Response forwarding requirements for forwarding aggregated response that includes responses from multiple ambient or tag devices

Abstract

An example method may include receiving, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receiving and buffering responses from the plurality of tag devices; assembling, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmitting, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

Description

RESPONSE FORWARDING REQUIREMENTS FOR FORWARDING AGGREGATED RESPONSE THAT INCLUDES RESPONSES FROM MULTIPLE AMBIENT OR TAG DEVICESTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This description relates to wireless communications.BACKGROUND

[0002] A communication system may be a facility that enables communication between two or more nodes or devices, such as fixed or mobile communication devices. Signals can be carried on wired or wireless carriers.

[0003] An example of a cellular communication system is an architecture that is being standardized by the 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP). A recent development in this field is often referred to as the long-term evolution (LTE) of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio-access technology. E-UTRA (evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access) is the air interface of 3GPP's Long Term Evolution (LTE) upgrade path for mobile networks. In LTE, base stations or access points (APs), which are referred to as enhanced Node AP (eNBs), provide wireless access within a coverage area or cell. In LTE, mobile devices, or mobile stations are referred to as user equipments (UE). LTE has included a number of improvements or developments. Aspects of LTE are also continuing to improve.

[0004] 5G New Radio (NR) development is part of a continued mobile broadband evolution process to meet the requirements of 5G, similar to earlier evolution of 3G and 4G wireless networks. In addition, 5G is also targeted at the new emerging use cases in addition to mobile broadband. A goal of 5G is to provide significant improvement in wireless performance, which may include new levels of data rate, latency, reliability, and security. 5G NR may also scale to efficiently connect the massive Internet of Things (loT) and may offer new types of mission-critical services. For example, ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) devices may require high reliability and very low latency.6G and other wireless networks and technologies are also being developed.SUMMARY

[0005] According to another example embodiment, an apparatus may include: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receive and buffer responses from the plurality of tag devices; assemble, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmit, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

[0006] According to an example embodiment, a method may include: receiving, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receiving and buffering responses from the plurality of tag devices; assembling, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmitting, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

[0007] According to another example embodiment, an apparatus may include: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receive, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassemble, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0008] According to another example embodiment, a method may include: transmitting, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific responseforwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receiving, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassembling, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0009] Other example embodiments are provided or described for each of the example methods, including: means for performing any of the example methods; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing system to perform any of the example methods; and an apparatus including at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform any of the example methods.

[0010] The details of one or more examples of embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. l is a block diagram of a wireless network according to an example embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a reader according to an example embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a network controller according to an example embodiment.

[0014] FIGs. 4A and 4B are a diagram illustrating operation of a wireless network according to an example embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating operation of a reader according to an example embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a wireless station or node (e.g., AP, BS, RAN node, UE or user device, or network node).DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless network 130 according to an example embodiment. In the wireless network 130 of FIG. 1, user devices 131, 132, 133 and 135, which may also be referred to as mobile stations (MSs) or user equipment (UEs), may be connected (and in communication) with a base station (BS) 134, which may also be referred to as an access point (AP), an enhanced Node B (eNB), a gNB or a network node. The terms user device and user equipment (UE) may be used interchangeably. A BS may also include or may be referred to as a RAN (radio access network) node, and may include a portion of a BS or a portion of a RAN node, such as (e.g., such as a centralized unit (CU) and / or a distributed unit (DU) in the case of a split BS or split gNB). At least part of the functionalities of a BS (e.g., access point (AP), base station (BS) or (e)Node B (eNB), gNB, RAN node) may also be carried out by any node, server or host which may be operably coupled to a transceiver, such as a remote radio head. BS (or AP) 134 provides wireless coverage within a cell 136, including to user devices (or UEs) 131, 132, 133 and 135. Although only four user devices (or UEs) are shown as being connected or attached to BS 134, any number of user devices may be provided. BS 134 is also connected to a core network 150 via a SI interface 151. This is merely one simple example of a wireless network, and others may be used.

[0018] A base station (e.g., such as BS 134) is an example of a radio access network (RAN) node within a wireless network. A BS (or a RAN node) may be or may include (or may alternatively be referred to as), e.g., an access point (AP), a gNB, an eNB, or portion thereof (such as a / centralized unit (CU) and / or a distributed unit (DU) in the case of a split BS or split gNB), or other network node.

[0019] According to an illustrative example, a BS node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, . . .) or a radio access network (RAN) may be part of a mobile telecommunication system. A RAN (radio access network) may include one or more BSs or RAN nodes that implement a radio access technology, e.g., to allow one or more UEs to have access to a network or core network. Thus, for example, the RAN (RAN nodes, such as BSs or gNBs) may reside between one or more user devices or UEs and a core network. According to an example embodiment, each RAN node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, . . .) or BS may provide one or more wireless communication services for one or more UEs or user devices, e.g., to allow the UEs to have wireless access to a network, via the RAN node. Each RAN node or BS may perform or provide wireless communication services, e.g., such as allowing UEs or user devices to establish a wireless connection to the RAN node, and sending datato and / or receiving data from one or more of the UEs. For example, after establishing a connection to a UE, a RAN node or network node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, . . .) may forward data to the UE that is received from a network or the core network, and / or forward data received from the UE to the network or core network. RAN nodes or network nodes (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, . . .) may perform a wide variety of other wireless functions or services, e.g., such as broadcasting control information (e.g., such as system information or on-demand system information) to UEs, paging UEs when there is data to be delivered to the UE, assisting in handover of a UE between cells, scheduling of resources for uplink data transmission from the UE(s) and downlink data transmission to UE(s), sending control information to configure one or more UEs, and the like. These are a few examples of one or more functions that a RAN node or BS may perform.

[0020] A user device (user terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile terminal, handheld wireless device, etc.) may refer to a portable computing device that includes wireless mobile communication devices operating either with or without a subscriber identification module (SIM), including, but not limited to, the following types of devices: a mobile station (MS), a mobile phone, a cell phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handset, a device using a wireless modem (alarm or measurement device, etc.), a laptop and / or touch screen computer, a tablet, a phablet, a game console, a notebook, a vehicle, a sensor, and a multimedia device, as examples, or any other wireless device. It should be appreciated that a user device may also be (or may include) a nearly exclusive uplink only device, of which an example is a camera or video camera loading images or video clips to a network.

[0021] In LTE (as an illustrative example), core network 150 may be referred to as Evolved Packet Core (EPC), which may include a mobility management entity (MME) which may handle or assist with mobility / handover of user devices between BSs, one or more gateways that may forward data and control signals between the BSs and packet data networks or the Internet, and other control functions or blocks. Other types of wireless networks, such as 5G (which may be referred to as New Radio (NR)) may also include a core network.

[0022] Embodiments described herein may be applied to the above-described wireless network or to another wireless network. The wireless network may be or comprise a radio access network of a cellular communication system.

[0023] In addition, the techniques described herein may be applied to various types of user devices or data service types, or may apply to user devices that may have multiple applications running thereon that may be of different data service types. New Radio (5G)development may support a number of different applications or a number of different data service types, such as for example: machine type communications (MTC), enhanced machine type communication (eMTC), Internet of Things (loT), and / or narrowband loT user devices, enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC). Many of these new 5G (NR) - related applications may require generally higher performance than previous wireless networks.

[0024] loT may refer to an ever-growing group of objects that may have Internet or network connectivity, so that these objects may send information to and receive information from other network devices. For example, many sensor type applications or devices may monitor a physical condition or a status, and may send a report to a server or other network device, e.g., when an event occurs. Machine Type Communications (MTC, or Machine to Machine communications) may, for example, be characterized by fully automatic data generation, exchange, processing and actuation among intelligent machines, with or without the intervention of humans. Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) may support much higher data rates than currently available in LTE.

[0025] Ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) is a new data service type, or new usage scenario, which may be supported for New Radio (5G) systems. This enables emerging new applications and services, such as industrial automations, autonomous driving, vehicular safety, e-health services, and so on. 3 GPP targets in providing connectivity with reliability corresponding to block error rate (BLER) of 10'5and up tol ms U-Plane (user / data plane) latency, by way of illustrative example. Thus, for example, URLLC user devices / UEs may require a significantly lower block error rate than other types of user devices / UEs as well as low latency (with or without requirement for simultaneous high reliability). Thus, for example, a URLLC UE (or URLLC application on a UE) may require much shorter latency, as compared to a eMBB UE (or an eMBB application running on a UE).

