLowPowerWusDeactivated: Flag indicating that the LP-WUS usage is deactivated in the cell. The UE (100) interprets the absence of the field as the LP-WUS is currently being used in the cell.

[0080] wusBW: Bandwidth of LP-WUS where n1point5 indicates a 1.5MHz bandwidth, n5 indicates 5MHz bandwidth and so on.

[0081] lowPowerSS-periodicity: Indicates the periodicity in which the LP-SS is broadcasted in the cell. If this field is absent when the cell does not broadcast any LP-SS.

[0082] In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) configures the UE (100) with WUS configuration but indicates that the configuration is deactivated. In another embodiment, the LP-WUS configuration is by default in deactivated states and the UE (100) starts using LP-WUS on explicit activation by the network apparatus (107). The UE (100) starts using LR for monitoring the LP-WUS for wake-up indication upon receiving an activation indication from the network apparatus (107). The network apparatus (107) can signal the activation of the LR configuration using at least one of a MAC CE DCI message by setting a flag in the system information message.

[0083] In another embodiment, the network apparatus (107) configures the UE (100) with a delay timer value as part of at least one of RRCRelease, RRCRelease with suspendConfig, or RRCReject. The UE (100) starts the delayTimer when the UE (100) moves from RRC CONNECTED to RRC IDLE / INACTIVE. The UE (100) does not start using LR for monitoring LP-WUS until the expiry of the delayTimer. This delay mechanism indicates that the UE (100) conserves power by not immediately engaging in LR monitoring activities, which can be particularly beneficial in scenarios where frequent transitions between connected and idle states occur.

[0084] In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) configures the UE (100) to measure the signal strength / quality of LP-WUS and / or LP-SS. In another embodiment, the network apparatus (107) configures the UE (100) with thresholds (signal strength / quality) and / or measurement window / duration for determining if the UE (100) is out of coverage of LP-WUS in the cell. The LP-WUR (106) monitors for WUS and / or performs measurement of LP-WUS / LP-SS as shown in step S203. This measurement capability allows the UE (100) to make informed decisions about its connectivity and power management, ensuring that it can dynamically adapt to varying network conditions and maintain efficient operation.

[0085] Additionally, the network apparatus (107) can dynamically adjust the configuration parameters based on real-time network conditions and UE (100) behavior. For instance, if the network apparatus (107) detects that the UE (100) frequently moves in and out of LP-WUS coverage, it may adjust the thresholds or measurement windows to optimize performance and power consumption. This adaptive approach is used to remain the UE (100) remains responsive to network signals while minimizing unnecessary power usage, thereby extending battery life and enhancing the overall user experience. Furthermore, the network apparatus (107) can communicate these adjustments to the UE (100) through periodic updates or as part of the system information broadcasts, ensuring that the UE (100) operates with the most current configuration settings.

[0086] If the measured LP-WUS signal strength / quality is less than the configured threshold for the configured measurement window / duration, the UE (100) determines that it is out of coverage of LP-WUS. Alternatively, the network apparatus (107) configures the number of consecutive LP-WUS / LP-SS measurements which can go below the threshold to consider the UE (100) to be out of coverage of LP-WUS. In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) configures the UE (100) with a threshold to determine if the UE (100) is within the coverage of LP-WUS. The UE (100) can determine if it is within the coverage area of LP-WUS based on the measurements of received LP-WUS and / or LP-SS if available. If the signal strength is determined to be below the configured threshold for a specified evaluation time (t-condEval), the UE (100) is considered to be out of coverage of LP-WUS, as depicted in step (S204).

[0087] Upon detecting that the UE (100) is out of the LP-WUS coverage area, it indicates to the MR (105) that it is out of coverage and suggests that the MR (105) start receiving Paging Early Indication (PEI) and / or paging messages, as shown in step S205. This transition to the MR (105) is used to remain the UE (100) connected to the network apparatus (107) and can receive updates or notifications such as software updates, service notifications and others, despite the lack of LP-WUS coverage. The MR (105) is typically more robust and capable of maintaining connectivity in scenarios where the LP-WUS signal is insufficient, thereby providing a seamless user experience.

