Method and apparatus for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture

Abstract

A method and apparatus for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture is provided. A CU of a RAN node receives, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device. The CU transmits, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device. The CU receives, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report including measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENERGY CONSUMPTION MEASUREMENTS IN DISAGGREGATED ARCHITECTURE

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture.

[0002] 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) long-term evolution (LTE) is a technology for enabling high-speed packet communications. Many schemes have been proposed for the LTE objective including those that aim to reduce user and provider costs, improve service quality, and expand and improve coverage and system capacity. The 3GPP LTE requires reduced cost per bit, increased service availability, flexible use of a frequency band, a simple structure, an open interface, and adequate power consumption of a terminal as an upper-level requirement.

[0003] Work has started in international telecommunication union (ITU) and 3GPP to develop requirements and specifications for new radio (NR) systems. 3GPP has to identify and develop the technology components needed for successfully standardizing the new RAT timely satisfying both the urgent market needs, and the more long-term requirements set forth by the ITU radio communication sector (ITU-R) international mobile telecommunications (IMT)-2020 process. Further, the NR should be able to use any spectrum band ranging at least up to 100 GHz that may be made available for wireless communications even in a more distant future.

[0004] The NR targets a single technical framework addressing all usage scenarios, requirements and deployment scenarios including enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type-communications (mMTC), ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC), etc. The NR shall be inherently forward compatible.

[0005] In NR, studies for UE energy consumption are in progress.

[0006] For example, some mechanism inside the NG-RAN would be needed for the DU to report RAN's energy consumption for a wireless device to the CU, before the CU reports to the Core Network.

[0007] In the ongoing Rel-19 study item FS_EnergySys (Study on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving) in SA2, it is necessary to consider energy consumption per UE (additionally per PDU Session of UE and per QoS Flow of UE).

[0008] For this purpose, it is being considered that the CN requests the base station to report per UE energy consumption.

[0009] If the CN requests a report of per UE energy consumption from a CU-DU split base station, a mechanism may be needed between the CU and the DU. Thus, a specific plan considering the CU and DU to measure and report the UE energy consumption at the request of the CN is needed.

[0010] Therefore, studies for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture are required.

[0011] In an aspect, a method is provided. The method comprises: receiving, by a CU of a RAN node from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device; transmitting, by the CU to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; and receiving, by the CU from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report, wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

[0012] In another aspect, an apparatus for implementing the above method is provided.

[0013] The present disclosure can have various advantageous effects.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the radio access network (RAN) node in disaggregated architecture could efficiently perform signaling for energy consumption measurements.

[0015] For example, when a base station with Central Unit (CU)- Distributed Unit (DU) split receives a request for User Equipment (UE) energy consumption measurement and report from a Core Network (CN), gNB-CU requests gNB-DU to measure UE energy consumption, informs gNB-DU of the report method, and enables gNB-DU to report the measurement result.

[0016] Even if the serving gNB-DU or serving gNB-CU changes due to the movement of the UE, measurement and report of UE energy consumption can be continuously performed.

[0017] Thus, CN can obtain UE energy consumption related information without interruption. Through this, CN can provide energy dependent service more efficiently by considering the energy consumption information of the UE.

[0018] For example, UE energy consumption measurement can be performed efficiently between a gNB-DU and a gNB-CU.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wireless network system could provide efficient solutions for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture.

[0020] Advantageous effects which can be obtained through specific embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the advantageous effects listed above. For example, there may be a variety of technical effects that a person having ordinary skill in the related art can understand and / or derive from the present disclosure. Accordingly, the specific effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those explicitly described herein, but may include various effects that may be understood or derived from the technical features of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows an example of a communication system to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows an example of wireless devices to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows an example of a wireless device to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows an example of UE to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0025] FIGS. 5 and 6 show an example of protocol stacks in a 3GPP based wireless communication system to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0026] FIG. 7 shows an example of the overall architecture of an NG-RAN to which technical features of the present disclosure can be applied.

[0027] FIG. 8 shows an interface protocol structure for F1-C to which technical features of the present disclosure can be applied.

[0028] FIG. 9 shows an example of a successful operation for initial context setup.

[0029] FIG. 10 shows an example of a successful operation for Handover Preparation.