[0026] The techniques described herein may be applied to a wide variety of wireless technologies or wireless networks, such as LTE, LTE-A, 5G (New Radio (NR)), cmWave, and / or mmWave band networks, loT, MTC, eMTC, eMBB, 6G, URLLC, ambient wireless networks such as ambient loT wireless networks or systems, etc., or any other wireless network or wireless technology. These example networks, technologies or data service types are provided only as illustrative examples.

[0027] The number of loT connections has been growing rapidly in recent years and is predicted to be hundreds of billions by 2030, and is expected to generate a large amount of wireless traffic. Due to the increasing number of wirelessly connected devices or gadgets (e.g., such as due to the Internet-of-Things (loT) paradigm), new energy efficient communication techniques and devices are being developed.

[0028] An ambient network or wireless system may use a low power communication technique in which a tag device (which may also be known as or referred to as an ambient loT (AIoT) device or a backscatter device) harvests energy from its environment. In some scenarios the tag may harvest energy from sunlight or wind. In other scenarios the tag may receive an ambient (or surrounding) wireless signal (e.g., that may have been transmitted to another wireless device), and then may reflect the received ambient signal, e.g., via backscatter communications. For example, tag devices (e.g., Alot devices or backscatter devices) may take advantage of existing or surrounding wireless signals by reflecting the ambient or existing wireless signal(s) to communicate between devices while using very little power. Thus, for example, ambient (or surrounding) wireless signals may be repurposed into both a source of power (e.g., to power one or more electronic devices on a wireless sensor node or wireless tag device) and a communication medium. According to an example embodiment, ambient communications (or ambient backscatter communications) may allow a tag device to modulate and reflect a received ambient signal. For example, the reflected backscatter signal may be modulated using active (or switched) load modulation in which the load of the antenna (of the transmitting tag device) is varied or changed, which may allow different data values (e.g., different phases) to be applied to the reflected signal, e.g., such as either an in-phase bit or signal, or an out-of-phase bit or signal (in the simple case of a bi-polar signal), depending on the load applied to the antenna. For example, this may allow the tag device or backscatter device) to modulate data onto the reflected signal or backscatter signal that may indicate the tag device’s position, provide monitoring data from a sensor, or other data. The number of loT connections has been growing rapidly in recent years and is predicted to be hundreds of billions by 2030, and thus, is expected to generate a large amount of traffic.

[0029] According to an example embodiment, an ambient loT (AIoT) wireless system, or a backscatter communication system, may include a tag device or AIoT device (e.g., a backscatter device) that operates as a backscatter receiver and transmitter to transmit a response (transmitted signal), and a reader to receive the response transmitted by the tag device or AIoT device. The tag device (AIoT device) may modulate and reflect a receivedambient signal, e.g., where the tag device may, for example, modulate data such as its tag ID (tag identifier) and sensor data for transmission in the response (as an illustrative example). In some cases, an AIoT wireless system may include a device (which may be the reader, or another device) that sends an activation signal or query (or wakeup signal) to one or more tag devices, e.g., to activate the tag devices and cause them to send a response. Although, in some cases, tag devices (or AIoT devices) may broadcast responses without being activated or queried (without requiring to be activated or queried). For example, a backscatter transmitter of a tag device or AIoT device may modulate and reflect the incoming RF (radio frequency) signals (e.g., transmitted as a response). A reader (e.g., which may be a UE, BS, gNB or other device or node) may receive responses (e.g., modulated and reflected signals) from multiple tag devices, and may forward each of these responses to a gNB or application function or other node.

[0030] In an illustrative example, an AIoT or ambient wireless system may include one or more devices, nodes or functions, such as, for example, one or more of the following:

[0031] An activator: as noted, a device that sends an activation (wakeup signal) signal targeted at waking up or activating the passive radio of the tag (or AIoT) device. The activation signal may include an ID of the tag (or AIoT) device or passive device (or ID of a group of tag devices). The activation signal may be used to activate one tag device, or a group of AIoT devices. As noted, an activator is not always required for a tag device to transmit a response or transmission (and thus, may be omitted in some networks or some configurations, e.g., where tag devices are configured to broadcast information or a reply without being activated or queried). Thus, in some cases or for some configurations or networks, an activator, or other device that transmits a query, activation signal or wakeup signal, is not required.

[0032] A tag (or ambient loT (AIoT)) device: Detects the activation signal from the activator, or detects ambient signals, and then modulates and reflects this received signal as a response, e.g., as a backscatter signal. The data modulated onto this response may include the ID (identifiers or identification) of the tag device, location of the tag device, measurement or sensor data, etc. Also, as noted, in some cases, tag devices may transmit their responses without being queried or activated.

[0033] In some cases, the tag device may include a passive radio, which harnesses energy over a range of frequencies and listens for activation signals (e.g., which may also be referred to as a wakeup signal or a query). Once such a signal is detected, the passive radio emits / reflects a signal (e.g., a response) which is specific to that radio ID. For example,passive radio is a device that harnesses energy from wireless signals sent on specific carriers and / or bandwidths and charges a simple circuitry that, once activated, it will emit / reflect a signal which encodes at least the ID of the passive radio, and / or other information.

[0034] A reader: a device that listens and detects the passive radio signals or response (or the reflected backscatter signal) from the tag (or AIoT) device. The reader may or may not be collocated with the activator. For example, a reader and an activator may each be or include a function or entity provided at a UE, BS, gNB, network node, relay node, or other node or entity.

[0035] There may be different types or categories of tag devices or ambient AIoT devices:

[0036] Device A: Passive device with NO energy storage (e.g., just backscatter);

[0037] Device B: Passive device with energy storage, e.g., battery, can amplify backscatter signal; and / or

[0038] Device C: An active device with energy storage, can amplify the signal that is transmitted.

[0039] Thus, tag (or AIoT) devices may be either a passive device (e.g., types A or B AIoT devices), or an active device (e.g., type C AIoT device).

[0040] However, challenges may exist with respect to a reader receiving and forwarding responses from tag devices. A reader may receive and forward each response received from a tag device to a network controller, e.g., such as a network node (e.g., gNB), application function, or core network entity, or other network entity. The network controller may be a logical entity of the wireless network or a physical entity of the wireless network, in the radio access network or in the core network. However, responses from tag devices may be typically relatively small in size, e.g., as they may have a tag ID (identifying the tag device that is transmitting the response) and a small amount of sensor data, as an example. Receiving and forwarding each of one or more tag device responses may consume a significant amount of resources of the reader (e.g., energy or battery power, CPU resources, bandwidth and / or time-frequency resources, control plane overhead).

[0041] Therefore, according to an example embodiment, a reader may receive responses from a plurality of tag devices. Thus, improved efficiency and / or improved network performance may be achieved by the reader forwarding multiple tag device responses as part of a packet or an aggregated response to a network controller. The reader may assemble a packet, to be forwarded to a network controller, as an aggregated response that includes the received responses (e.g., payload of each of the responses from the tagdevices). The reader may then transmit the assembled packet (including the aggregated response) to the network controller (e.g., which may be a network node (e.g., gNB), application function, core network entity, or other network entity).

[0042] In addition, to enhance network performance or improve tag device response forwarding performance, the network controller may provide the reader with a response forwarding requirement (e.g., indicating a requirement(s) and / or limitation(s) on the forwarding of tag device responses to the network controller via an aggregated response). The reader may forward the aggregated response to the network controller based on the response forwarding requirement.

[0043] There may be a variety of different response forwarding requirements, and some examples are described hereinbelow. In some cases, one or more of these response forwarding requirements may be group-specific (e.g., a different value of this response forwarding requirement may be provided for each different group of tag devices). Different groups of tag devices may have different requirements, such as different latency or QoS (quality of service) requirements, which may result in different values of a group-specific response forwarding requirement being provided for each group of tag devices.

[0044] For example, a first group of tag devices are humidity sensors with a maximum latency of 60 seconds (e.g., responses from tag devices of this first group should be forwarded to the network controller within 60 seconds after a query or activation signal was transmitted, e.g., by the reader, to the first group of tag devices), and a second group of tag devices are temperature sensors with a maximum latency of 10 seconds (e.g., responses from tag devices of this second group should be forwarded to the network controller within 10 seconds after a query or activation signal was transmitted to the second group of tag devices). Thus, this is an example of where different groups of tags (or AIoT) devices may need different response forwarding requirements. Thus, it may be desirable for the network controller (or other node) to provide different (e.g., group-specific) response forwarding requirements to the reader for different groups of tag devices. Although, some of the response forwarding requirements may be general, and not group-specific.