[0088] At step S206, the UE (100) uses the MR (105) to monitor the paging / PEI. This step involves the UE (100) switching its monitoring responsibilities from the LP-WUS to the MR (105), ensuring that it does not miss any paging messages that might be used for maintaining network connectivity or receiving information on the LP-WUS, paging messages and others. The ASN text depicting the signaling structure of LP-WUS is configured and provided to the UE (100) via dedicated signaling. This dedicated signaling is sued to correctly configure the UE (100) to handle transitions between different signal sources and can accurately determine its coverage status, thereby optimizing its connectivity and performance.

[0089] A sample ASN text depicting the signaling structure of LP-WUS configured provided to the UE via dedicated signaling:

[0090] wusConfig :: SEQUNCE{timeOffset ENUMERATED {ms40, ms80, ms160, ms240},rxLevWusThreshold rxLevMin OPTOINAL,q-QualWusThreshold Q-QualMin OPTIONAL,t-configValidity ENUMERATED {ms40, ms80, ms160, ms240} OPTIONAL,t-condEval ENUMERATED {ms0, ms40, ms64, ms80, ms100, ms128, ms160, ms256, ms320, ms480, ms512, ms640, ms1024, ms1280, ms2560, ms5120} OPTOINAL,skipPEIifConfig ENUMERATED {TRUE} OPTIONAL}

[0091] Where,

[0092] timeOffset : The field indicates the minimum time gap after reception of LP-WUS and the next monitoring of the associated PO by the UE (100).

[0093] rxLevWusThreshold: The threshold value of the received LP-WUS / LP-SS signal strength below which the UE (100) is considered as out of coverage of LP-WUS

[0094] t-condEval: The time for which the measured signal strength should the configured threshold to determine if UE (100) is outside the coverage of LP-WUS.

[0095] t-configValidity: The time duration for which the WUS configuration is valid.

[0096] skipPEIifConfig: Flag indicating if the UE (100) skips the monitoring of PEI upon receiving a LP-WUS with wake up indication and directly monitors for paging message in the next associated PO.

[0097] A sample specification text depicting the determination of whether LR is in coverage area of LP-WUS is given as :

[0098] The UE (100) shall:

[0099] 1> consider the UE is outside of coverage of LP-WUS when following condition is fulfilled;

[0100] rxLevWus < rxLevWusThreshold during a time interval of t-condEval

[0101] The variables in the formula are defined as follows:

[0102] rxLevWus is the measurement result of the serving cell LP-WUS / LP-SS

[0103] rxLevWusThreshold is the threshold parameter configured.

[0104] 1> Upon detecting the UE is outside the coverage of LP-WUS

[0105] 2> UE indicates to lower layer to stop using LR for monitoring LP-WUS

[0106] 2> UE starts monitoring PEI / Paging using MR

[0107] The UE shall:

[0108] 1> consider the UE is within of coverage of LP-WUS when following condition is fulfilled;

[0109] rxLevWus > rxLevWusThreshold during a time interval of t-condEval

[0110] The variables in the formula are defined as follows:

[0111] rxLevWus is the measurement result of the serving cell LP-WUS / LP-SS

[0112] rxLevWusThreshold is the threshold parameter configured.

[0113] 1> Upon detecting the UE is within the coverage of LP-WUS

[0114] 2> UE indicates to lower layer to start using LR for monitoring LP-WUS.

[0115] Fig. 3 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved in determining when the UE's LR is in the LP-WUS coverage area of the cell and the actions performed by the UE (100) upon determining the UE (100) is out of coverage, which includes the reporting of the change in the LR's usage status to the network apparatus by the UE (100) upon detection of loss in coverage of the LP-WUS according to the embodiments as disclosed herein. S301, S302, S303, S304, S305, S306 correspond to S201, S202, S203, S204, S205, S206 of Fig. 2.

[0116] In an embodiment, upon determining by the UE (100) that the UE (100) is out of the coverage area of the LP-WUS, the LR indicates to the MR (105) that the LR cannot be used to receive the LP-WUS carrying wake-up indication. In an embodiment, the MR (105) signals the network apparatus (107) indicating the LR is out of coverage and cannot receive the LP-WUS (S307). The UE (100) sends the indication that the LR is out of coverage using at least one of, but not limited to, RRCSetupRequest message, RRCResumeRequest message, Small Data Transmission (SDT) procedure, Uplink (UL) Control information in Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).