[0030] FIG. 11 shows an example of a successful operation for SN Status Transfer.

[0031] FIG. 12 shows an example of a successful operation for UE Context Modification procedure.

[0032] FIG. 13 shows an example of a successful operation for Resource Status Reporting Initiation.

[0033] FIG. 14 shows an example of a successful operation for Resource Status Reporting.

[0034] FIG. 15 shows an example of a method for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 16a and FIG. 16b show a flow chart for UE Initial Access procedure for per UE energy consumption support.

[0036] FIG. 17a and FIG. 17b show an inter-gNB-DU mobility flow chart for per UE energy consumption support.

[0037] FIG. 18a, FIG. 18b, and, FIG. 18c show an inter-gNB-CU mobility flow chart for per UE energy consumption support.

[0038] The following techniques, apparatuses, and systems may be applied to a variety of wireless multiple access systems. Examples of the multiple access systems include a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) system, a time division multiple access (TDMA) system, an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system, a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) system, and a multicarrier frequency division multiple access (MC-FDMA) system. CDMA may be embodied through radio technology such as universal terrestrial radio access (UTRA) or CDMA2000. TDMA may be embodied through radio technology such as global system for mobile communications (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), or enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE). OFDMA may be embodied through radio technology such as institute of electrical and electronics engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, or evolved UTRA (E-UTRA). UTRA is a part of a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS). 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) is a part of evolved UMTS (E-UMTS) using E-UTRA. 3GPP LTE employs OFDMA in DL and SC-FDMA in UL. Evolution of 3GPP LTE includes LTE-A (advanced), LTE-A Pro, and / or 5G NR (new radio).

[0039] For convenience of description, implementations of the present disclosure are mainly described in regards to a 3GPP based wireless communication system. However, the technical features of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, although the following detailed description is given based on a mobile communication system corresponding to a 3GPP based wireless communication system, aspects of the present disclosure that are not limited to 3GPP based wireless communication system are applicable to other mobile communication systems.

[0040] For terms and technologies which are not specifically described among the terms of and technologies employed in the present disclosure, the wireless communication standard documents published before the present disclosure may be referenced.

[0041] In the present disclosure, "A or B" may mean "only A", "only B", or "both A and B". In other words, "A or B" in the present disclosure may be interpreted as "A and / or B". For example, "A, B or C" in the present disclosure may mean "only A", "only B", "only C", or "any combination of A, B and C".

[0042] In the present disclosure, slash ( / ) or comma (,) may mean "and / or". For example, "A / B" may mean "A and / or B". Accordingly, "A / B" may mean "only A", "only B", or "both A and B". For example, "A, B, C" may mean "A, B or C".

[0043] In the present disclosure, "at least one of A and B" may mean "only A", "only B" or "both A and B". In addition, the expression "at least one of A or B" or "at least one of A and / or B" in the present disclosure may be interpreted as same as "at least one of A and B".

[0044] In addition, in the present disclosure, "at least one of A, B and C" may mean "only A", "only B", "only C", or "any combination of A, B and C". In addition, "at least one of A, B or C" or "at least one of A, B and / or C" may mean "at least one of A, B and C".

[0045] Also, parentheses used in the present disclosure may mean "for example". In detail, when it is shown as "control information (PDCCH)", "PDCCH" may be proposed as an example of "control information". In other words, "control information" in the present disclosure is not limited to "PDCCH", and "PDCCH" may be proposed as an example of "control information". In addition, even when shown as "control information (for example, PDCCH)", "PDCCH" may be proposed as an example of "control information".

[0046] Technical features that are separately described in one drawing in the present disclosure may be implemented separately or simultaneously.

[0047] Although not limited thereto, various descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts of the present disclosure disclosed herein can be applied to various fields requiring wireless communication and / or connection (e.g., 5G) between devices.

[0048] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to drawings. The same reference numerals in the following drawings and / or descriptions may refer to the same and / or corresponding hardware blocks, software blocks, and / or functional blocks unless otherwise indicated.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows an example of a communication system to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0050] The 5G usage scenarios shown in FIG. 1 are only exemplary, and the technical features of the present disclosure can be applied to other 5G usage scenarios which are not shown in FIG. 1.