[0045] Some illustrative examples of tag device response forwarding requirements may include one or more of the following response forwarding requirements:

[0046] 1) A delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices: Thus, for example, group-specific delay tolerance information (e.g., which may be a delay tolerance value, or information from which the reader may determine or calculate a delaytolerance value for a group) may be provided for each group of tag devices of a plurality of groups of tag devices. For example, a first delay tolerance timer value of 60 seconds is provided to the reader for a first group of tag devices (e.g., humidity sensors), and a second delay tolerance timer value of 10 seconds is provided for a second group of tag devices (e.g., temperature sensors). For example, a query or activation signal may be transmitted (e.g., by the reader or other device) to group 1 and group 2 tag devices (e.g., queries may be transmitted by the reader or other device, with group 1 tag ID and group 2 tag ID), and the delay tolerance timers for group 1 and group 2 are started by the reader. For example, a first delay tolerance timer (set to the first delay tolerance timer value associated with group 1 tag devices, based on received response forwarding restriction from the network controller) may be started, for example, when the query is transmitted by the reader or other device to group 1 tag devices. And, likewise, a second delay tolerance timer (set to the second delay tolerance timer value associated with group 2 tag devices, based on received response forwarding restriction from the network controller) may be started, for example, when the query is transmitted by the reader or other device to group 2 tag devices. At least some response(s) from tag devices of both groups may be received and buffered (stored in memory) by the reader. When one of the delay tolerance timers expires (either the first delay tolerance timer for group 1 of tag devices, or the second delay tolerance timer for group 2 of tag devices), all the received (e.g., received and buffered) tag device responses are transmitted via an aggregated response to the network controller. For example, if the first delay tolerance timer expires, or if the second delay tolerance timer value expires, all the received and buffered responses (including those from any of group 1, group 2, and possibly other groups of tag devices) are assembled into a packet or aggregated response, which is then transmitted by the reader to the network controller.

[0047] In another example embodiment, if a delay tolerance timer expires, then the reader may transmit an aggregated response that includes only tag device responses for that group. Or, alternatively, after a delay tolerance timer value has expired for group 2, then if the aggregated response including responses from group 1 and group 2 tag devices would exceed a maximum aggregated response size, then priority would be given for the group 2 (e.g., expired timer group, or priority group) tag device responses, and if there is room or space in the aggregated response then at least some of the lower priority group 1 tag devices would be included in the aggregated response transmitted to the network controller.

[0048] 2) A minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated response: For example, this response forwarding restriction may be general, and not group-specific. For example, when the received tag device responses to be forwarded (this may refer to the amount of data from the received tag device responses to be forwarded to the network controller) are greater than or equal to this minimum payload size or aggregated response, the packet may be assembled including the aggregated response and transmitted by the reader to the network controller. As noted above, there are inefficiencies and significant overhead or significant consumption of resources in the reader forwarding small packets that include one or few tag device responses. Thus, one way to reduce the amount of resources or overhead used by the reader in forwarding of tag device responses is to require a minimum payload size (e.g., which may be a minimum payload size in bytes or octets, or a minimum number of tag devices responses) to be forwarded to the network controller via an aggregated response.

[0049] Also, for example, if both a delay tolerance timer value for at least one group and a minimum payload size are indicated to the reader by the network controller, then the reader may assemble a packet including the aggregated response with received and buffered tag device responses when either of these response forwarding requirements are met (e.g., when a first one of these response forwarding requirements are met). Thus, the aggregated response may be transmitted when either one of the delay tolerance timers expires, or when the amount of responses to be forwarded in the aggregated response is greater than or equal to the minimum payload size (whichever occurs first). Alternatively, the aggregated response may be forwarded when both of these requirements are met (e.g., when one of the delay tolerance timers has expired, and the aggregated response including all received and buffered responses would be greater than or equal to the minimum payload size for the aggregated response).

[0050] 3) A correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group(or for one or more groups) of at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group: This response forwarding requirement does not cause or trigger the reader to transmit the aggregated response, but this requirement may affect the operation of the reader with respect to transmitting queries to tag devices and / or affect tag device response forwarding by the reader. The correlation information or correlation information may indicate whether tag devices of a group are correlated. For example, tag devices for temperature sensors that are in close proximity or within a specificgeographic area may typically be correlated (e.g., if responses of a group are correlated, then it may be necessary for the reader only to send a subset or requested number (e.g., 1, 2 or a few) of these correlated responses, as these correlated responses should be the same or very similar due to their correlation).

[0051] For example, correlation information may include, for example, a bit or flag indicating whether responses of the group are correlated. Or, for example, a correlation factor may be or include a value between 0 and 1, which indicates a degree of correlation. For example, a correlation threshold of 0.7 may be used, and a correlation factor greater than this threshold may indicate that the responses from tag devices of this group are correlated. Thus, a correlation factor of 0.81 for a group of tag devices is greater than the correlation threshold of 0.7, thus indicating that responses for this group are correlated, for example. Likewise, a correlation factor of 0.58 would indicate that responses of the group are not as correlated (as this correlation factor is less than the correlation threshold of 0.7, in this example). The correlation factor could be employed to determine the amount of tags within a group for which a response is required. For example, if a group of 100 tags is provided with a correlation factor of 0.58, the reader could consider obtaining 42 responses from the tags in the group is sufficient.

[0052] 4) A requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group: This response forwarding restriction may be applied for a group where there is correlation among tag device responses for the group. In some cases, the requested number of responses may be a maximum number of responses of the group to be forwarded to the network controller within an aggregated response. For example, if responses for a group of tag devices are correlated, once the reader receives and buffers the requested (or maximum) number of responses, the reader may cease or discontinue sending further queries to tag devices of the group (note that the reader may send a group query to a group of tag devices by including the group ID of the group within the query, or may transmit individual query(ies) to specific tag devices by indicating a tag device ID for the tag device within the query), and the reader may discard any further received tag device responses of the group. The reader may then transmit the aggregated response including the requested number of tag device responses for this group (as the further or additional received tag device responses for this group that were received were discarded and are not forwarded, for example).

[0053] In this manner, for example, the correlation information or correlation factor, and / or a requested number of responses or maximum number of responses may be used by the reader to (for a group of tag devices that have correlated responses): cease or discontinue transmitting, by the reader, further queries to tag devices of this group (that have correlated responses) once the requested number of responses have been received by the reader; discard, by the reader, one or more received responses from tag devices of this group that are in excess of the requested number of tag device responses; and limit, by the reader, the number of tag device responses of the group included in the aggregated response to (e.g., to no more than, or to less than or equal to) the requested or maximum number of responses to be forwarded for the group. The correlation information or correlation factor, and the number of responses to be forwarded may be group-specific (that is provided for each of one or more groups of tag devices).

[0054] In an example embodiment, the reader may detect an event related to the response forwarding requirement. Based upon (or in response to) detection of the event, the reader may perform the assembly of the packet including the aggregated response, and then transmit the packet with the aggregated response to the network controller.

[0055] Detecting the event may include the reader detecting one or more of the following example events (events related to the response forwarding requirement(s)): an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group (e.g., a delay tolerance for a group may be set to a value based on a received response forwarding requirement (e.g., based on the delay tolerance time value for the group received from the network controller), and then started when the reader sends a query or activation signal to the group of tag devices); a first delay tolerance timer of a first group is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group (e.g., queries may be sent to both group 1 and group 2 tag devices, and delay tolerance timers of both groups are started (each having different delay tolerance timer values), and responses from tag devices of both groups are being received, and when the delay tolerance timer of one of the groups expires, all received and buffered responses at the reader of all / any groups are then aggregated and forwarded / transmitted by the reader to the network controller, including responses from both group 1 and group 2 tag devices, even the group for which the delay tolerance timer has not yet expired, so that reader forwards all received and buffered responses in one aggregated response); and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size (e.g., when theaggregated or total received and buffered tag device responses are greater than a minimum or threshold payload size, this is a sufficient size to make good or efficient use of resources in response forwarding, and the packet is assembled (with the aggregated response) and transmitted by the reader to the network controller).

[0056] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a reader according to an example embodiment. Operation 210 includes receiving, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices. Operation 220 includes receiving and buffering responses from the plurality of tag devices. Operation 230 includes assembling, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group. And, operation 240 includes transmitting, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

[0057] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the network controller may include at least one of a network node or an application function (or other network entity).