[0117] In an embodiment, when configured by the network apparatus (107) to store and report the LP-WUS out of coverage scenarios, the UE (100) logs the number of times the UE (100) moved out of coverage of the LP-WUS (S306). The UE (100) reports the logged report of the LP-WUS out of coverage scenarios to the network apparatus (107) upon moving to connected state when the network apparatus (107) requests the stored report (S307).

[0118] In an embodiment, the UE (100) indicates the information of the status of usage of the LR upon starting or stopping the use of the LR. The UE (100) indicates the change in status of the LR use as part of at least one of RRCSetupRequest message, RRCResumeRequest message, SDT procedure, UL control information in PUCCH.

[0119] In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) configures the UE (100) to monitor PEI after receiving wake-up indication for this UE (100) carried as part of the LP-WUS. The LR indicates to the MR (105) to monitor for PEI when configured (S306).

[0120] Action on reception of wake up indication in LP-WUS:

[0121] Upon indication of LP-WUS reception from LR, UE shall:

[0122] 1> If configured with PEI configuration and not configured with skip PEI

[0123] 2> UE shall indicate to the lower layers to start monitoring PEI.

[0124] 1> else

[0125] 2> UE shall indicate to lower layers to start monitoring paging message.

[0126] Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved when the LR cannot be used to monitor the LP-WUS, and the MR (105) takes over the monitoring of paging until the next WUS occasion, according to the embodiments disclosed herein. The figure illustrates the configuration of the LP-WUR (106) by the network apparatus (107) and subsequently by the UE (100) to monitor for an LP-WUS based on the LP-WUR configuration. S401, S402, S403 corresponds to S201, S202, S203 of Fig. 2 or S301, S302, S303 of Fig. 3.

[0127] Initially, at step S403, the LP-WUR (106) monitors for the WUS and measures the LP-WUS and / or LP-SS. This step is used as it sets the stage for the UE (100) to determine its capability to use the LR for monitoring the LP-WUS. Step S404 illustrates the determination by the UE (100) on whether it is not able to use the LR for monitoring the LP-WUS. Upon determining that the UE (100) is not able to use the LR for this purpose, the LP-WUR (106) sends an indication to the MR (105) indicating that the LR cannot be used, as depicted in step S405.

[0128] At step S406, the UE (100) determines the configuration by the network apparatus (107) to skip the Paging Early Indication (PEI) and LP-WUS monitoring when using the LR for wake-up indication monitoring. Consequently, the UE (100) skips monitoring the PEI and the LP-WUS and directly monitors paging after receiving a wake-up indication from the LR. This is used to manage the UE (100) and its resources and continues to function optimally even when the LR cannot be used for LP-WUS monitoring.

[0129] In an embodiment, when the UE (100) is not able to receive the LP-WUS during an LP-WUS occasion using the LR due to other ongoing operations, such as measurements for a cell reselection procedure, the UE (100) employs the MR (105) to monitor for Paging Occasions (POs) until the next WUS monitoring occasion in which the LR can receive the LP-WUS. This is used to remain the UE (100) responsive to paging signals, thereby maintaining seamless connectivity and communication. By leveraging the MR (105) for monitoring under such circumstances, the system enhances its robustness and reliability, ensuring that the UE (100) can handle various operational scenarios without compromising on performance.

[0130] Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the steps involved upon reception of the LP-WUS, and the UE (100) is configured to skip Paging Early Indication (PEI) monitoring by the network apparatus (107) according to the embodiments as disclosed herein. S501, S502, S503 correspond to S201, S202, S203 of Fig. 2 or S301, S302, S303 of Fig. 3, S401, S402, S403 of Fig. 4.

[0131] In an embodiment, the network configures the UE (100) to skip monitoring PEI after receiving the wake-up indication for the UE (100) carried as part of the LP-WUS. The LR indicates to the MR (105) to directly monitor the next valid PO and skip monitoring PEI even if the UE (100) is configured with PEI configuration (S504, S505, S506, S507).

[0132] In an embodiment, the UE (100) indicates the minimum time offset from the reception of the LP-WUS to the next paging occasion it can monitor. The UE (100) arrives at this value based on the minimum ramp-up time required by the main receiver to move from SLEEP state (sleep state can be one of micro, light, deep, ultra-deep sleep state) to ON state. The UE (100) reports this minimum time offset as part of UE assistance information signaling. In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) configures a minimum gap the UE (100) waits between reception of the WUS and monitoring the associated PO. The network apparatus (107) configures the minimum gap based on the reported minimum offset value from the UEs (100).

