Measurement mechanism for network energy saving

Abstract

Various embodiments provide for a method for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window (RSEW) for a User Equipment (UE) to perform measurements within to reduce energy usage The RSEW can be defined with respect to a reference frame of a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode and a discontinuous transmission (DTX) mode. The RSEW can be configured by dedicated Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, and include at least a start time, and in some embodiments a duration, a periodicity, an offset time, or other parameters. The UE can be configured to perform any reference signal measurements during the RSEW, and none outside of the RSEW, whether or not the RSEW aligns with a DRX / DTX non-active time. The network node can also be configured to not transmit reference signals outside of the RSEW, and the UE can assume there are no reference signals outside of the RSEW.

Description

MEASUREMENT MECHANISM FOR NETWORK ENERGY SAVINGTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window (RSEW) for a User Equipment to perform measurements within to reduce energy usage in a wireless communication systemBACKGROUNDSMTC and Measurement Gaps

[0002] New Radio (NR) synchronization signal (SS) consists of primary SS (PSS) and secondary SS (SSS). NR physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carries the very basic system information. The combination of SS and PBCH is referred to as SSB in NR. Multiple SSBs are transmitted in a localized burst set. Within an SS burst set, multiple SSBs can be transmitted in different beams. The transmission of SSBs within a localized burst set is confined to a 5 ms window. The set of possible SSB time locations within an SS burst set depends on the numerology which in most cases is uniquely identified by the frequency band. The SSB periodicity can be configured from the value set {5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160} ms (where the unit used in the configuration is subframe, which has a duration of 1 ms).

[0003] A UE does not need to perform measurements with the same periodicity as the SSB periodicity. Accordingly, the SSB measurement time configuration (SMTC) has been introduced for NR. The signaling of SMTC window informs the User Equipment (UE) of the timing and periodicity of SSBs that the UE can use for measurements. The SMTC window periodicity can be configured from the value set {5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160} ms, matching the possible SSB periodicities. The SMTC window duration can be configured from the value set { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5} ms (where the unit used in the configuration is subframe, which has a duration of 1 ms).

[0004] The UE may use the same Radio Frequency (RF) module for measurements of neighboring cells and data transmission in the serving cell. Measurement gaps allow the UE to suspend the data transmission in the serving cell and perform the measurements of neighboring cells. The measurement gap repetition periodicity can be configured from the value set {20, 40, 80, 160} ms, the gap length can be configured from the value set { 1.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 10, 20} ms. Usually, the measurement gap length is configured to be larger than the SMTC window duration to allow for RF retuning time. Measurement gap time advance is also introduced to fine tune the relative position of the measurement gap with respect to the SMTC window. The measurement gap timing advance can be configured from the value set {0, 0.25, 0.5} ms. Figure 1 presents an illustration of SSB, SMTC window and measurement gap.Cell DTX / DRX and UE DRX

[0005] Discontinuous Reception (DRX) in 5G is of two types, Idle mode DRX and Connected mode DRX. C-DRX(connected-DRX) in NR is introduced to improve UE battery power consumption by allowing the UE to periodically enter ‘sleep’ state (Off duration) during which a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) need not be monitored. In order to monitor PDCCH for possible downlink / uplink data, the UE is allowed to wake up periodically and stay ‘awake’ (On duration) for a certain amount of time before going to ‘sleep’ again. Additionally, the UE may be required to wake up occasionally to monitor PDCCH, this is for example to receive a possible retransmission.

[0006] The gNodeB (gNB) configures UE with a set of C-DRX parameters. These DRX parameters are selected based on the application type such that power and resource savings are maximized. Each DRX cycle consists of DRX ON period and OFF period. There are two types of DRX cycles defined; Long DRX Cycle and Short DRX Cycle.

[0007] The gNodeB configures RRC parameters for DRX as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 V17.3.0.

[0008] TR 38.864 V18.0.0 instructs Cell Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) / DRX concept, currently, the gNB can use reduced downlink transmission / uplink reception activity without an explicit cell DTX / DRX pattern with restrictions due to UE DRX configurations and any configured transmission / reception, e.g., common channels / signals. Currently C-DRX is configured per UE. The alignment of the DRX cycles or offsets for different UEs can be done only via RRC. During UE DRX off period, the UE does not expect to monitor PDCCH, but it is allowed to initiate UL transmission according to the configured resources (e.g., using Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), Random Access Channel (RACH), Scheduling Request (SR), or Coordinated Grant Physical Uplink Shared Channel (CG-PUSCH)). Aligning / Omitting of DRX patterns across multiple UE's can be achieved via gNB implementation.

[0009] An explicit Cell DTX / DRX is applied to at least UEs in Radio Resource Control Connected (RRC_CONNECTED) state. A periodic Cell DTX / DRX (i.e., active and non-active periods) can be configured by gNB via UE-specific RRC signaling or SI per serving cell. Below examples on Cell DTX / DRX behavior during non-active periods are assumed to be possible options, and the UE behavior / impact will be studied• Example 1: gNB is expected to turn off all transmission and reception for data traffic and reference signal during Cell DTX / DRX non-active periods.• Example 2: gNB is expected to turn off its transmission / reception only for data traffic during Cell DTX / DRX non-active periods (i.e., gNB will still transmit / receive reference signals)• Example 3 : gNB is expected to turn off its dynamic data transmission / reception during Cell DTX / DRX non-active periods (i.e., gNB is expected to still perform transmission / reception in periodic resources, including SPS, CG-PUSCH, SR, RACH, and SRS).• Example 4: gNB is expected to only transmit reference signals (e.g., CSI-RS for measurement).

[0010] The Cell DTX / DRX mode can be activated / de-activated via dynamic L1 / L2 signaling and UE-specific RRC signaling. Both UE specific and common L1 / L2 signaling can be considered for activating / deactivating the Cell DTX / DRX mode.

[0011] Cell DTX and Cell DRX modes can be configured and operated separately (e.g., one RRC configuration set for DL and another for UL). Cell DTX / DRX can also be configured and operated together. At least the following parameters can be configured per Cell DTX / DRX configuration: periodicity, start slot / offset, on duration.