[0058] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the receiving and buffering responses may include: transmitting, by the reader, a query to at least a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and receiving and buffering responses, by the reader, based on the reader transmitting the query to at least the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group. For example, the query may be sent via a group query addressed to a group ID of the group, or by sending individual tag device queries addressed to the tag device ID of each tag device.

[0059] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the response forwarding requirement may include at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

[0060] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the method may further include detecting an event related to the response forwarding requirement; and performing the assembly of the packet based upon detection of the event.

[0061] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the detecting the event related to the response forwarding requirement may include detecting, by the reader, at least one of thefollowing: an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group; a first delay tolerance timer of a first group is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group; and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size.

[0062] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the requested number of responses to be forwarded comprises a maximum number of responses to be forwarded by the reader among the plurality of correlated responses for the group.

[0063] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the response forwarding requirement includes the correlation information or the correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group, and the requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the group. The method may further include determining, by the reader based on the correlation information or correlation factor for a first group of the at least one group, that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated, and performing, by the reader, at least one of the following after the reader detects that a received number of responses from tag devices of the first group are greater than or equal to the requested number of responses for the first group: ceasing to transmit, by the reader, queries to tag devices of the first group; discarding and not forwarding in the packet, by the reader, one or more further responses received from tag devices of the first group beyond the requested number of responses that have been received by the reader.

[0064] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the determining that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated may include: comparing, by the reader, the correlation factor for the first group to a threshold; and determining, by the reader, that the correlation factor for the first group is greater than the threshold.

[0065] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the at least one group of tag devices may include at least a first group of tag devices, and wherein the response forwarding requirement may include delay tolerance information or a delay tolerance timer value that may be used to initialize a delay tolerance timer for the first group of tag devices; wherein the method may include: starting the delay tolerance timer for the first group upon transmitting a query to at least one tag device of the first group; and detecting an expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group; and wherein the assembling the packet as an aggregated response may include, based upon the detecting of the expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group, assembling, by the reader, the packet as the aggregatedresponse that includes an aggregation of the buffered responses including any responses that have been received and buffered by the reader from tag devices of the first group and from tag devices of other groups if received and buffered.

[0066] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices may include: a first response forwarding requirement for a first group of tag devices, including at least one of: a first delay tolerance information or a first delay tolerance timer value to initialize a first delay tolerance timer associated with the first group of tag devices; and a first correlation information or a first correlation factor, provided for the first group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the first group; and / or a first requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the first group, if the first correlation information or the first correlation factor for the first group indicates a correlation among responses of the first group; and a second response forwarding requirement for a second group of tag devices, including at least one of: a second delay tolerance information or a second delay tolerance timer value to initialize a second delay tolerance timer associated with the second group of tag devices; and a second correlation information or a second correlation factor, provided for the second group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the second group; and / or a second requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the second group, if the second correlation information or the second correlation factor for the second group indicates a correlation among responses of the second group.

[0067] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the query transmitted to at least the plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group may include at least one of the following: a group query, including a group ID associated with or identifying the at least one group of tag devices, transmitted to the tag devices of the at least one group, to activate and cause one or more of the tag devices of the at least one group to transmit a response; a device query, including a tag ID of a tag device, transmitted to each of the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group, to individually activate and cause each of the tag devices to transmit a response.

[0068] With respect to the method of FIG. 2, the wireless system may include an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) wireless system, and wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least one group of AIoT devices.

[0069] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a network controller according to an example embodiment. Operation 310 includes transmitting, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices. Operation 320 includes receiving, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices. Operation 330 includes disassembling, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0070] With respect to the method of FIG. 3, the network controller may include at least one of a network node (e.g., gNB, core network entity, or other network entity) or an application function.

[0071] With respect to the method of FIG. 3, the packet may include a header that includes a tag ID and a response length for each of the plurality of responses included in the aggregated response; and wherein the disassembling may include: disassembling, by the network controller based on the header, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices (e.g., the network controller may obtain the tag device responses in the aggregated response, by extracting the tag ID and payload, for each of the tag device responses included in the aggregated response).

[0072] With respect to the method of FIG. 3, the response forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding the aggregated response to the network controller may include at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

[0073] FIGs. 4A and 4B are a diagram illustrating operation of a wireless network according to an example embodiment. A reader 410 (e.g., which may be a UE, gNB, relay node, or other device or node, or provided on a UE, gNB or other device or node) may be in communication with one or more tag devices including tag device 1 . . . and tag device N(e.g., N tag devices), and a gNB (or network node) 412. Reader 410 may communicate with an application function (AF) 414 via the gNB 412. Application function (AF) 414 may be an application that may control, configure and / or coordinate the operation of reader 410, and may be provided on any node or device (e.g., UE, gNB, relay node, core network entity, cloud node or server, or other node or entity). One or both of gNB 412 and / or AF 414 may be considered a network controller.

[0074] As shown at step 1 of FIG. 4 A, the reader 410 may receive a response request from AF 414 via gNB 412 (e.g., where the response request may be a request by the AF 414 for reader 410 to forward responses from tag devices based on or in accordance with one or more indicated response forwarding requirements). The response request may include, e.g.: a group ID for a group of tag devices, a list of the tag devices (e.g., tag device ID for tag devices 1, . . .N) that are part of this group of tag devices, and one or more response forwarding restrictions, e.g., including one or more group-specific response forwarding restrictions for this group of tag devices. The at least one response forwarding requirement for the group that may be included or indicated within the response request at step 1 may include one or more of the following, for example: a delay tolerance information or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer for this group (e.g., this requirement may be group-specific, indicated for this group of tag devices); a minimum payload size for an aggregated response forwarding that includes multiple tag device responses (this requirement may be group-specific, or more typically may be general for all groups of tag devices); a correlation information or correlation factor that indicates whether the tag devices for this group are correlated; and a requested number of tag device responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated tag device responses for the group, if the tag device responses for the group are correlated (e.g., the correlation information or correlation factor and the requested or maximum number of responses for this group to be forwarded via an aggregated response may be group-specific, e.g., indicated for this group of tag devices).

[0075] Steps 2-13 of FIG. 4A are provided for a situation or example in which there is no correlation among tag device responses of this group, while steps 14-23 of FIG. 4B are provided for a situation or example in which there is correlation among tag device responses of this group (tag device responses of tag devices 1 . . .N of the group are correlated in the steps shown in FIG. 4B).

[0076] With respect to FIG. 4A, step 2 illustrates operation for case in which there is no correlation (described via steps 3-13). Steps 3-13 will be briefly described. At step 3 of FIG. 4A, the reader 410 initializes the delay tolerance timer for the group of tag devices tothe delay tolerance timer value for the group received in the response request of step 1, and starts the delay tolerance timer for the group. At step 4, the reader 410 transmits a query to tag device 1 (e.g., including tag device ID of tag device 1). Tag device 1 receives the query (e.g., which may also be considered or may include an activation signal or wakeup signal), which has a tag device ID that matches its tag device ID, causing the tag device 1 to transmit a response (alternatively, a group ID that matches a group ID for the tag device may also cause the tag device to transmit a response). At step 5, the reader 410 receives the response from the tag device 1, e.g., including the tag device ID of tag device 1, and data (e.g., sensor data for which tag device 1 is monitoring and reporting). At step 6, instead of forwarding this received response from tag device 1, the reader 410 buffers (or stores in memory or storage) the received response from tag device 1 (e.g., so that it may be included in an aggregated response that includes multiple tag device responses, to improve performance and / or reduce resource usage and overhead associated with forwarding tag device responses). At step 7, reader 410 transmits a query to tag device N. Tag device N receives the query, which has a tag device ID that matches its tag device ID (or a group ID that matches a group ID of a group that tag device N is a member), causing or triggering tag device N to transmit a response. And at step 8, the reader 410 receives, in response to the query, a response from tag device N. At step 9, reader 410 buffers the response from tag device N. Alternatively, instead of transmitting individual queries to tag devices at steps 4 and 7, a group query (addressed to group ID of the group of tag devices, including tag devices 1 . . .N) may be transmitted by reader 410 at step 4, causing multiple tag devices of the group to transmit a response. Other responses, either from other tag devices of this group, and / or other tag devices that may not be a part of this group, may also be received and buffered by the reader 410.