[0133] Fig. 6 is a sequence diagram that illustrates the method for managing the LP-WUR (106) in a wireless network system according to the embodiment as disclosed herein. The method includes detecting by the UE (100) the LP-WUR (106) configuration provided by the network apparatus (107) as shown in step S601. Further, the UE (100) configures the LP-WUR (106) of the UE (100) to monitor for a LP-WUS based on the LP-WUR (106) configuration as depicted in step S602. The UE (100) monitors for the LP-WUS using the LP-WUR (106) and performs measurement of at least one of the LP-WUS and a LP-SS using the LP-WUR (106) in step S603. Furthermore, the UE (100) determines whether at least one of a LR of the UE (100) is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS, the UE (100) is able to use the LR of the UE (100) for monitoring the LP-WUS, and the WUS is intended for the UE (100) based on the LP-WUS and the LP-SS as shown in step S604.

[0134] At step S605, the UE (100) performs at least one of transmitting from the LP-WUR (106) an out-of-coverage indication message to a MR (105) of the UE (100) or transmitting from the LP-WUR (106) an LR monitor indication message to the MR (105) of the UE (100) or transmitting from the LP-WUR (106) a wake-up indication to the MR (105) of the UE (100). The out-of-coverage indication message indicates to the MR (105) that the LR is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS when the LR of the UE (100) is out-of-coverage of the LP-WUS. The LR monitor indication message indicates to the MR (105) that the LR cannot be used to monitor the LP-WUS when the UE (100) is not able to use the LR of the UE (100) for monitoring the LP-WUS. Further, the wake-up indication indicates to the MR (105) that the LP-WUS is intended for this UE (100) when the UE (100) is not able to use the LR of the UE (100) for monitoring the LP-WUS. The UE (100) transmits a message to the network apparatus indicating that the LR is out of coverage using the MR when the MR receives the out-of-coverage indication message from the LP-WUR (S606).

[0135] Embodiments herein address the procedures for signaling the Quality of Service (QoS) priority level to the UE (100) and the handling of the QoS priority level and Packet Stream Identifier (PSI) during congestion-based discard at the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer (e.g., discarding of the PDU Sets, configuring and / or operating of the one or more discard timers, and / or discard timer durations pertaining to different QoS priority level(s) and / or PSI level(s)). Accordingly, the embodiments herein provide methods and systems to handle Extended Reality (XR) traffic and, in particular, the handling of PDU Set importance information at the UE (100). Embodiments herein disclose methods to signal the QoS priority information to the UE (100) and handling of PDU Set importance information across QoS flows mapped within a Data Radio Bearer (DRB). Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 7 through 9, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features throughout the figures, there are shown at least one embodiment.

[0136] In further detail, the method for managing low power wake-up radio in a wireless network system ensures that the UE (100) can manage its power consumption while maintaining connectivity. By configuring the LP-WUR (106) to monitor for LP-WUS and LP-SS, the UE (100) can remain in a low power state until it is necessary to wake up fully, thereby conserving battery life. The ability to determine the coverage status of the LR and the intended recipient of the LP-WUS allows the UE (100) to make informed decisions about when to wake up the MR (105), further optimizing power usage. This method is particularly beneficial in scenarios where the UE (100) is frequently in and out of coverage areas, as it reduces unnecessary power consumption by waking up the MR (105) when absolutely necessary.

[0137] Moreover, the handling of QoS priority levels and PSI during congestion-based discard at the PDCP layer is used for maintaining the quality of service for different types of traffic, especially for XR applications that require high reliability and low latency. By signaling QoS priority information to the UE (100) and managing PDU Set importance information across QoS flows, the system can ensure that data such as QoS priority information, PDU Set importance information and others are prioritized and transmitted efficiently, even under congested network conditions. This approach not only enhances the user experience but also optimizes network resource utilization, making it a robust solution for modern wireless communication systems.

[0138] The Access Management Function (AMF) provides the QoS priority level of the QoS flows in a PDU Session during the PDU Session set up or modification procedure. This information is indicated by AMF to NG-RAN (i.e., gNB) through NGAP messages in one of PDU Session Establishment request message or PDU Session modification request message. In an embodiment, the gNB configures the UE (100) with the QoS priority level information as part of the DRB Configuration in RadioBearerConfig.