[0012] In RAN2#120 meeting, some agreements about DTX / DRX were reached as following:1. Clarify previous agreement to: periodic cell DTX / DRX pattern is configured by UE-specific RRC. Periodic cell DTX / DRX can be activated / deactivated by L1 / L2 signaling and UE-specific RRC signaling.2. Capture in TR 38.864 that both UE specific and common L1 / L2 signaling can be considered for at least activating / deactivating the cell DTX / DRX pattern, per the agreement in 119b-e.3. Cell DTX and Cell DRX modes can be configured and operated separately (e.g., one RRC configuration set for DL and the other set for UL). Cell DTX / DRX can also be configured and operated together.4. It is up to NW whether legacy UEs can access cells with Cell DTX / DRX.5. Cell DTX / DRX can be configured per serving cell and can be applicable for different cells in CA. No additional RAN2 impacts or enhancements are foreseen.6. Whether to support multiple Cell DTX / DRX configurations can be discussed later in the normative phase.7. At least the following parameters can be configured per cell DTX / DRX configuration: periodicity, start slot / offset, on duration. Details related to UE behaviour can be discussed during WI phase.8. From RAN2 perspective DTX / DRX is feasible.SUMMARY

[0013] Various embodiments provide for a method for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window (RSEW) for a User Equipment (UE) to perform measurements within to reduce energy usage. The RSEW can be defined with respect to a reference frame of a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode and a discontinuous transmission (DTX) mode. The RSEW can be configured by dedicated Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, and include at least a start time, and in some embodiments a duration, a periodicity, an offset time, or other parameters. The UE can be configured to perform any reference signal measurements during the RSEW, and none outside of the RSEW, whether or not the RSEW aligns with a DRX / DTX non-active time. The network node can also be configured to not transmit reference signals outside of the RSEW, and the UE can assume there are no reference signals outside of the RSEW.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0015] Figure 1 shows an example of a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), SSB measurement time configuration (SMTC) window, and measurement gap in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 2 shows an example of a Reference Signal Effective Window in relation to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) or Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) reference frame in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 3 shows an example of a Reference Signal Effective Window in relation to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) or Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) reference frame in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 4 shows an example of a Reference Signal Effective Window in relation to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) or Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) reference frame in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 5 shows an example of a Reference Signal Effective Window in relation to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) or Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) reference frame in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 6 shows a message sequence chart of a method for configuring a User Equipment device with a RSEW in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 7 shows an example of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 8 shows a User Equipment device (UE) in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 9 shows a network node in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a host, which may be an embodiment of the host of Figure 7, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure described herein; and

[0025] Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments of the present disclosure may be virtualized.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The embodiments set forth below represent information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure.

[0027] Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0028] There currently exist certain challenge(s). While the introduction of discontinuous reception (DRX) mode and a discontinuous transmission (DTX) mode contributes to energy savings, there are still some problems.

[0029] For Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel Station Information Reference Signal (CSLRS) measurement and Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) monitoring in DRX on-duration, one straightforward way avoiding waking up frequently is to transmit SSB / CSL RS close to the beginning of / within DRX on-duration. However, SSB and DRX aren’t always aligned, for instance, {periodicity, offset] of DRX cycle of the User Equipment (UE) 1 is {40ms, 10ms], and {periodicity, offset] of DRX cycle of UE 2 is {40ms, 20ms], and SSB periodicity is 20ms, in this case, SSB is always close to DRX on-duration of UE 1, and far away from DRX on- duration of UE 2.

[0030] Furthermore, UE is only configured to perform CSLRS based measurement confined in the active time of DRX. However, it might be beneficial that UE have more flexibility on mobility measurement based on RS resources associated with DRX but not confined strictly within the active time.

[0031] In legacy NR, UE is only requested to perform one shot L3 measurement and LI measurement on SSB or CSLRS at the least(note: some relaxation requirements allow longer measurement periodicity) during one UE C-DRX cycle . In other words, most of transmitted reference signals(CSI-RS / SSB) are unnecessary from the UE side when DRX is configured.

[0032] Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. Various embodiments provide for a method for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window (RSEW) for a User Equipment (UE) to perform measurements within to reduce energy usage. The RSEW can be defined with respect to a reference frame of a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode and a discontinuous transmission (DTX) mode. The RSEW can be configured by dedicated Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, and include at least a start time, and in some embodiments a duration, a periodicity, an offset time, or other parameters. The UE can be configured to perform any reference signal measurements during the RSEW, and none outside of the RSEW, whether or not the RSEW aligns with a DRX / DTX non-active time. The network node can also be configured to not transmit reference signals outside of the RSEW, and the UE can assume there are no reference signals outside of the RSEW.

[0033] According to a first embodiment, the proposed solution defines active RS effective window (RSEW) with respect to the association with DTX / DRX by time relationship / pattern / condition between reference point of measurement window and reference point of DTX / DRX. To this end, it is proposed to enable configuration of an RSEW and indicate this RSEW configuration to a UE using dedicated RRC signaling, or System Information (SI).

[0034] According to a second embodiment, the proposed solution comprising gNB configuring RSEW through corresponding parameters to be included information elements (IES) in RRC signaling intended for a UE or broadcast information for multiple UEs. The examples of explicit RSEW configuration at least use a start time and a duration or only a start time with respect to plenty of parameters for DRX configuration.

[0035] According to a third embodiment, the proposed solution comprises the mechanisms in UE about being allowed to not measure reference signal occasion outside RSEW during non-active time of DRX, in other words, UE is expected to measure reference signal within RSEW during non-active time of DRX.

[0036] One aspect of the third embodiment is that gNB doesn’t transmit reference signals outside of RSEW and UE assumes no reference signals outside of RSEW, another aspect of the third embodiment is gNB can transmit reference signals outside RSEW but whether UE perform measurement outside RSEW is optional.