[0077] At step 10 of FIG. 4 A, the reader 410 detects that the delay tolerance timer for the group has expired, or that another delay tolerance timer for other queries or associated with or for another group has expired. At step 11, reader 410 assembles a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the group, and possibly any other buffered responses that may be from other tag devices (outside of this group) or responses from tag devices of other groups (for which their delay tolerance timer may have expired, or not expired yet). At step 12, the reader 410 transmits the assembled packet including the aggregated response to the network controller. Also, for example, the aggregated response may include a header that includes a tag ID and a response length for each of the plurality of responses, along with the data (e.g., sensor data) from the tag device.

[0078] At step 13 of FIG. 4 A, the AF 414 (or gNB or network controller) receives and disassembles the aggregated response to obtain each of the included responses from the multiple tag devices. For example, based on the tag ID and response length provided for each response (e.g., included in a header of the received packet), the AF 414 can determine the location and length of each sensor data provided from each of the tag devices included in the aggregated response. The AF 414 may then extract each of the tag device IDs and sensor data based on this information included in the header of the packet, e.g., to obtain the responses provided from each of the tag devices.

[0079] With respect to FIG. 4B, step 14 illustrates operation for case in which there is correlation (described via steps 14-23). Steps 14-23 of FIG. 4B will be briefly described, especially noting the differences as compared to the steps of FIG. 4 A. Thus, in FIG. 4B, the response request received at step 1 includes a correlation information or correlation factor for the group that indicates that the responses from the group of tag devices (e.g., from tag devices 1 . . .N) are correlated. Also, the response request indicates a requested (or maximum) number of responses to be forwarded for this group within an aggregated response, and any remaining responses for the group (beyond that requested number of responses for the group) are discarded and not forwarded in the aggregated response, e.g., to conserve resources.

[0080] At step 15 of FIG. 4B, the reader 410 initializes the delay tolerance timer for the group of tag devices to the delay tolerance timer value for the group received in the response request of step 1, and starts the delay tolerance timer for the group. At step 16, the reader 410 transmits a query to tag device 1 (e.g., including tag device ID of tag device 1). Tag device 1 receives the query (e.g., which may also be considered or may include an activation signal or wakeup signal), which has a tag device ID that matches its tag device ID, causing the tag device 1 to transmit a response (alternatively, a group ID that matches a group ID for the tag device may also cause the tag device to transmit a response). At step 17, the reader 410 receives the response from the tag device 1, e.g., including the tag device ID of tag device 1, and data (e.g., sensor data for which tag device 1 is monitoring and reporting). At step 18, reader 410 buffers (or stores in memory or storage) the received response from tag device 1. Other queries may be transmitted by the reader to other devices (either individual queries, or via a group query), and / or additional responses from these tag devices may be received and buffered by the reader 410 as well.

[0081] At step 19 of FIG. 4B, reader 410 determines or detects that it has received (at least) the requested (e.g., maximum) number of responses to be forwarded for the group inthe aggregated response, and reader 410 discards further queries (e.g., ceases or discontinues transmitting queries to other tag devices of the group) and may discard any further tag responses (beyond this requested number of responses for the group) that have been received and buffered at the reader 410. At step 20, the reader detects that the delay tolerance timer for the group has expired, or that another delay tolerance timer for other queries or associated with or for another group (or for other transmitted query(ies)) has expired. At step 21, reader 410 assembles a packet as an aggregated response that includes the requested number of responses (or no more than the requested number of responses) that have been received by buffered by the reader 410 from the tag devices of the group, and possibly any other buffered responses that may be from other tag devices (outside of this group) or responses from tag devices of other groups (for which their delay tolerance timer may have expired, or not expired yet). At step 22, the reader 410 transmits the assembled packet including the aggregated response to the network controller. Also, for example, the aggregated response may include a header that includes a tag ID and a response length for each of the plurality of responses, along with the data (e.g., sensor data) from the tag device.

[0082] At step 23 of FIG. 4B, the AF 414 (or gNB or network controller) receives and disassembles the aggregated response to obtain each of the included responses from the multiple tag devices. For example, based on the tag ID and response length provided for each response (e.g., included in a header of the received packet), the AF 414 can determine the location and length of each sensor data provided from each of the tag devices included in the aggregated response. The AF 414 may then extract each of the tag device IDs and sensor data based on this information included in the header of the packet, e.g., to obtain the responses provided from each of the tag devices.

[0083] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating operation of a reader according to an example embodiment. At 10, the reader may receive a response request(s) including, for each of one or more groups: a group ID, a list of tag devices that are part of this group, and one or more response forwarding requirements for the group, e.g., such as a correlation factor for the group (e.g., indicating whether or not responses of the group are correlated), a delay tolerance timer value for the group, and a requested (or maximum) number of responses for the group to be included in an aggregated response. At 20, the reader 410 initializes a delay tolerance timer for each group to be queried, (based on a delay tolerance timer value received for each group), and starts the timer(s), e.g., at about the same time that query(ies) are transmitted to one or more tag devices of the group. At 30, one or more groups of tag devices and / or one or more tag devices are selected for querying. Queries are transmitted bythe reader 410 to these tag devices (individual queries sent to specific tag devices) or to one or more groups of tag devices. At 50, the reader determines if a response has been received from one or more tag devices of a group(s).

[0084] If a response has been received, at 60 of FIG. 5, the received response(s) are buffered by the reader 410.

[0085] At 70, the reader 410 determines whether more tag devices of this group(s) need to be queried, e.g., based on correlation factor or correlation information. For example, if a correlation factor indicates correlation among responses for a group, and the number of responses received by the reader 410 for this group is less than the requested number of responses to be aggregated, then more responses are needed for this group, and flow process proceeds back to 30 where a group of tag devices or additional tag devices of this group or other groups are selected to be queried, and queries are transmitted by the reader 410. Or, if the tag device responses for the group are not correlated and all responses are received, or if the number of received responses is greater than or equal to the requested number of responses to be included in the aggregated response, then no further queries may be necessary, and flow proceeds to 80.

[0086] At 80, it is determined whether any of the delay tolerance timers have expired, or if the reader has received any non-delay tolerant data (e.g., which should be sent immediately, or delay tolerance timer value is zero seconds), then flow proceeds to 90. At 90, the reader 410 assembles a packet including the aggregated response including the responses of multiple (e.g., all) received and buffered tag device responses. At 100, the reader 410 transmits the packet including the aggregated response to the network controller, e.g., to the gNB or AF 414.

[0087] Some examples will now be described:

[0088] Example 1. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receive and buffer responses from the plurality of tag devices; assemble, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmit, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

[0089] Example 2. The apparatus of Example 1, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

[0090] Example 3. The apparatus of any of Examples 1-2, wherein the apparatus caused to receive and buffer responses comprises the apparatus caused to: transmit a query to at least a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and receive and buffer responses, by the reader, based on the reader transmitting the query to at least the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group.

[0091] Example 4. The apparatus of any of Examples 1-3 wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

[0092] Example 5. The apparatus of any of Examples 1-4, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: detect an event related to the response forwarding requirement; and perform the assembly of the packet based upon detection of the event.

[0093] Example 6. The apparatus of Example 5, wherein the apparatus caused to detect the event related to the response forwarding requirement comprises the apparatus caused to detect, by the reader, at least one of the following: an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group; a first delay tolerance timer of a first group is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group; and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size.

[0094] Example 7. The apparatus of any of Examples 4-6, wherein the requested number of responses to be forwarded comprises a maximum number of responses to be forwarded by the reader among the plurality of correlated responses for the group.

[0095] Example 8. The apparatus of any of Examples 4-7, wherein the response forwarding requirement includes the correlation information or the correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group, and the requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the group;wherein the apparatus is caused to: determine, by the reader based on the correlation information or correlation factor for a first group of the at least one group, that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated; and perform, by the reader, at least one of the following after the reader detects that a received number of responses from tag devices of the first group are greater than or equal to the requested number of responses for the first group: cease to transmit, by the reader, queries to tag devices of the first group; discard and not forward in the packet, by the reader, one or more further responses received from tag devices of the first group beyond the requested number of responses that have been received by the reader.

[0096] Example 9. The apparatus of Example 8, wherein the apparatus caused to determine that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated comprises the apparatus caused to: compare the correlation factor for the first group to a threshold; and determine that the correlation factor for the first group is greater than the threshold.