[0139] DRB-ToAddMod ::= SEQUENCE {cnAssociation CHOICE {eps-BearerIdentity INTEGER (0..15),sdap-Config SDAP-Config} OPTIONAL, -- Cond DRBSetupdrb-Identity DRB-Identity,reestablishPDCP ENUMERATED{true} OPTIONAL, -- Need NrecoverPDCP ENUMERATED{true} OPTIONAL, -- Need Npdcp-Config PDCP-Config OPTIONAL, -- Cond PDCP...,[[daps-Config-r16 ENUMERATED{true} OPTIONAL -- Cond DAPS]],[[qosPriorityLevels SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxPriorityLevel)) OF PriorityLevel OPTIONAL]]}PriorityLevel::= INTEGER (1.. maxPriorityLevel)

[0140] qosPriorityLevels: Indicates the priority levels of the QoS Flows mapped to this DRB. The order of priority is the same order of QoS Flow list provided as part of mappedQoS-FlowsToAdd in sdap-Config. The lower the value of PriorityLevel, the higher is the priority of the QoS flow, i.e., PriorityLevel value of 1 indicates the highest priority.

[0141] In another embodiment, an alternate signalling structure as indicated below is provided by the network to the UE (100) where the network apparatus (107) signals only the non-standard priority levels and the UE (100) uses the standards 5QI bases priority levels when no explicit priority level for a QFI mapped to that DRB is provided.

[0142] PriorityLevel::= SEQUENCE{QFIList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofQFIs)) OF QFI,PriorityValue INTEGER (1.. maxPriorityLevel)}

[0143] qosPriorityLevels: Indicates the priority levels of the QoS Flows mapped to this DRB. The priority level of QFIs are provided in PriorityLevel IE. The lower the value of PriorityLevel, the higher is the priority of the QoS flow, i.e., PriorityLevel value of 1 indicates the highest priority. If a Priority level for a QFI mapped to this DRB was not indicated in this list, the UE (100) uses the standards Priority level for that 5QI as specified in 23.501.

[0144] In an embodiment, the gNB (110) indicates the QoS priority level information per QoS flow as part of SDAP Configuration.

[0145] SDAP-Config ::= SEQUENCE {pdu-Session PDU-SessionID,sdap-HeaderDL ENUMERATED {present, absent},sdap-HeaderUL ENUMERATED {present, absent},defaultDRB BOOLEAN,mappedQoS-FlowsToAdd SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofQFIs)) OF QFI OPTIONAL, -- Need NmappedQoS-FlowsToRelease SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofQFIs)) OF QFI OPTIONAL, -- Need N...,[[qosPriorityLevels SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxPriorityLevel)) OF PriorityLevel OPTIONAL]]}

[0146] In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) provides the QoS Flow priority levels to the UE (100) as part of a NAS message. The SMF signals the UL QoS Priority levels as part of the PDU Session Establishment Accept Message and / or PDU Session Modification Command. In an embodiment, the priority level is signaled in QoS Flow Descriptions IE. Alternatively, the priority level is signaled in a new IE as part of the PDU Session Establishment Accept Message and / or PDU Session Modification Command. In an embodiment, the UE NAS (112) indicates the received QoS Priority Level per QoS Flow to UE AS (109). The UE AS (109) uses this information for PDCP discard during congestion.

[0147] Fig. 7 is a sequence diagram that illustrates a sample signaling flow depicting the procedure of providing the QoS Priority information as part of RadioBearerConfiguration in the RRCReconfiguration message and the UE (100) using this QoS Priority information to calculate DRB level PDU Set Importance information to be used during the congestion-based discard procedure at PDCP according to embodiments as disclosed herein. This diagram provides a detailed view of how the signaling messages are exchanged between the network apparatus and the UE to ensure that Quality of Service (QoS) priorities are properly communicated and utilized. The UE AS (109) requests XR PDU session (S701). CN (111) transmits PDU session Setup / Modification message (QoS flow related params, priority values). The sequence begins with the gNB (110) sending an RRCReconfiguration message that includes the RadioBearerConfiguration, which contains the QoS Priority information as shown in the step S703. The UE AS (109) then processes this information to calculate the Data Radio Bearer (DRB) level Packet Data Unit (PDU) Set Importance, which is used for managing data transmission during network congestion (S704, S705).