[0037] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). The techniques disclosed herein can improve energy savings in both the UE and the network node.Terminology

[0038] The term node is used which can be a network node or a user equipment (UE). Examples of network nodes are NodeB, base station (BS), multi- standard radio (MSR) radio node such as MSR BS, eNodeB, gNodeB, MeNB, SeNB, location measurement unit (LMU), integrated access backhaul (IAB) node, network controller, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), relay, donor node controlling relay, base transceiver station (BTS), Central Unit (e.g. in a gNB), Distributed Unit (e.g. in a gNB), Baseband Unit, Centralized Baseband, C-RAN, access point (AP), transmission points, transmission nodes, transmission reception point (TRP), RRU, RRH, nodes in distributed antenna system (DAS), core network node (e.g. MSC, MME etc.), O&M, OSS, SON, positioning node (e.g. E-SMLC), etc.

[0039] The non-limiting term UE refers to any type of wireless device communicating with a network node and / or with another UE in a cellular or mobile communication system. Examples of UE are target device, device to device (D2D) UE, vehicular to vehicular (V2V), machine type UE, MTC UE or UE capable of machine to machine (M2M) communication, PDA, tablet, mobile terminals, smart phone, laptop embedded equipment (LEE), laptop mounted equipment (LME), USB dongles etc.

[0040] The term radio access technology, or RAT, may refer to any RAT, e.g. UTRA, E- UTRA, narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT), WiFi, Bluetooth, next generation RAT, New Radio (NR), 4G, 5G, NR NTN, loT NTN, LTE NTN, etc. Any of the equipment denoted by the term node, network node or radio network node may be capable of supporting a single or multiple RATs.

[0041] The term signal or radio signal used herein can be any physical signal or physical channel. Examples of DL physical signals are reference signal (RS) such as Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), Channel State Information (CSI) Reference Signal (CSLRS), Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) signals in SS / PBCH block (SSB), discovery reference signal (DRS), Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS), Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) etc. RS may be periodic, e.g. RS occasion carrying one or more RSs may occur with certain periodicity, e.g. 20 ms, 40 ms, etc. The RS may also be aperiodic. Each SSB carries NR-PSS, NR-SSS and NR-PBCH in 4 successive symbols. One or multiple SSBs are transmitted in one SSB burst which is repeated with certain periodicity, e.g. 5 ms, 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, 80 ms, and 160 ms. The UE is configured with information about SSB on cells of certain carrier frequency by one or more SS / PBCH block measurement timing configuration (SMTC) configurations. The SMTC configuration comprising parameters such as SMTC periodicity, SMTC occasion length in time or duration, SMTC time offset with regard to referencetime (e.g. serving cell’s SFN) etc. Therefore, SMTC occasion may also occur with certain periodicity, e.g. 5 ms, 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, 80 ms, and 160 ms. Examples of UL physical signals are reference signal such as SRS, DMRS etc. The term physical channel refers to any channel carrying higher layer information, e.g. data, control, etc. Examples of physical channels are PBCH, NPBCH, PDCCH, PDSCH, sPUCCH, sPDSCH, sPUCCH, sPUSCH, MPDCCH, NPDCCH, NPDSCH, E-PDCCH, PUSCH, PUCCH, NPUSCH etc.

[0042] The UE can be configured to perform one or more measurements on a reference signal (RS) transmitted by one or more cells operated or managed by a network node. The UE may further be configured by a network node with a message (e.g., an indicator, flag etc.) indicating that the UE is operating in a high-speed train environment / deployment scenario. The UE may further be informed by a network node using the same message or different message indicating the type of high-speed train environment / deployment scenario in which the UE is currently operating. Examples of high-speed train environment / deployment scenario are unidirectional, bidirectional etc. The UE may be configured with the above information in any RRC state, e.g. in RRC idle state, RRC inactive state, and RRC active state, etc. To assist the UE in performing the measurements, the UE is configured by the network node with information related to an RS configuration, e.g. via RRC signalling. The RS configuration information may be part of a measurement object (MO). In general, the RS configuration may comprise of one or more parameters, e.g. RS index or identifier (e.g., RSI), RS duration or occasion or window, RS periodicity and time offset etc. Examples of RS are SSB, CSI-RS etc. Examples of RS configuration are SMTC configuration, CSI-RS configuration etc. Each SMTC configuration transmitted to the UE in a MO is associated with corresponding SMTC parameters, e.g. SMTC index or identifier (e.g., SMTC1), SMTC duration, SMTC periodicity and time offset etc. Wherein, SMTC1 indicate index or identifier of SMTCs configured by network, it can also be referred to as RRC IE parameter.

[0043] The UE can be served by one or beams in a cell, e.g. indicated by RS (e.g., SSB, CSI- RS etc.) by a serving cell (e.g., Celli). The individual beam measurement performed by the UE on the RS (e.g., SSB) after layer 1 (LI) filtering (e.g., LI measurement period) is teamed as LI measurement. Typically, the LI measurement is used by the UE for the maintenance of the radio links in the serving cell by performing one or more radio link procedures (RLPs) in a serving cell. Examples of the RLP are broadly radio link monitoring (RLM), link recovery procedure (LRP) etc. The RLM comprises of one or more procedures or operations namely out of sync (OOS) detection, in-sync (IS) detection, radio link failure (RLF) detection etc. The LRP, which is also called as beam management, comprises of one or more procedures or operations namely beamfailure recovery (BFR), beam failure detection (BFD), candidate beam detection (CBD), candidate beam recovery (CBR), Ll-RSRP reporting, Ll-SINR reporting etc.

[0044] A cell normally transmits more than one RS, e.g. 2 or more SSBs, CSR-RS etc. The cell-level measurement value (e.g., Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) etc.) is derived by the UE by combining (e.g., average, sum etc.) two or more beam level measurements (e.g., that are above a threshold). The UE may further perform layer-3 (L3) filtering (e.g., whose filter coefficient is configured by a network node) on the cell level measurement. The cell-level measurement after beam consolidation and subsequent L3 filtering is also termed as L3 measurement. Typically, L3 measurement is used by the UE for performing cell change, e.g. cell selection, cell reselection, handover, conditional handover, RRC release with redirection, RRC connection re-establishment etc.