[0051] Three main requirement categories for 5G include (1) a category of enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), (2) a category of massive machine type communication (mMTC), and (3) a category of ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC).

[0052] Partial use cases may require a plurality of categories for optimization and other use cases may focus only upon one key performance indicator (KPI). 5G supports such various use cases using a flexible and reliable method.

[0053] eMBB far surpasses basic mobile Internet access and covers abundant bidirectional work and media and entertainment applications in cloud and augmented reality. Data is one of 5G core motive forces and, in a 5G era, a dedicated voice service may not be provided for the first time. In 5G, it is expected that voice will be simply processed as an application program using data connection provided by a communication system. Main causes for increased traffic volume are due to an increase in the size of content and an increase in the number of applications requiring high data transmission rate. A streaming service (of audio and video), conversational video, and mobile Internet access will be more widely used as more devices are connected to the Internet. These many application programs require connectivity of an always turned-on state in order to push real-time information and alarm for users. Cloud storage and applications are rapidly increasing in a mobile communication platform and may be applied to both work and entertainment. The cloud storage is a special use case which accelerates growth of uplink data transmission rate. 5G is also used for remote work of cloud. When a tactile interface is used, 5G demands much lower end-to-end latency to maintain user good experience. Entertainment, for example, cloud gaming and video streaming, is another core element which increases demand for mobile broadband capability. Entertainment is essential for a smartphone and a tablet in any place including high mobility environments such as a train, a vehicle, and an airplane. Other use cases are augmented reality for entertainment and information search. In this case, the augmented reality requires very low latency and instantaneous data volume.

[0054] In addition, one of the most expected 5G use cases relates a function capable of smoothly connecting embedded sensors in all fields, for example, mMTC. It is expected that the number of potential Internet-of-things (IoT) devices will reach 204 hundred million up to the year of 2020. An industrial IoT is one of categories of performing a main role enabling a smart city, asset tracking, smart utility, agriculture, and security infrastructure through 5G.

[0055] URLLC includes a new service that will change industry through remote control of main infrastructure and an ultra-reliable / available low-latency link such as a self-driving vehicle. A level of reliability and latency is essential to control a smart grid, automatize industry, achieve robotics, and control and adjust a drone.

[0056] 5G is a means of providing streaming evaluated as a few hundred megabits per second to gigabits per second and may complement fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and cable-based broadband (or DOCSIS). Such fast speed is needed to deliver TV in resolution of 4K or more (6K, 8K, and more), as well as virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications include almost immersive sports games. A specific application program may require a special network configuration. For example, for VR games, gaming companies need to incorporate a core server into an edge network server of a network operator in order to minimize latency.

[0057] Automotive is expected to be a new important motivated force in 5G together with many use cases for mobile communication for vehicles. For example, entertainment for passengers requires high simultaneous capacity and mobile broadband with high mobility. This is because future users continue to expect connection of high quality regardless of their locations and speeds. Another use case of an automotive field is an AR dashboard. The AR dashboard causes a driver to identify an object in the dark in addition to an object seen from a front window and displays a distance from the object and a movement of the object by overlapping information talking to the driver. In the future, a wireless module enables communication between vehicles, information exchange between a vehicle and supporting infrastructure, and information exchange between a vehicle and other connected devices (e.g., devices accompanied by a pedestrian). A safety system guides alternative courses of a behavior so that a driver may drive more safely drive, thereby lowering the danger of an accident. The next stage will be a remotely controlled or self-driven vehicle. This requires very high reliability and very fast communication between different self-driven vehicles and between a vehicle and infrastructure. In the future, a self-driven vehicle will perform all driving activities and a driver will focus only upon abnormal traffic that the vehicle cannot identify. Technical requirements of a self-driven vehicle demand ultra-low latency and ultra-high reliability so that traffic safety is increased to a level that cannot be achieved by human being.

[0058] A smart city and a smart home / building mentioned as a smart society will be embedded in a high-density wireless sensor network. A distributed network of an intelligent sensor will identify conditions for costs and energy-efficient maintenance of a city or a home. Similar configurations may be performed for respective households. All of temperature sensors, window and heating controllers, burglar alarms, and home appliances are wirelessly connected. Many of these sensors are typically low in data transmission rate, power, and cost. However, real-time HD video may be demanded by a specific type of device to perform monitoring.