[0148] In an embodiment, the QoS priority level for a QoS Flow is determined based on implementation at the UE (100). For instance, Extended Reality (XR) signaling may be given higher priority than XR media information. This prioritization ensures that signaling messages, which are used for maintaining the XR session, are transmitted with higher precedence over media data, which might be less critical in certain scenarios. In another example, different XR applications may be assigned different priority levels, and the data from each of these applications may be assigned different priority levels accordingly. This differentiation allows for a more granular control over the data transmission, ensuring that theapplications receive the necessary bandwidth and low latency required for optimal performance.

[0149] Furthermore, in an embodiment herein, data from different services within the same application may be given different priorities. For example, within a single XR application, control data might be prioritized over user-generated content. Similarly, data from different source IP addresses may be given different priorities, enabling the UE (100) to handle traffic from multiple sources efficiently. Data towards different target IP addresses may also be prioritized differently, ensuring that destinations receive data promptly. Additionally, data from different source ports and towards different target ports may be prioritized to manage traffic effectively. In an embodiment, data and associated flows pertaining to different modes of communication for an XR service may be given different priorities (i.e., multi-modal XR service). This information is then forwarded to the UE Access Stratum (AS) (109) for use in congestion-based discard at the PDCP. In an embodiment, the UE AS (109) uses information such as the configured packet filters, QoS rules, and information from the application layer for performing the congestion-based discard (S706), ensuring that the data is retained during periods of network congestion.

[0150] Fig. 7 is a sample signaling flow depicting the embodiment of providing the UE AS (109) with the QoS Priority information as part of RadioBearerConfiguration in the RRCReconfiguration message and the UE AS(109) using this QoS Priority information to calculate DRB level PDU Set Importance information to be used during the congestion-based discard procedure at PDCP. This signaling flow is used for maintaining the quality of experience for the end-user, especially in scenarios where network resources are limited. By effectively managing the QoS priorities and implementing a robust congestion-based discard procedure, the system ensures that high-priority data is transmitted with minimal delay, thereby enhancing the overall performance and reliability of the communication network.

[0151] Fig. 8 is a sequence diagram that illustrates a sample signaling flow depicting the procedure of providing the mapping of QoS level PDU Set Importance information to DRB level importance information, which is used during congestion-based discard procedure at PDCP according to embodiments as disclosed herein.

[0152] S801, S802, S803, S804, S805, S806 correspond to S701, S702, S703, S704, S705, S706 of Fig. 7.

[0153] In an embodiment, the SDAP layer performs the mapping of QoS flow-specific PSI to an importance value, which can be applied across PDU Sets belonging to different QoS Flows mapped to a single DRB (S804). The SDAP performs the mapping based on a pre-defined formula. Fig. 8 is a sample signaling flow depicting the embodiment of providing the mapping of QoS level PDU Set Importance information to DRB level importance information, which is used during congestion-based discard procedure at PDCP (S805, S806). The following is an example of a formula for computing the DRB level importance information.

[0154] DRB level importance value, PSIdrb,qos= (PrioirtyLevelqos* max_PDU_Set_Importance_level) + PSIqos

[0155] Where, PrioirtyLevelqosis the priority level of the QoS Flow configured by network apparatus (107) and / or determined by implementation and, PSIqosis the PDU Set importance level indicated from higher layer per PDU to SDAP.

[0156] Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram that illustrates a sample signaling flow depicting the embodiment of providing the UE Non-Access Stratum (NAS) (112) with the Quality of Service (QoS) Priority information. This information is conveyed as part of the PDU SESSION SETUP ACCEPT or PDU SESSION MODIFICATION ACCEPT NAS message (S902). Additionally, the figure demonstrates the interaction between UE NAS (112) and the UE AS (109) and how this QoS Priority information is utilized to calculate Data Radio Bearer (DRB) level PDU Set Importance information. This calculated information is used for the Congestion-based discard procedure at the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, according to the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0157] UE (100) requests XR PDU session (S901). CN (111) transmits PDU Session Setup / Modification request to the gNB (110) (S902). gNB (110) transmits RRC Reconfiguration including XR specific configuration to the UE AS (109) (S903). XR specific bearers are setup (S904). UE AS (109) transmits RRC reconfiguration complete message to the gNB (110) (S905). gNB (110) transmits PDU Session Setup / Modification response to the CN (111) (S906). CN (111) transmits DL NAS transport RRC message (NAS message-Session Setup / modification accept) to the UE NAS (112) (S907). UE NAS (112) indicates QoS flow priority information to UE AS (109) (S908). SDAP / PDCP layer performs mapping of QoS level PSI to DRB level PSI based on QoS priority information (S909). UE (100) identifies / modified on congestion in network (S910). PDCP layer performs congestion triggered discard based on DRB level PDU Set importance information (S911).