[0045] The scenario comprises a UE served by a cell configured to perform one or more measurements on a reference signal (RS) transmitted by one or more cells operated or managed by a network node.

[0046] In this disclosure, without loss of generality, SSB is taken as a particular example which the disclosure applies to. It is worth noting that same solutions and mechanisms in the disclosure also are applicable to other periodic or semi-static signals, e.g. reference signals such as CSI-RS, TRS, P-TRS, CSI-RS etc.

[0047] In this disclosure, DRX is referred to thoroughly, but it is worth noting that the disclosure also is applicable to Cell DTX, DRX in idle mode or C-DRX and also UE DRX / DTX etc. in some use cases and scenarios.Framework of RSEW

[0048] In one of embodiments, to save network and / or UE energy consumption, an active RS effective window (RSEW)is introduced to define the possible RS (SSB, CSI-RS, PRS etc.) transmission time or measurement time. RSEW is used to restrict the RS location for potential mobility measurement or restrict mobility measurement chance.

[0049] To serve the intended purpose, RSEW shall be set to parameters (e.g., start point, duration) matching the active time of the associated DRX (consist of Cell DRX or UE specific DRX, e.g. C-DRX) by time relationship / pattern / condition between reference point of measurement window and reference point of DRX.

[0050] Optionally, the RSEW parameters could be set so that the start of the time window occurs before the start of the active time of DRX (i.e., drx-CycleStartOffset for Cell DRX, drx- LongCycleStartOffset for C-DRX). So that the UE can start its measurements on the serving cellor neighbor cell or beams proactively and apply a latest channel quality measurement result during DRX active period and minimized UE wake up time period.

[0051] Accordingly, The RSEW can be configured by gNB or pre-defined with one or more than one of the following rules as depicted in Figure 2.

[0052] Figures 2-5 depict examples of a RSEW 206 in relation to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) or Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) reference frame in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the embodiments, described generally according to the predefined RSEW configurations (rules) below, the RSEW 206 covers one or more slots 208 of an SSB reference frame 202. This is shown relative to the time frame of the UE 204 in which the DRX / DTX active period 210 is shown. As an example in Figure 2, the RSEW 206 covers the two slots 208 just before the DRX / DTX active period 210. In Figure 3, the RSEW 206 covers 4 slots, including slots before the DRX / DTX active period 210 as well as during the active period.

[0053] In Figure 4, the RSEW 206 partially overlaps the active period 210 and extends past the active period 210. While in Figure 5, which is similar to Figure 2, but the RSEW 206 is associated with each active period 210.

[0054] Rule 1: The RSEW is defined to contain or capture the latest multiple reference signals (SSB occasions) before and / or within the associated DRX ON duration / active period of DRX (e.g., N1 occasions for LI measurements and N2 for L3 measurements), N1 and N2 herein are predefined number or configured by NW or requested by UE.

[0055] Rule 2: The RSEW is defined to contain N3 SMTC before and / or within the associated DRX ON duration / active period of DRX. N3 herein is pre-defined number or configured by NW or requested by UE.

[0056] Rule 3: The RSEW is at least to include N4 measurement gap occasion before and / or within the associated DRX ON duration / active period of DRX. N4 herein is pre-defined number or configured by NW or requested by UE.

[0057] Depending on further update, the configuration of RSEW can be cell-specific or UE- specific. Even the main intention is for serving cell / beam, from generality perspective, the configuration of RSEW can be extended to be configured pre frequency layer or common to all frequency layers. Furthermore, configuration of RSEW can be extended to be configured per identity of reference signal (e.g., SSB index).

[0058] It is worth noting that even RSEW defines rules with respect to reference signals, RSEW parameter can be defined with any units but containing corresponding reference signals.

[0059] It is unrestricted that spreading SSB occasions fall in active period of DRX or nonactive period of DRX by, UE may also can use SSB occasion in active period of DRX for measurement if feasible. Accordingly, in one example, RSEW duration may not only be restrictedbefore active period of associated DRX, the practical (defined by parameters or pre-defined explicitly or implicitly) RSEW duration can extend / cover contain active period of DRX / DRX on duration as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4.

[0060] In an example where these options are utilized, also for the sake of flexibility, the following could be the relations between the RSEW parameters and the DRX parameter:

[0061] For duration of RSEW :

[0062] RSEW-duration= f(Nl, N2, N3, N4, RS periodicity, SMTC periodicity, MGRP, DRX cycle).

[0063] Examples of functions are maximum, average, ratio, sum, product, minimum, difference, ceiling, floor, xth percentile etc., and any combination of such functions.

[0064] In another example,

[0065] In another example, RSEW-duration= (N1 or N2) * (RS periodicity), RS herein may be SSB or CSI-RS etc.

[0066] In another example, RSEW-duration= (N3) * (SMTC periodicity), or

[0067] In another example, RSEW-duration= (N4) * (MGRP), or

[0068] In another example, RSEW-duration isn’t defined explicitly, instead, measurement shall be completed before active time of associated DRX or before ending of active time of associated DRX.

[0069] For start time of RSEW:

[0070] RSEW- star tTime = f(drx-CycleStartOffset, KI, K2, K3, K4, RS periodicity, SMTC offset, MGRP, MGL, MG offset, RSEW-duration)

[0071] Examples of functions are maximum, average, ratio, sum, product, minimum, difference, ceiling, floor, xth percentile etc., and any combination of such functions.

[0072] In another example, RSEW- star tTime= drx-CycleStartOffset - A, where 0 <= A « drx- onDurationTimer. In another example, (-drx-onDurationTimer) < A < drx-onDurationTimer. In another example, A=0.

[0073] In another example, RSEW- star tTime= drx-CycleStartOffset - A, where (-RSEW- duration) < A < RSEW-duration. In one example, A=0.

[0074] In another example, RSEW- star tTime= drx-CycleStartOffset- RSEW-duration;

[0075] In another example, RSEW- star tTime= SMTC offset + K1*SMTC periodicity.