[0059] Consumption and distribution of energy including heat or gas is distributed at a higher level so that automated control of the distribution sensor network is demanded. The smart grid collects information and connects the sensors to each other using digital information and communication technology so as to act according to the collected information. Since this information may include behaviors of a supply company and a consumer, the smart grid may improve distribution of fuels such as electricity by a method having efficiency, reliability, economic feasibility, production sustainability, and automation. The smart grid may also be regarded as another sensor network having low latency.

[0060] Mission critical application (e.g., e-health) is one of 5G use scenarios. A health part contains many application programs capable of enjoying benefit of mobile communication. A communication system may support remote treatment that provides clinical treatment in a faraway place. Remote treatment may aid in reducing a barrier against distance and improve access to medical services that cannot be continuously available in a faraway rural area. Remote treatment is also used to perform important treatment and save lives in an emergency situation. The wireless sensor network based on mobile communication may provide remote monitoring and sensors for parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure.

[0061] Wireless and mobile communication gradually becomes important in the field of an industrial application. Wiring is high in installation and maintenance cost. Therefore, a possibility of replacing a cable with reconstructible wireless links is an attractive opportunity in many industrial fields. However, in order to achieve this replacement, it is necessary for wireless connection to be established with latency, reliability, and capacity similar to those of the cable and management of wireless connection needs to be simplified. Low latency and a very low error probability are new requirements when connection to 5G is needed.

[0062] Logistics and freight tracking are important use cases for mobile communication that enables inventory and package tracking anywhere using a location-based information system. The use cases of logistics and freight typically demand low data rate but require location information with a wide range and reliability.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 1, the communication system 1 includes wireless devices 100a to 100f, base stations (BSs) 200, and a network 300. Although FIG. 1 illustrates a 5G network as an example of the network of the communication system 1, the implementations of the present disclosure are not limited to the 5G system, and can be applied to the future communication system beyond the 5G system.

[0064] The BSs 200 and the network 300 may be implemented as wireless devices and a specific wireless device may operate as a BS / network node with respect to other wireless devices.

[0065] The wireless devices 100a to 100f represent devices performing communication using radio access technology (RAT) (e.g., 5G new RAT (NR)) or LTE) and may be referred to as communication / radio / 5G devices. The wireless devices 100a to 100f may include, without being limited to, a robot 100a, vehicles 100b-1 and 100b-2, an extended reality (XR) device 100c, a hand-held device 100d, a home appliance 100e, an IoT device 100f, and an artificial intelligence (AI) device / server 400. For example, the vehicles may include a vehicle having a wireless communication function, an autonomous driving vehicle, and a vehicle capable of performing communication between vehicles. The vehicles may include an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (e.g., a drone). The XR device may include an AR / VR / Mixed Reality (MR) device and may be implemented in the form of a head-mounted device (HMD), a head-up display (HUD) mounted in a vehicle, a television, a smartphone, a computer, a wearable device, a home appliance device, a digital signage, a vehicle, a robot, etc. The hand-held device may include a smartphone, a smartpad, a wearable device (e.g., a smartwatch or a smartglasses), and a computer (e.g., a notebook). The home appliance may include a TV, a refrigerator, and a washing machine. The IoT device may include a sensor and a smartmeter.

[0066] In the present disclosure, the wireless devices 100a to 100f may be called user equipments (UEs). A UE may include, for example, a cellular phone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcast terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation system, a slate personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, an ultrabook, a vehicle, a vehicle having an autonomous traveling function, a connected car, an UAV, an AI module, a robot, an AR device, a VR device, an MR device, a hologram device, a public safety device, an MTC device, an IoT device, a medical device, a FinTech device (or a financial device), a security device, a weather / environment device, a device related to a 5G service, or a device related to a fourth industrial revolution field.

[0067] The UAV may be, for example, an aircraft aviated by a wireless control signal without a human being onboard.

[0068] The VR device may include, for example, a device for implementing an object or a background of the virtual world. The AR device may include, for example, a device implemented by connecting an object or a background of the virtual world to an object or a background of the real world. The MR device may include, for example, a device implemented by merging an object or a background of the virtual world into an object or a background of the real world. The hologram device may include, for example, a device for implementing a stereoscopic image of 360 degrees by recording and reproducing stereoscopic information, using an interference phenomenon of light generated when two laser lights called holography meet.