[0158] In this embodiment, the Priority level of a PDU Set is determined by the DRB level Importance value. Specifically, the PDU Set with the lowest DRB level Importance value is assigned the highest priority, while the PDU Set with the highest DRB level Importance value is assigned the least priority. This prioritization mechanism ensures that during congestion, the critical data packets, such as packets belonging to key or reference frames and others are retained and transmitted, while less critical packets, such as packets belonging to redundant frames etc. may be discarded, thereby optimizing network performance and user experience.

[0159] Furthermore, in an embodiment, the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) provides the PDCP with QoS information. This information can be included either as part of the SDAP header or through implementation-specific inter-layer communication. The provided information includes the QoS Flow Identifier (QFI) value per PDU and the QoS level Packet Stream Identifier (PSI) obtained from higher layers per PDU. The PDCP then uses the configured QoS priority levels to map the QoS level PSI to the DRB level PSI. This mapping is used for the congestion-based discard procedure, ensuring that the PDCP layer can effectively manage data transmission priorities under varying network conditions.

[0160] In an embodiment, the network apparatus provides the mapping of PDU Set importance information of a PDU Set belonging to a particular QoS Flow to a DRB level Importance value to be used within the DRB across QoS flows mapped to that DRB. In an embodiment, the SDAP layer performs the mapping of a PDU Set importance information of a PDU Set belonging to a QoS Flow to a DRB level importance value applied across QoS flows mapped to the relevant DRB. The DRB level importance value is used at the PDCP layer during the discard procedure triggered due to congestion. This mapping ensures that the network apparatus can efficiently manage resources and prioritize data transmission based on the importance of the PDU sets, thus maintaining the quality of service for higher priority flows even during periods of network congestion.

[0161] In an embodiment, when the congestion-based discard procedure is triggered, the PDCP layer discards the PDUs beginning with PDUs belonging to PDU sets with the least priority based on the DRB level importance value. Alternatively, in an embodiment, PDCP discards PDUs belonging to the lowest priority level QoS flows in the order of QoS Level PDU set Importance Information. For example, if there are two QoS Flows (Q1 and Q2 with priority Q1 > priority Q2) mapped to the DRB, the PDCP discards PDUs from Q2 in the descending order of PDU Set importance within Q2. This approach ensures a systematic and hierarchical discard process, minimizing the impact on higher priority QoS flows and thereby maintaining the overall service quality.

[0162] In an embodiment, in the case of a DRB for XR traffic, the network apparatus (107) does not configure multiple QoS Flows to a DRB. This restriction is to avoid ambiguity in handling PDU Set importance value across QoS Flows during congestion-based discard at PDCP. In another embodiment, for XR traffic, the network apparatus (107) maps multiple QoS Flows with the same importance / priority to the same DRB. This ensures that all QoS flows within the DRB are treated equally, simplifying the discard procedure and avoiding potential conflicts in prioritization. In an embodiment, when multiple QoS flows are mapped to the same DRB in a UE (100), the UE (100) considers all of them to be of the same importance, further streamlining the discard process.

[0163] In an embodiment, upon deciding to discard some data due to an instruction from the network apparatus (107) about congestion, the UE (100) discards the data belonging to the DRBs associated with lower priority logical channels. In an embodiment, the UE (100) discards data from one packet set upon receiving an instruction from the network apparatus (107) to discard packets. In an embodiment, the network apparatus (107) informs the UE (100) how many packets need to be discarded. This coordination between the network apparatus and the UE (100) ensures that data discard is managed effectively, reducing the likelihood of unnecessary data loss and maintaining the integrity of higher priority data.