[0076] Where, drx-CycleStartOffset may be drx-CycleStartOffset for Cell DRX, drx- LongCycleStartOffset for C-DRX or other parameters defining start point of active period of any DRX.

[0077] Alternatively, RSEW can be defined as a timer linking a reference point of in DRX, the timer duration equals multiple reference signal periodicities to contain one or more than onereference signal occasions. In one example, the procedure related to RSEW is defined in below: After DRX inactivity timer expired, UE shall apply or start RSEW-timer and measure reference signal before expiry of RSEW-timer if RSEW is configured by network and supported by UE.

[0078] RSEW-timer = f(RS periodicity, MGRP, KI , K2)

[0079] Examples of functions are maximum, average, ratio, sum, product, minimum, difference, ceiling, floor, xth percentile etc., and any combination of such functions.

[0080] In another example, RSEW-timer can be an integer value set, such as {20ms, 40ms,

[0081] In another example, RSEW-timer= KI * (RS periodicity), where RS may be SSB or CSI-RS and so on.

[0082] In another example, RSEW-timer= K2 * MGRP

[0083] Other from above definition, RSEW also can be implicitly defined as a prerequisite of UE procedure corresponding to active time of DRX, e.g.:• If a signaling indicating RSEW rule, UE shall be able to complete measuring reference signals for LI or L3 measurement before DRX ON duration, before that, and / or after that, UE is not required to do measurements.• If a signaling indicating RSEW rule, UE shall be able to complete measuring reference signals for LI or L3 measurement before end of DRX ON duration, before that and / or after that, UE is not required to do measurements.

[0084] In the above examples, RSEW configuration corresponding to DRX implies the periodicity of RSEW is identical to DRX periodicity since in typical measurement delay requirements (in 38.133) one measurement operation is assumed to be performed in per DRX cycle.

[0085] In another example, RSEW configuration only define the time window when UE is able to do measurement, but it doesn’t request UE to do measurement in every RSEW, e.g. for a measurement which is relaxed from measurement occurring per DRX cycle. In the latter case, the UE can inform the NW that it has relaxed the measurements, e.g., by a factor of N, and as such in response, the UE may receive a configuration of RSEW which has a longer periodicity than DRX cycle. The configuration change can also be based on a pre-configuration or automatic, i.e., if the UE relaxes the measurement and inform the NW, it can automatically consider that the configuration of RSEW has changed, e.g., to a longer periodicity one.

[0086] In another example, RSEW configuration indicates that UE shall do measuring on reference signals in each RSEW. In this case, RSEW periodicity can be same as DRX cycle, or different from DRX cycle and a parameter of periodicity can be defined as:• RSEW-duration = KI* DRX cycle, KI herein are pre-defined number, or• RSEW-duration = { . . . 320ms, 512ms, 640ms, . . . }

[0087] The term ‘Association between RSEW and DRX’ or ‘the associated DRX with respect to RSEW’ can be seen as the relationship / pattern / association between a RSEW occasion and a DRX occasion in time domain. One example of an associated DRX with respect to a RSEW demonstrated in Figure 4 is defined as a DRX which start point of the closet active period / on- duration of DRX after start point of a RSEW occasion.

[0088] In another embodiment, the concept of RSEW can be extended to frequency domain, i.e., the UE may receive a configuration of RSs distributed in frequency domain, or in one frequency layer but the measurements are used or applied to the other frequencies and layers as well.

[0089] In another embodiment, the RSEW can be extended to the spatial domain, i.e., the UE may receive a configuration which includes a subset of the original RSs, e.g., 8 SSBs out of the configured 16 SSBs. This is particularly useful, since a UE typically measures the strongest SSBs, and thus it may not be necessary for the NW to transmit extra ones.

[0090] In another embodiment, the UE may receive the configuration of RSEW through higher layer signaling, e.g., dedicated RRC signaling or SI, however, it may also additionally receive a configuration, or being pre-configured such that the RSEW or its application, or underlying parameter can be activated / deactivated or modified by L1 / L2 signaling, e.g., DCI or MAC- CE signaling.Applicability of RSEW

[0091] Depending on further optimization, RSEW on refence signals can be seen as the limit case of increasing the transmitting refence signal periodicity.

[0092] In one example, gNB doesn’t transmit refence signal outside of RSEW and UE assumes no reference signal outside of RSEW besides of active time of DRX.

[0093] In another example, gNB transmits reference signals outside of RSEW but UE is unnecessary to perform measurement outside the RSEW. From UE perspective, UE is assumed to only measure reference signals within RSEW besides of active time of DRX.

[0094] To enable or disable RSEW so that a regular measurement period can be restored or update RS WE configuration on certain conditions. The signaling enabling or disabling or updating RSEW can be RRC, DCI, MAC-CE based.• RSEW can be applied upon fulfilling below conditions:• DRX cycle is less than DI, where DI can be one of candidate DRX cycle, e.g. 640ms.• SSB / CSI-RS periodicity is larger than D2, where D2 can be one of candidate SSB / CSI-RS periodicity, e.g. 80ms.• UE fulfills a relaxed measurement criteria compared to regular measurement criteria.• UE cannot measure reference signals or cannot measure enough amount of reference signals during active period of DRX.

[0095] A gNB shall be able to cooperate different configurations of measurement related, e.g. UE is assumed that at least one measurement occasions, e.g. SSB, CSI-RS, SMTC or measurement gap, shall fall in RSEW if RSEW is configured, but still some conditions shall be considered and regulated as the following, e.g.• If there is no chance of measurement occasion inside RSEW, UE shall follow regular procedure to perform measurement outside of RSEW,• If measurement occasions exist inside RSEW and outside RSEW, UE shall only perform measurement inside RSEW.

[0096] Figure 6 shows a message sequence chart of a method for configuring a UE 712 with a RSEW by a network node 710 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure

[0097] At 602 the method includes receiving, from a network node, a configuration to set the RSEW according to one or more predefined RSEW configurations, wherein the RSEW provides a period of time in which to perform a reference signal measurement, and is configured to occur during at least a portion of the active period or within a predefined time before a beginning of the active period.