[0069] The public safety device may include, for example, an image relay device or an image device that is wearable on the body of a user.

[0070] The MTC device and the IoT device may be, for example, devices that do not require direct human intervention or manipulation. For example, the MTC device and the IoT device may include smartmeters, vending machines, thermometers, smartbulbs, door locks, or various sensors.

[0071] The medical device may be, for example, a device used for the purpose of diagnosing, treating, relieving, curing, or preventing disease. For example, the medical device may be a device used for the purpose of diagnosing, treating, relieving, or correcting injury or impairment. For example, the medical device may be a device used for the purpose of inspecting, replacing, or modifying a structure or a function. For example, the medical device may be a device used for the purpose of adjusting pregnancy. For example, the medical device may include a device for treatment, a device for operation, a device for (in vitro) diagnosis, a hearing aid, or a device for procedure.

[0072] The security device may be, for example, a device installed to prevent a danger that may arise and to maintain safety. For example, the security device may be a camera, a closed-circuit TV (CCTV), a recorder, or a black box.

[0073] The FinTech device may be, for example, a device capable of providing a financial service such as mobile payment. For example, the FinTech device may include a payment device or a point of sales (POS) system.

[0074] The weather / environment device may include, for example, a device for monitoring or predicting a weather / environment.

[0075] The wireless devices 100a to 100f may be connected to the network 300 via the BSs 200. An AI technology may be applied to the wireless devices 100a to 100f and the wireless devices 100a to 100f may be connected to the AI server 400 via the network 300. The network 300 may be configured using a 3G network, a 4G (e.g., LTE) network, a 5G (e.g., NR) network, and a beyond-5G network. Although the wireless devices 100a to 100f may communicate with each other through the BSs 200 / network 300, the wireless devices 100a to 100f may perform direct communication (e.g., sidelink communication) with each other without passing through the BSs 200 / network 300. For example, the vehicles 100b-1 and 100b-2 may perform direct communication (e.g., vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) / vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication). The IoT device (e.g., a sensor) may perform direct communication with other IoT devices (e.g., sensors) or other wireless devices 100a to 100f.

[0076] Wireless communication / connections 150a, 150b and 150c may be established between the wireless devices 100a to 100f and / or between wireless device 100a to 100f and BS 200 and / or between BSs 200. Herein, the wireless communication / connections may be established through various RATs (e.g., 5G NR) such as uplink / downlink communication 150a, sidelink communication (or device-to-device (D2D) communication) 150b, inter-base station communication 150c (e.g., relay, integrated access and backhaul (IAB)), etc. The wireless devices 100a to 100f and the BSs 200 / the wireless devices 100a to 100f may transmit / receive radio signals to / from each other through the wireless communication / connections 150a, 150b and 150c. For example, the wireless communication / connections 150a, 150b and 150c may transmit / receive signals through various physical channels. To this end, at least a part of various configuration information configuring processes, various signal processing processes (e.g., channel encoding / decoding, modulation / demodulation, and resource mapping / de-mapping), and resource allocating processes, for transmitting / receiving radio signals, may be performed based on the various proposals of the present disclosure.

[0077] AI refers to the field of studying artificial intelligence or the methodology that can create it, and machine learning refers to the field of defining various problems addressed in the field of AI and the field of methodology to solve them. Machine learning is also defined as an algorithm that increases the performance of a task through steady experience on a task.

[0078] Robot means a machine that automatically processes or operates a given task by its own ability. In particular, robots with the ability to recognize the environment and make self-determination to perform actions can be called intelligent robots. Robots can be classified as industrial, medical, home, military, etc., depending on the purpose or area of use. The robot can perform a variety of physical operations, such as moving the robot joints with actuators or motors. The movable robot also includes wheels, brakes, propellers, etc., on the drive, allowing it to drive on the ground or fly in the air.

[0079] Autonomous driving means a technology that drives on its own, and autonomous vehicles mean vehicles that drive without user's control or with minimal user's control. For example, autonomous driving may include maintaining lanes in motion, automatically adjusting speed such as adaptive cruise control, automatic driving along a set route, and automatically setting a route when a destination is set. The vehicle covers vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines, hybrid vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines and electric motors, and electric vehicles equipped with electric motors, and may include trains, motorcycles, etc., as well as cars. Autonomous vehicles can be seen as robots with autonomous driving functions.