[0097] Example 10. The apparatus of Example 1, wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least a first group of tag devices, and wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises delay tolerance information or a delay tolerance timer value that may be used to initialize a delay tolerance timer for the first group of tag devices; wherein the apparatus is caused to: start the delay tolerance timer for the first group upon transmitting a query to at least one tag device of the first group; and detect an expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group; and wherein the apparatus caused to assemble the packet as an aggregated response comprises the apparatus caused to, based upon detection of the expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group, assemble, by the reader, the packet as the aggregated response that includes an aggregation of the buffered responses including any responses that have been received and buffered by the reader from tag devices of the first group and from tag devices of other groups if received and buffered.

[0098] Example 11. The apparatus of any of Examples 1-10, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices comprises: a first response forwarding requirement for a first group of tag devices, including at least one of: a first delay tolerance information or a first delay tolerance timer value to initialize a first delay tolerance timer associated with the first group of tag devices; and a first correlation information or a first correlation factor, provided for the first group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the first group; and / or a first requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the first group, if the first correlation information or the first correlation factor for the firstgroup indicates a correlation among responses of the first group; and a second response forwarding requirement for a second group of tag devices, including at least one of: a second delay tolerance information or a second delay tolerance timer value to initialize a second delay tolerance timer associated with the second group of tag devices; and a second correlation information or a second correlation factor, provided for the second group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the second group; and / or a second requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the second group, if the second correlation information or the second correlation factor for the second group indicates a correlation among responses of the second group.

[0099] Example 12. The apparatus of any of Examples 3-11, wherein the query transmitted to at least the plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group comprises at least one of the following: a group query, including a group ID associated with or identifying the at least one group of tag devices, transmitted to the tag devices of the at least one group, to activate and cause one or more of the tag devices of the at least one group to transmit a response; a device query, including a tag ID of a tag device, transmitted to each of the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group, to individually activate and cause each of the tag devices to transmit a response.

[0100] Example 13. The apparatus of any of Examples 1-12, wherein the wireless system comprises an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) wireless system, and wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least one group of AIoT devices.

[0101] Example 14. A method comprising: receiving, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receiving and buffering responses from the plurality of tag devices; assembling, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmitting, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

[0102] Example 15. The method of Example 14, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

[0103] Example 16. The method of any of Examples 14-15, wherein the receiving and buffering responses comprises: transmitting, by the reader, a query to at least a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and receiving and buffering responses, by thereader, based on the reader transmitting the query to at least the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group.

[0104] Example 17. The method of any of Examples 14-16 wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

[0105] Example 18. The method of any of Examples 14-17, further comprising: detecting an event related to the response forwarding requirement; and performing the assembly of the packet based upon detection of the event.

[0106] Example 19. The method of Example 18, wherein the detecting the event related to the response forwarding requirement comprises detecting, by the reader, at least one of the following: an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group; a first delay tolerance timer of a first group is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group; and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size.

[0107] Example 20. The method of any of Examples 17-19, wherein the requested number of responses to be forwarded comprises a maximum number of responses to be forwarded by the reader among the plurality of correlated responses for the group.

[0108] Example 21. The method of any of Examples 17-20, wherein the response forwarding requirement includes the correlation information or the correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group, and the requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the group; the method further comprising: determining, by the reader based on the correlation information or correlation factor for a first group of the at least one group, that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated; and performing, by the reader, at least one of the following after the reader detects that a received number of responses from tag devices of the first group are greater than or equal to the requested number of responses for the firstgroup: ceasing to transmit, by the reader, queries to tag devices of the first group; discarding and not forwarding in the packet, by the reader, one or more further responses received from tag devices of the first group beyond the requested number of responses that have been received by the reader.

[0109] Example 22. The method of Example 21, wherein the determining that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated comprises: comparing, by the reader, the correlation factor for the first group to a threshold; and determining, by the reader, that the correlation factor for the first group is greater than the threshold.

[0110] Example 23. The method of Example 14, wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least a first group of tag devices, and wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises delay tolerance information or a delay tolerance timer value that may be used to initialize a delay tolerance timer for the first group of tag devices; wherein the method comprises: starting the delay tolerance timer for the first group upon transmitting a query to at least one tag device of the first group; and detecting an expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group; and wherein the assembling the packet as an aggregated response comprises, based upon the detecting of the expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group, assembling, by the reader, the packet as the aggregated response that includes an aggregation of the buffered responses including any responses that have been received and buffered by the reader from tag devices of the first group and from tag devices of other groups if received and buffered.

[0111] Example 24. The method of any of Examples 14-23, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices comprises: a first response forwarding requirement for a first group of tag devices, including at least one of: a first delay tolerance information or a first delay tolerance timer value to initialize a first delay tolerance timer associated with the first group of tag devices; and a first correlation information or a first correlation factor, provided for the first group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the first group; and / or a first requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the first group, if the first correlation information or the first correlation factor for the first group indicates a correlation among responses of the first group; and a second response forwarding requirement for a second group of tag devices, including at least one of: a second delay tolerance information or a second delay tolerance timer value to initialize a second delay tolerance timer associated with the second group of tag devices; and a second correlation information or a second correlation factor, provided for the second group thatindicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the second group; and / or a second requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the second group, if the second correlation information or the second correlation factor for the second group indicates a correlation among responses of the second group.

[0112] Example 25. The method of any of Examples 16-24, wherein the query transmitted to at least the plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group comprises at least one of the following: a group query, including a group ID associated with or identifying the at least one group of tag devices, transmitted to the tag devices of the at least one group, to activate and cause one or more of the tag devices of the at least one group to transmit a response; a device query, including a tag ID of a tag device, transmitted to each of the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group, to individually activate and cause each of the tag devices to transmit a response.

[0113] Example 26. The method of any of Examples 14-25, wherein the wireless system comprises an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) wireless system, and wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least one group of AIoT devices.

[0114] Example 27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing system to: receive, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receive and buffer responses from the plurality of tag devices; assemble, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmit, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

[0115] Example 28. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; means for receiving and buffering responses from the plurality of tag devices; means for assembling, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and means for transmitting, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

[0116] Example 29. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receive, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassemble, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0117] Example 30. The apparatus of Example 29, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

[0118] Example 31. The apparatus of Example 29, wherein the packet includes a header that includes a tag ID and a response length for each of the plurality of responses included in the aggregated response; and wherein the apparatus caused to disassemble comprises the apparatus caused to: disassemble, by the network controller based on the header, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0119] Example 32. The apparatus of any of Examples 29-31, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding the aggregated response to the network controller comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

[0120] Example 33. The apparatus of Example 32, wherein the apparatus caused to receive, by the network controller from the reader, the packet that includes the aggregated response comprises the apparatus caused to receive, by the network controller, the packet that includes the aggregated response based on at least one of the following: an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group; a first delay tolerance timer of a firstgroup is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group; and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size.

[0121] Example 34. The apparatus of any of Examples 29-33, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding the aggregated response to the network controller comprises at least one of the following: a first response forwarding requirement for a first group of tag devices, including at least one of: a first delay tolerance information or a first delay tolerance timer value to initialize a first delay tolerance timer associated with the first group of tag devices; and a first correlation information or a first correlation factor, provided for the first group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the first group; and / or a first requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the first group, if the first correlation information or the first correlation factor for the first group indicates a correlation among responses of the first group; and a second response forwarding requirement for a second group of tag devices, including at least one of: a second delay tolerance information or a second delay tolerance timer value to initialize a second delay tolerance timer associated with the second group of tag devices; and a second correlation information or a second correlation factor, provided for the second group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the second group; and / or a second requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the second group, if the second correlation information or the second correlation factor for the second group indicates a correlation among responses of the second group.

[0122] Example 35. The apparatus of any of Examples 29-34, wherein the wireless system comprises an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) wireless system, and wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least one group of AIoT devices.

[0123] Example 36. A method comprising: transmitting, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receiving, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includesresponses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassembling, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0124] Example 37. The method of Example 36, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

[0125] Example 38. The method of any of Examples 36-37, wherein the packet includes a header that includes a tag ID and a response length for each of the plurality of responses included in the aggregated response; and wherein the disassembling comprises: disassembling, by the network controller based on the header, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0126] Example 39. The method of any of Examples 36-38, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding the aggregated response to the network controller comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

[0127] Example 40. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing system to: transmit, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receive, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassemble, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0128] Example 41. An apparatus comprising: means for transmitting, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at leastone group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; means for receiving, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and means for disassembling, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

[0129] Also, some further examples may include:

[0130] The apparatus of Example 32, wherein the minimum payload size is determined based on the type of reader and information of the wireless network maximum transmission unit. Note MTU definition: The maximum transmission unit (MTU) is the size of the largest protocol data unit (PDU) that can be communicated in a single network layer transaction. This typically refers to the transport network and any packet larger than this size would require fragmentation. Since the Reader may have to communicate over the air with a network(gNB), the MTU could be smaller and set accordingly depending on the type of reader.