[0098] At 604, the method includes performing a reference signal measurement during the RSEW.

[0099] In an embodiment, the active period is an active period of at least one of a discontinuous reception, DRX, mode or a discontinuous transmission, DTX, mode.

[0100] In an embodiment, a first predefined RSEW configuration comprises a first RSEW with a duration that includes one or more reference signals before or within the active period.

[0101] In an embodiment, the duration of the first RSEW is a first predefined number of slots for Layer 1 measurements and a second predefined number of slots for a Layer 3 measurement.

[0102] In an embodiment, a second predefined RSEW configuration comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, Measurement Time Configuration, SMTC, period of a third predefined number of slots before or within the active period.

[0103] In an embodiment, a third predefined RSEW configuration comprises a measurement gap occasion of a fourth predefined number of slots before or within the active period.

[0104] In an embodiment, the first predefined number of slots, second predefined number of slots, third predefined number of slots, and fourth predefined number of slots are configured by the network or requested by the UE.

[0105] In an embodiment, the RSEW is for a single frequency layer of the UE.

[0106] In an embodiment, the RSEW is for all frequency layers of the UE.

[0107] In an embodiment, the RSEW is for one or more reference signal.

[0108] In an embodiment, the RSEW has a predefined periodicity.In an embodiment, the configuration to set the RSEW comprises one or more parameters, comprising: a number of slots for the RSEW; a RSEW periodicity parameter; a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, Measurement Time Configuration, SMTC, parameter; a discontinuous reception, DRX, parameter; a discontinuous transmission, DTX, parameter; a measurement gap parameter; a frequency parameter; or a reference signal parameter.

[0109] In an embodiment, the configuration to set the RSEW is cell- specific.

[0110] In an embodiment, the configuration to set the RSEW is UE-specific.

[0111] Figure 7 shows an example of a communication system 700 in accordance with some embodiments.

[0112] In the example, the communication system 700 includes a telecommunication network 702 that includes an access network 704, such as a Radio Access Network (RAN), and a core network 706, which includes one or more core network nodes 708. The access network 704 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 710A and 710B (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 710), or any other similar Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP Access Points (APs). Moreover, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a network node is not necessarily limited to an implementation in which a radio portion and a baseband portion are supplied and integrated by a single vendor. Thus, it will be understood that network nodes include disaggregated implementations or portions thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the telecommunication network 702 includes one or more Open-RAN (ORAN) network nodes. An ORAN network node is a node in the telecommunication network 702 that supports an ORAN specification (e.g., a specification published by the O-RAN Alliance, or any similar organization) and may operate alone or together with other nodes to implement one or more functionalities of any node in the telecommunication network 702, including one or more network nodes 710 and / or core network nodes 708.

[0113] Examples of an ORAN network node include an Open Radio Unit (O-RU), an Open Distributed Unit (O-DU), an Open Central Unit (O-CU), including an O-CU Control Plane (O- CU-CP) or an O-CU User Plane (O-CU-UP), a RAN intelligent controller (near-real time or non- real time) hosting software or software plug-ins, such as a near-real time control application (e.g., xApp) or a non-real time control application (e.g., rApp), or any combination thereof (the adjective “open” designating support of an ORAN specification). The network node may support a specification by, for example, supporting an interface defined by the ORAN specification, such as an Al, Fl, Wl, El, E2, X2, Xn interface, an open fronthaul user plane interface, or an openfronthaul management plane interface. Moreover, an ORAN access node may be a logical node in a physical node. Furthermore, an ORAN network node may be implemented in a virtualization environment (described further below) in which one or more network functions are virtualized. For example, the virtualization environment may include an O-Cloud computing platform orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an 0-2 interface defined by the 0-RAN Alliance or comparable technologies. The network nodes 710 facilitate direct or indirect connection of User Equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 712A, 712B, 712C, and 712D (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 712) to the core network 706 over one or more wireless connections.

[0114] Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 700 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 700 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0115] The UEs 712 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 710 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 710 are arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 712 and / or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 702 to enable and / or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and / or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 702.

[0116] In the depicted example, the core network 706 connects the network nodes 710 to one or more hosts, such as host 716. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 706 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 708) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 708. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF),Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-Concealing Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and / or a User Plane Function (UPF).

[0117] The host 716 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 704 and / or the telecommunication network 702, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 716 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

[0118] As a whole, the communication system 700 of Figure 7 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system 700 may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable Second, Third, Fourth, or Fifth Generation (2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G) standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., Sixth Generation (6G)); Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and / or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0119] In some examples, the telecommunication network 702 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunication network 702 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 702. For example, the telecommunication network 702 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) / massive Internet of Things (loT) services to yet further UEs.

[0120] In some examples, the UEs 712 are configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 704 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 704. Additionally, a UE may beconfigured for operating in single- or multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of WiFi, New Radio (NR), and LTE, i.e. being configured for Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC), such as Evolved UMTS Terrestrial RAN (E-UTRAN) NR - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0121] In the example, a hub 714 communicates with the access network 704 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 712C and / or 712D) and network nodes (e.g., network node 710B). In some examples, the hub 714 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 714 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 706 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 714 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 710, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 714. As another example, the hub 714 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 714 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a Virtual Reality (VR) headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 714 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 714 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 714 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

[0122] The hub 714 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 710B. The hub 714 may also allow for a different communication scheme and / or schedule between the hub 714 and UEs (e.g., UE 712C and / or 712D), and between the hub 714 and the core network 706. In other examples, the hub 714 is connected to the core network 706 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 714 may be configured to connect to a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) service provider over the access network 704 and / or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 710 while still connected via the hub 714 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 714 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to / from the UEs from / to the network node 710B. In other embodiments, the hub 714 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and the network node 710B, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0123] Figure 8 shows a UE 800 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), wireless camera, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, Laptop Embedded Equipment (LEE), Laptop Mounted Equipment (LME), smart device, wireless Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), vehicle, vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded / integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3GPP, including a Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UE, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

[0124] A UE may support Device-to-Device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3 GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), Vehicle-to- Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I), or Vehicle - to-Everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0125] The UE 800 includes processing circuitry 802 that is operatively coupled via a bus 804 to an input / output interface 806, a power source 808, memory 810, a communication interface 812, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 8. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0126] The processing circuitry 802 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 810. The processing circuitry 802 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 802 may include multiple Central Processing Units (CPUs).