[0164] In an embodiment, upon instruction from the network, the UE (100) discards the oldest data in the XR DRBs. In an embodiment, the data discarded belong to the oldest data in lower priority logical channels. This method ensures that the most recent and potentially more relevant data is retained, while older, less critical data is discarded first. In an embodiment, a network node (such as NR gNB) sets lch-BasedPrioritization-r16 as true in the MAC-CellGroupConfig when importance-based discard is configured. In an embodiment, the network node (such as NR gNB) sets lch-BasedPrioritization-r17 as true in the MAC-CellGroupConfig when importance-based discard is configured. These configurations ensure that the prioritization and discard procedures are applied across the network apparatus (107), maintaining a uniform approach to congestion management.

[0165] The embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented through at least one software program running on at least one hardware device and performing network management functions to control the elements. The elements can be at least one of a hardware device or a combination of hardware device and software module. This flexibility in implementation allows for the integration of these methods into existing network infrastructures, enhancing their capability to manage XR traffic effectively. In an embodiment, the method and system are given for handling XR traffic and, in particular, handling of PDU Set importance information at UE (100). Further, the method discloses methods to signal the QoS priority information to UE and handling of PDU Set importance information across QoS flows mapped within a DRB. This comprehensive approach ensures that XR traffic is managed efficiently, maintaining the quality of experience for end-users.

[0166] The various actions, acts, blocks, steps, or the like in the method is performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some of the actions, acts, blocks, steps, or the like are omitted, added, modified, skipped, or the like without departing from the scope of the proposed method

[0167] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Claims

1.A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:receiving, from a network apparatus, system information including configuration information associated with a low power - wake up signal (LP-WUS);measuring a serving cell; andin case that a measurement result of the serving cell is below a threshold:stopping monitoring, based on a wake up receiver (LR), the LP-WUS, andmonitoring, based on a main radio (MR), a paging occasion (PO) for a paging message or a paging early indication (PEI).2.The method of claim 1, further comprising:in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is above a threshold, monitoring the LP-WUS.3.The method of claim 1,wherein at least one of information on the threshold or information on low power -synchronization signal (LP-SS) is received from the network apparatus.4.The method of claim 2,wherein the UE is in coverage of the LP-WUS, in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is above the threshold, andwherein the UE is out of coverage of the LP-WUS, in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is below the threshold.5.The method of claim 1, further comprising:in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is below the threshold:transmitting, from the LR to the MR, at least one of:an out of coverage indication message indicating that the LR is out of coverage of the LP-WUS,an LR monitor indication message indicating that the LR does not monitor the LP-WUS, ora wake up indication indicating that the LP-WUS is intended for the UE.6.The method of claim 5, further comprising:transmitting, from the MR of the UE to the network apparatus, a message indicating that the LR is out of coverage, in case that the MR receives the out of coverage indication message from the LR of the UE.7.The method of claim 1,wherein a monitoring of the LP-WUS is performed by the LR of the UE, andwherein a monitoring of the paging occasion is performed by the MR of the UE.8.A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:a transceiver; andat least one processor coupled with the transceiver, and configured to:receive, from a network apparatus, system information including configuration information associated with low power - wake up signal (LP-WUS),measure a serving cell, andin case that a measurement result of the serving cell is below a threshold:stop monitoring, based on a wake up receiver (LR), the LP-WUS, andmonitor, based on a main radio (MR), a paging occasion (PO) for a paging message or a paging early indication (PEI).9.The UE of claim 8,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is above a threshold, monitor the LP-WUS.10.The UE of claim 8,wherein at least one of information on the threshold or information on low power -synchronization signal (LP-SS) is received from the network apparatus.11.The UE of claim 9,wherein the UE is in coverage of the LP-WUS, in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is above the threshold, andwherein the UE is out of coverage of the LP-WUS, in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is below the threshold.12.The UE of claim 8,wherein, in case that the measurement result of the serving cell is below the threshold, the at least one processor is further configured to transmit, from the LR to the MR, at least one of:an out of coverage indication message indicating that the LR is out of coverage of the LP-WUS,an LR monitor indication message indicating that the LR does not monitor the LP-WUS, ora wake up indication indicating that the LP-WUS is intended for the UE.13.The UE of claim 12,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit, from the MR of the UE to the network apparatus, a message indicating that the LR is out of coverage, in case that the MR receives the out of coverage indication message from the LR of the UE.14.The UE of claim 8,wherein a monitoring of the LP-WUS is performed by the LR of the UE, andwherein a monitoring of the paging occasion is performed by the MR of the UE.

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