[0131] The apparatus of any of Examples 32-33, wherein delay tolerance timer is modified based on receive time of response request.

[0132] The apparatus of Example 32, wherein the correlation factor is determined based on the type of devices within a group, their geographical location and the sensitivity to variation in the spatial domain.

[0133] The apparatus of Example 32, wherein a requested number of responses is determined based on the load of the wireless network and the correlation factor or correlation information. At night time for example when network load is low, more responses could be allowed.

[0134] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a wireless station (e.g., AP, BS or user device / UE, or other network node) 1500 according to an example embodiment. The wireless station 1500 may include, for example, one or more (e.g., two as shown in FIG. 6) RF (radio frequency) or wireless transceivers 1502A, 1502B, where each wireless transceiver includes a transmitter to transmit signals and a receiver to receive signals. The wireless station also includes a processor or control unit / entity (controller) 1504 to execute instructions or software and control transmission and receptions of signals, and a memory 1506 to store data and / or instructions.

[0135] Processor 1504 may also make decisions or determinations, generate frames, packets or messages for transmission, decode received frames or messages for further processing, and other tasks or functions described herein. Processor 1504, which may be a baseband processor, for example, may generate messages, packets, frames or other signals for transmission via wireless transceiver 1502 (1502A or 1502B). Processor 1504 may control transmission of signals or messages over a wireless network, and may control the reception of signals or messages, etc., via a wireless network (e.g., after being down- converted by wireless transceiver 1502, for example). Processor 1504 may be programmable and capable of executing software or other instructions stored in memory or on other computer media to perform the various tasks and functions described above, such as one or more of the tasks or methods described above. Processor 1504 may be (or may include), for example, hardware, programmable logic, a programmable processor that executes software or firmware, and / or any combination of these. Using other terminology, processor 1504 and transceiver 1502 together may be considered as a wireless transmitter / receiver system, for example.

[0136] In addition, referring to FIG. 6, a controller (or processor) 1508 may execute software and instructions, and may provide overall control for the station 1500, and may provide control for other systems not shown in FIG. 6, such as controlling input / output devices (e.g., display, keypad), and / or may execute software for one or more applications that may be provided on wireless station 1500, such as, for example, an email program, audio / video applications, a word processor, a Voice over IP application, or other application or software.

[0137] In addition, a storage medium may be provided that includes stored instructions, which when executed by a controller or processor may result in the processor 1504, or other controller or processor, performing one or more of the functions or tasks described above.

[0138] According to another example embodiment, RF or wireless transceiver(s) 1502A / 1502B may receive signals or data and / or transmit or send signals or data. Processor 1504 (and possibly transceivers 1502A / 1502B) may control the RF or wireless transceiver 1502 A or 1502B to receive, send, broadcast or transmit signals or data.

[0139] The embodiments are not, however, restricted to the system that is given as an example, but a person skilled in the art may apply the solution to other communication systems. Another example of a suitable communications system is the 5G concept. It is assumed that network architecture in 5G will be quite similar to that of the LTE-advanced.5G is likely to use multiple input - multiple output (MIMO) antennas, many more base stations or nodes than the LTE (a so-called small cell concept), including macro sites operating in co-operation with smaller stations and perhaps also employing a variety of radio technologies for better coverage and enhanced data rates.

[0140] It should be appreciated that future networks will most probably utilise network functions virtualization (NFV) which is a network architecture concept that proposes virtualizing network node functions into “building blocks” or entities that may be operationally connected or linked together to provide services. A virtualized network function (VNF) may comprise one or more virtual machines running computer program codes using standard or general type servers instead of customized hardware. Cloud computing or data storage may also be utilized. In radio communications this may mean node operations may be carried out, at least partly, in a server, host or node operationally coupled to a remote radio head. It is also possible that node operations will be distributed among a plurality of servers, nodes or hosts. It should also be understood that the distribution of labour between core network operations and base station operations may differ from that of the LTE or even be non-existent.

[0141] Embodiments of the various techniques described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. Embodiments may be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by, or to control the operation of, a data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. Embodiments may also be provided on a computer readable medium or computer readable storage medium, which may be a non-transitory medium. Embodiments of the various techniques may also include embodiments provided via transitory signals or media, and / or programs and / or software embodiments that are downloadable via the Internet or other network(s), either wired networks and / or wireless networks. In addition, embodiments may be provided via machine type communications (MTC), and also via an Internet of Things (IOT).

[0142] The computer program may be in source code form, object code form, or in some intermediate form, and it may be stored in some sort of carrier, distribution medium, or computer readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such carriers include a record medium, computer memory, read-only memory, photoelectrical and / or electrical carrier signal, telecommunications signal, and softwaredistribution package, for example. Depending on the processing power needed, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer or it may be distributed amongst a number of computers.

[0143] Furthermore, embodiments of the various techniques described herein may use a cyber-physical system (CPS) (a system of collaborating computational elements controlling physical entities). CPS may enable the embodiment and exploitation of massive amounts of interconnected ICT devices (sensors, actuators, processors microcontrollers, ...) embedded in physical objects at different locations. Mobile cyber physical systems, in which the physical system in question has inherent mobility, are a subcategory of cyber-physical systems. Examples of mobile physical systems include mobile robotics and electronics transported by humans or animals. The rise in popularity of smartphones has increased interest in the area of mobile cyber-physical systems. Therefore, various embodiments of techniques described herein may be provided via one or more of these technologies.

[0144] A computer program, such as the computer program(s) described above, can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit or part of it suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

[0145] Method steps may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing a computer program or computer program portions to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. Method steps also may be performed by, and an apparatus may be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

[0146] Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer, chip or chipset. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. Elements of a computer may include at least one processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer also may include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and datainclude all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

[0147] To provide for interaction with a user, embodiments may be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a user interface, such as a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.

[0148] Embodiments may be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an embodiment, or any combination of such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. Components may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN), e.g., the Internet.

[0149] While certain features of the described embodiments have been illustrated as described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the various embodiments.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receive and buffer responses from the plurality of tag devices; assemble, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmit, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

3. The apparatus of any of claims 1-2, wherein the apparatus caused to receive and buffer responses comprises the apparatus caused to: transmit a query to at least a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and receive and buffer responses, by the reader, based on the reader transmitting the query to at least the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group.

4. The apparatus of any of claims 1-3 wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

5. The apparatus of any of claims 1-4, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: detect an event related to the response forwarding requirement; and perform the assembly of the packet based upon detection of the event.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus caused to detect the event related to the response forwarding requirement comprises the apparatus caused to detect, by the reader, at least one of the following: an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group; a first delay tolerance timer of a first group is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group; and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size.

7. The apparatus of any of claims 4-6, wherein the requested number of responses to be forwarded comprises a maximum number of responses to be forwarded by the reader among the plurality of correlated responses for the group.

8. The apparatus of any of claims 4-7, wherein the response forwarding requirement includes the correlation information or the correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group, and the requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the group; wherein the apparatus is caused to: determine, by the reader based on the correlation information or correlation factor for a first group of the at least one group, that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated; and perform, by the reader, at least one of the following after the reader detects that a received number of responses from tag devices of the first group are greater than or equal to the requested number of responses for the first group: cease to transmit, by the reader, queries to tag devices of the first group;discard and not forward in the packet, by the reader, one or more further responses received from tag devices of the first group beyond the requested number of responses that have been received by the reader.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus caused to determine that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated comprises the apparatus caused to: compare the correlation factor for the first group to a threshold; and determine that the correlation factor for the first group is greater than the threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least a first group of tag devices, and wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises delay tolerance information or a delay tolerance timer value that may be used to initialize a delay tolerance timer for the first group of tag devices; wherein the apparatus is caused to: start the delay tolerance timer for the first group upon transmitting a query to at least one tag device of the first group; and detect an expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group; and wherein the apparatus caused to assemble the packet as an aggregated response comprises the apparatus caused to, based upon detection of the expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group, assemble, by the reader, the packet as the aggregated response that includes an aggregation of the buffered responses including any responses that have been received and buffered by the reader from tag devices of the first group and from tag devices of other groups if received and buffered.