[0127] In the example, the input / output interface 806 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 800. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

[0128] In some embodiments, the power source 808 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 808 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 808 itself, and / or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 800 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 808. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 808 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 800 to which power is supplied.

[0129] The memory 810 may be or be configured to include memory such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Programmable ROM (PROM), Erasable PROM (EPROM), Electrically EPROM (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 810 includes one or more application programs 814, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 816. The memory 810 may store, for use by the UE 800, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0130] The memory 810 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, High Density Digital Versatile Disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, Holographic Digital Data Storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM), Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory suchas a tamper resistant module in the form of a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) including one or more Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), such as a Universal SIM (USIM) and / or Internet Protocol Multimedia Services Identity Module (IS IM), other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as a ‘SIM card.’ The memory 810 may allow the UE 800 to access instructions, application programs, and the like stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system, may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 810, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

[0131] The processing circuitry 802 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 812. The communication interface 812 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 822. The communication interface 812 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 818 and / or a receiver 820 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 818 and receiver 820 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., the antenna 822) and may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0132] In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 812 may include cellular communication, WiFi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short- range communications such as Bluetooth, NFC, location-based communication such as the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, NR, UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Quick User Datagram Protocol Internet Connection (QUIC), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

[0133] Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 812, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports thesensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0134] As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

[0135] A UE, when in the form of an loT device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a television, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, a flood / moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or VR, a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and / or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 800 shown in Figure 8.

[0136] As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship, an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0137] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speedinformation (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and / or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0138] Figure 9 shows a network node 900 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or equipment in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, APs (e.g., radio APs), Base Stations (BSs) (e.g., radio BSs, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), NR Node Bs (gNBs)), and O-RAN nodes or components of an O-RAN node (e.g., O-RU, O-DU, O-CU).

[0139] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units, distributed units (e.g., in an O-RAN access node), and / or Remote Radio Units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such RRUs may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS).

[0140] Other examples of network nodes include multiple Transmission Point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) or BS Controllers (BSCs), Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, Multi-Cell / Multicast Coordination Entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and / or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

[0141] The network node 900 includes processing circuitry 902, memory 904, a communication interface 906, and a power source 908. The network node 900 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and an RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 900 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs.In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 900 may be configured to support multiple RATs. In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 904 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 910 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 900 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 900, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within the network node 900.

[0142] The processing circuitry 902 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, CPU, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 900 components, such as the memory 904, to provide network node 900 functionality.

[0143] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 902 includes a System on a Chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 902 includes one or more of Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 912 and baseband processing circuitry 914. In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuitry 912 and the baseband processing circuitry 914 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of the RF transceiver circuitry 912 and the baseband processing circuitry 914 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

[0144] The memory 904 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, RAM, ROM, mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD), or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable, and / or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 902. The memory 904 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 902 and utilized by the network node 900. The memory 904 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 902 and / or any data received via the communication interface 906. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 902 and the memory 904 are integrated.

[0145] The communication interface 906 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between a network node, access network, and / or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 906 comprises port(s) / terminal(s) 916 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 906 also includes radio front-end circuitry 918 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 910. The radio front-end circuitry 918 comprises filters 920 and amplifiers 922. The radio front-end circuitry 918 may be connected to the antenna 910 and the processing circuitry 902. The radio front-end circuitry 918 may be configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna 910 and the processing circuitry 902. The radio front-end circuitry 918 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 918 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of the filters 920 and / or the amplifiers 922. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 910. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 910 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 918. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 902. In other embodiments, the communication interface 906 may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0146] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 900 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 918; instead, the processing circuitry 902 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 910. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 912 is part of the communication interface 906. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 906 includes the one or more ports or terminals 916, the radio frontend circuitry 918, and the RF transceiver circuitry 912 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 906 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 914, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0147] The antenna 910 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. The antenna 910 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 918 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and / or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 910 is separate from the network node 900 and connectable to the network node 900 through an interface or port.

[0148] The antenna 910, the communication interface 906, and / or the processing circuitry 902 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node 900. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from a UE, another network node, and / or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 910, the communication interface 906, and / or the processing circuitry 902may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node 900. Any information, data, and / or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node, and / or any other network equipment.

[0149] The power source 908 provides power to the various components of the network node 900 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 908 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 900 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 900 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid or an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 908. As a further example, the power source 908 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

[0150] Embodiments of the network node 900 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 9 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 900 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 900 and to allow output of information from the network node 900. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 900.

[0151] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a host 1000, which may be an embodiment of the host 716 of Figure 7, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 1000 may be or comprise various combinations of hardware and / or software including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 1000 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0152] The host 1000 includes processing circuitry 1002 that is operatively coupled via a bus 1004 to an input / output interface 1006, a network interface 1008, a power source 1010, and memory 1012. Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 8 and 9, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 1000.

[0153] The memory 1012 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 1014 and data 1016, which may include user data, e.g. data generatedby a UE for the host 1000 or data generated by the host 1000 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 1000 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application programs 1014 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, and heads-up display systems). The host application programs 1014 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 1000 may select and / or indicate a different host for Over-The-Top (OTT) services for a UE. The host application programs 1014 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH or MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0154] Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1100 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more Virtual Machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 1100 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized. In some embodiments, the virtualization environment 1100 includes components defined by the O-RAN Alliance, such as an O-Cloud environment orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an O-2 interface.

[0155] Applications 1102 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment 1100 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0156] Hardware 1104 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and / or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices asdescribed herein, such as a network interface, input / output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 1106 (also referred to as hypervisors or VM Monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 1108A and 1108B (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 1108), and / or perform any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 1106 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 1108.