11. The apparatus of any of claims 1-10, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices comprises: a first response forwarding requirement for a first group of tag devices, including at least one of: a first delay tolerance information or a first delay tolerance timer value to initialize a first delay tolerance timer associated with the first group of tag devices; and a first correlation information or a first correlation factor, provided for the first group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the first group; and / ora first requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the first group, if the first correlation information or the first correlation factor for the first group indicates a correlation among responses of the first group; and a second response forwarding requirement for a second group of tag devices, including at least one of a second delay tolerance information or a second delay tolerance timer value to initialize a second delay tolerance timer associated with the second group of tag devices; and a second correlation information or a second correlation factor, provided for the second group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the second group; and / or a second requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the second group, if the second correlation information or the second correlation factor for the second group indicates a correlation among responses of the second group.

12. The apparatus of any of claims 3-11, wherein the query transmitted to at least the plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group comprises at least one of the following: a group query, including a group ID associated with or identifying the at least one group of tag devices, transmitted to the tag devices of the at least one group, to activate and cause one or more of the tag devices of the at least one group to transmit a response; a device query, including a tag ID of a tag device, transmitted to each of the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group, to individually activate and cause each of the tag devices to transmit a response.

13. The apparatus of any of claims 1-12, wherein the wireless system comprises an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) wireless system, and wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least one group of AIoT devices.

14. A method comprising: receiving, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receiving and buffering responses from the plurality of tag devices; assembling, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmitting, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

16. The method of any of claims 14-15, wherein the receiving and buffering responses comprises: transmitting, by the reader, a query to at least a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and receiving and buffering responses, by the reader, based on the reader transmitting the query to at least the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group.

17. The method of any of claims 14-16 wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

18. The method of any of claims 14-17, further comprising: detecting an event related to the response forwarding requirement; and performing the assembly of the packet based upon detection of the event.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the detecting the event related to the response forwarding requirement comprises detecting, by the reader, at least one of the following: an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group; a first delay tolerance timer of a first group is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group; and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size.

20. The method of any of claims 17-19, wherein the requested number of responses to be forwarded comprises a maximum number of responses to be forwarded by the reader among the plurality of correlated responses for the group.

21. The method of any of claims 17-20, wherein the response forwarding requirement includes the correlation information or the correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group, and the requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the group; the method further comprising: determining, by the reader based on the correlation information or correlation factor for a first group of the at least one group, that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated; and performing, by the reader, at least one of the following after the reader detects that a received number of responses from tag devices of the first group are greater than or equal to the requested number of responses for the first group: ceasing to transmit, by the reader, queries to tag devices of the first group; discarding and not forwarding in the packet, by the reader, one or more further responses received from tag devices of the first group beyond the requested number of responses that have been received by the reader.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the determining that responses from tag devices of the first group are correlated comprises: comparing, by the reader, the correlation factor for the first group to a threshold; and determining, by the reader, that the correlation factor for the first group is greater than the threshold.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least a first group of tag devices, and wherein the response forwarding requirement comprises delay tolerance information or a delay tolerance timer value that may be used to initialize a delay tolerance timer for the first group of tag devices; wherein the method comprises: starting the delay tolerance timer for the first group upon transmitting a query to at least one tag device of the first group; and detecting an expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group; and wherein the assembling the packet as an aggregated response comprises, based upon the detecting of the expiration of the delay tolerance timer for the first group, assembling, by the reader, the packet as the aggregated response that includes an aggregation of the buffered responses including any responses that have been received and buffered by the reader from tag devices of the first group and from tag devices of other groups if received and buffered.

24. The method of any of claims 14-23, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices comprises: a first response forwarding requirement for a first group of tag devices, including at least one of: a first delay tolerance information or a first delay tolerance timer value to initialize a first delay tolerance timer associated with the first group of tag devices; and a first correlation information or a first correlation factor, provided for the first group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the first group; and / or a first requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the first group, if the first correlation information or the first correlation factor for the first group indicates a correlation among responses of the first group; anda second response forwarding requirement for a second group of tag devices, including at least one of: a second delay tolerance information or a second delay tolerance timer value to initialize a second delay tolerance timer associated with the second group of tag devices; and a second correlation information or a second correlation factor, provided for the second group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the second group; and / or a second requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the second group, if the second correlation information or the second correlation factor for the second group indicates a correlation among responses of the second group.

25. The method of any of claims 16-24, wherein the query transmitted to at least the plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group comprises at least one of the following: a group query, including a group ID associated with or identifying the at least one group of tag devices, transmitted to the tag devices of the at least one group, to activate and cause one or more of the tag devices of the at least one group to transmit a response; a device query, including a tag ID of a tag device, transmitted to each of the plurality of tag devices of the at least one group, to individually activate and cause each of the tag devices to transmit a response.

26. The method of any of claims 14-25, wherein the wireless system comprises an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) wireless system, and wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least one group of AIoT devices.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing system to: receive, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; receive and buffer responses from the plurality of tag devices;assemble, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and transmit, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

28. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving, by a reader from a network controller in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a response forwarding requirement for the at least one group of tag devices; means for receiving and buffering responses from the plurality of tag devices; means for assembling, by the reader according to the response forwarding requirement, a packet as an aggregated response that includes the buffered responses from a plurality of the tag devices of the at least one group; and means for transmitting, by the reader, the assembled packet to the network controller.

29. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receive, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassemble, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the packet includes a header that includes a tag ID and a response length for each of the plurality of responses included in the aggregated response; and wherein the apparatus caused to disassemble comprises the apparatus caused to: disassemble, by the network controller based on the header, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

32. The apparatus of any of claims 29-31, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding the aggregated response to the network controller comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the apparatus caused to receive, by the network controller from the reader, the packet that includes the aggregated response comprises the apparatus caused to receive, by the network controller, the packet that includes the aggregated response based on at least one of the following: an expiration of the delay tolerance timer associated with a group; a first delay tolerance timer of a first group is not expired, and a second delay tolerance timer of a second group is expired, based on queries transmitted to at least one tag device of the first group and to at least one tag device of the second group; and the aggregated buffered responses received by the reader from the tag devices exceeds the minimum payload size.

34. The apparatus of any of claims 29-33, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding the aggregated response to the network controller comprises at least one of the following: a first response forwarding requirement for a first group of tag devices, including at least one of: a first delay tolerance information or a first delay tolerance timer value to initialize a first delay tolerance timer associated with the first group of tag devices; and a first correlation information or a first correlation factor, provided for the first group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the first group; and / or a first requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the first group, if the first correlation information or the first correlation factor for the first group indicates a correlation among responses of the first group; and a second response forwarding requirement for a second group of tag devices, including at least one of: a second delay tolerance information or a second delay tolerance timer value to initialize a second delay tolerance timer associated with the second group of tag devices; and a second correlation information or a second correlation factor, provided for the second group that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the second group; and / or a second requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for the second group, if the second correlation information or the second correlation factor for the second group indicates a correlation among responses of the second group.

35. The apparatus of any of claims 29-34, wherein the wireless system comprises an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) wireless system, and wherein the at least one group of tag devices comprises at least one group of AIoT devices.

36. A method comprising: transmitting, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receiving, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassembling, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the network controller comprises at least one of a network node or an application function.

38. The method of any of claims 36-37, wherein the packet includes a header that includes a tag ID and a response length for each of the plurality of responses included in the aggregated response; and wherein the disassembling comprises: disassembling, by the network controller based on the header, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

39. The method of any of claims 36-38, wherein the response forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding the aggregated response to the network controller comprises at least one of the following: a delay tolerance information, or a delay tolerance timer value to initialize a delay tolerance timer associated with each group of the at least one group of tag devices; a minimum payload size for the packet of the aggregated responses; a correlation information or a correlation factor, provided for each group of the at least one group, that indicates whether there is a correlation among responses from tag devices of the group; and a requested number of responses to be forwarded among a plurality of correlated responses for a group.

40. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing system to: transmit, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; receive, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and disassemble, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

41. An apparatus comprising: means for transmitting, by a network controller to a reader in a wireless system that includes at least one group of tag devices, a response request that includes a group-specific response forwarding requirement for at least one group of tag devices, the response forwarding requirement indicating a forwarding requirement for the reader in forwarding to the network controller an aggregated response that includes a plurality of responses received by the reader from the tag devices; means for receiving, by the network controller from the reader, a packet that includes the aggregated response that includes responses received by the reader from a plurality of the tag devices; and means for disassembling, by the network controller, the aggregated response into the plurality of responses from the plurality of tag devices.

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