[0157] The VMs 1108 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking, or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1106. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 1102 may be implemented on one or more of the VMs 1108, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as Network Function Virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers and customer premise equipment.

[0158] In the context of NFV, a VM 1108 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 1108, and that part of the hardware 1104 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs 1108, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 1108 on top of the hardware 1104 and corresponds to the application 1102.

[0159] The hardware 1104 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. The hardware 1104 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, the hardware 1104 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g., such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 1110, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of the applications 1102. In some embodiments, the hardware 1104 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a RAN or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 1112 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0160] Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and / or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box or nested within multiple boxes, in practice computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0161] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hardwired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole and / or by end users and a wireless network generally.

[0162] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method performed by a user equipment, UE, (712) for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window, RSEW, (206) the method comprising: receiving (602), from a network node (710), a configuration to set the RSEW (206) according to one or more predefined RSEW configurations, wherein the RSEW (206) provides a period of time in which to perform a reference signal measurement, and is configured to occur during at least a portion of the active period (210) or within a predefined time before a beginning of the active period (210); and performing (604) a reference signal measurement during the RSEW (206).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the active period (210) is an active period (210) of at least one of a discontinuous reception, DRX, mode or a discontinuous transmission, DTX, mode.

3. The method of any of claims 1 to 2, wherein a first predefined RSEW configuration comprises a first RSEW (206) with a duration that includes one or more reference signals before or within the active period (210).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the duration of the first RSEW (206) is a first predefined number of slots for Layer 1 measurements and a second predefined number of slots for a Layer 3 measurement.

5. The method of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein a second predefined RSEW configuration comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, Measurement Time Configuration, SMTC, period of a third predefined number of slots before or within the active period (210).

6. The method of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein a third predefined RSEW configuration comprises a measurement gap occasion of a fourth predefined number of slots before or within the active period (210).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first predefined number of slots, second predefined number of slots, third predefined number of slots, and fourth predefined number of slots are configured by the network or requested by the UE (712).

8. The method of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the RSEW (206) is for a single frequency layerof the UE (712).

9. The method of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the RSEW (206) is for all frequency layers of the UE (712).

10. The method of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the RSEW (206) is for one or more reference signals.

11. The method of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the RSEW (206) has a predefined periodicity.

12. The method of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the configuration to set the RSEW (206) comprises one or more parameters, comprising: number of slots for the RSEW (206); a RSEW periodicity parameter; a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, Measurement Time Configuration, SMTC, parameter; a discontinuous reception, DRX, parameter; a discontinuous transmission, DTX, parameter; a measurement gap parameter; a frequency parameter; or a reference signal parameter.

13. A user equipment, UE, (712) for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window, RSEW, (206) the UE (712) comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to: receive (602), from a network node (710), a configuration to set the RSEW (206) according to one or more predefined RSEW configurations, wherein the RSEW (206) provides a period of time in which to perform a reference signal measurement, and is configured to occur during at least a portion of the active period (210) or within a predefined time before a beginning of the active period (210); and perform (604) a reference signal measurement during the RSEW (206).

14. The UE (712) of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the methods of claims 2 to 12.

15. A method performed by a network node (710) for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window, RSEW, (206) of a User Equipment, UE, (712) the method comprising:providing (602), to one or more UEs (712), a configuration to set the RSEW (206) according to one or more predefined RSEW configurations, wherein the RSEW (206) provides a period of time in which to perform a reference signal measurement, and is configured to occur during at least a portion of the active period (210) or within a predefined time before a beginning of the active period (210).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the active period (210) is an active period (210) of at least one of a discontinuous reception, DRX, mode or a discontinuous transmission, DTX, mode.

17. The method of any of claims 15 to 16, wherein a first predefined RSEW configuration comprises a first RSEW (206) with a duration that includes one or more reference signals before or within the active period (210).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the duration of the first RSEW (206) is a first predefined number of slots for Layer 1 measurements and a second predefined number of slots for a Layer 3 measurement.

19. The method of any of claims 15 to 18, wherein a second predefined RSEW configuration comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, Measurement Time Configuration, SMTC, period of a third predefined number of slots before or within the active period (210).

20. The method of any of claims 15 to 19, wherein a third predefined RSEW configuration comprises a measurement gap occasion of a fourth predefined number of slots before or within the active period (210).

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first predefined number of slots, second predefined number of slots, third predefined number of slots, and fourth predefined number of slots are configured by the network or requested by the UE (712).

22. The method of any of claims 15 to 21, wherein the configuration to set the RSEW (206) comprises one or more parameters, comprising: number of slots for the RSEW (206); a RSEW periodicity parameter; a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, Measurement Time Configuration, SMTC, parameter; a discontinuous reception, DRX, parameter;a discontinuous transmission, DTX, parameter; a measurement gap parameter; a frequency parameter; or a reference signal parameter.

23. The method of any of claims 15 to 21, wherein the configuration to set the RSEW (206) is cell- specific.

24. The method of any of claims 15 to 21, wherein the configuration to set the RSEW (206) is UE-specific.

25. The method of any of claims 15 to 24, wherein the RSEW (206) is for a single frequency layer of the UE (712).

26. The method of any of claims 15 to 24, wherein the RSEW (206) is for all frequency layers of the UE (712).

27. The method of any of claims 15 to 26, wherein the RSEW (206) is for one or more reference signals.

28. The method of any of claims 15 to 26, wherein the RSEW (206) has a predefined periodicity.

29. A network node (710) for configuring a Reference Signal Effective Window, RSEW, (206) of a User Equipment, UE, (712) the network node (710) comprising a processing circuitry configured to: provide (602), to one or more UEs (712), a configuration to set the RSEW (206) according to one or more predefined RSEW configurations, wherein the RSEW (206) provides a period of time in which to perform a reference signal measurement, and is configured to occur during at least a portion of the active period (210) or within a predefined time before a beginning of the active period (210).

30. The network node (710) of claim 29, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the methods of claims 16 to 28.

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