[0080] Extended reality is collectively referred to as VR, AR, and MR. VR technology provides objects and backgrounds of real world only through computer graphic (CG) images. AR technology provides a virtual CG image on top of a real object image. MR technology is a CG technology that combines and combines virtual objects into the real world. MR technology is similar to AR technology in that they show real and virtual objects together. However, there is a difference in that in AR technology, virtual objects are used as complementary forms to real objects, while in MR technology, virtual objects and real objects are used as equal personalities.

[0081] NR supports multiples numerologies (and / or multiple subcarrier spacings (SCS)) to support various 5G services. For example, if SCS is 15 kHz, wide area can be supported in traditional cellular bands, and if SCS is 30 kHz / 60 kHz, dense-urban, lower latency, and wider carrier bandwidth can be supported. If SCS is 60 kHz or higher, bandwidths greater than 24.25 GHz can be supported to overcome phase noise.

[0082] The NR frequency band may be defined as two types of frequency range, for example, FR1 and FR2. The numerical value of the frequency range may be changed. For example, the frequency ranges of the two types (FR1 and FR2) may be as shown in Table 1 below. For ease of explanation, in the frequency ranges used in the NR system, FR1 may mean "sub 6 GHz range", FR2 may mean "above 6 GHz range," and may be referred to as millimeter wave (mmW).

[0083] Frequency Range designationCorresponding frequency rangeSubcarrier SpacingFR1450MHz - 6000MHz15, 30, 60kHzFR224250MHz - 52600MHz60, 120, 240kHz

[0084] As mentioned above, the numerical value of the frequency range of the NR system may be changed. For example, FR1 may include a frequency band of 410MHz to 7125MHz as shown in Table 2 below. For example, FR1 may include a frequency band of 6GHz (or 5850, 5900, 5925 MHz, etc.) or more. For example, a frequency band of 6 GHz (or 5850, 5900, 5925 MHz, etc.) or more included in FR1 may include an unlicensed band. Unlicensed bands may be used for a variety of purposes, for example for communication for vehicles (e.g., autonomous driving).

[0085] Frequency Range designationCorresponding frequency rangeSubcarrier SpacingFR1410MHz - 7125MHz15, 30, 60kHzFR224250MHz - 52600MHz60, 120, 240kHz

[0086] Here, the radio communication technologies implemented in the wireless devices in the present disclosure may include narrowband internet-of-things (NB-IoT) technology for low-power communication as well as LTE, NR and 6G. For example, NB-IoT technology may be an example of low power wide area network (LPWAN) technology, may be implemented in specifications such as LTE Cat NB1 and / or LTE Cat NB2, and may not be limited to the above-mentioned names. Additionally and / or alternatively, the radio communication technologies implemented in the wireless devices in the present disclosure may communicate based on LTE-M technology. For example, LTE-M technology may be an example of LPWAN technology and be called by various names such as enhanced machine type communication (eMTC). For example, LTE-M technology may be implemented in at least one of the various specifications, such as 1) LTE Cat 0, 2) LTE Cat M1, 3) LTE Cat M2, 4) LTE non-bandwidth limited (non-BL), 5) LTE-MTC, 6) LTE Machine Type Communication, and / or 7) LTE M, and may not be limited to the above-mentioned names. Additionally and / or alternatively, the radio communication technologies implemented in the wireless devices in the present disclosure may include at least one of ZigBee, Bluetooth, and / or LPWAN which take into account low-power communication, and may not be limited to the above-mentioned names. For example, ZigBee technology may generate personal area networks (PANs) associated with small / low-power digital communication based on various specifications such as IEEE 802.15.4 and may be called various names.

[0087] FIG. 2 shows an example of wireless devices to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 2, a first wireless device 100 and a second wireless device 200 may transmit / receive radio signals to / from an external device through a variety of RATs (e.g., LTE and NR).

[0089] In FIG. 2, {the first wireless device 100 and the second wireless device 200} may correspond to at least one of {the wireless device 100a to 100f and the BS 200}, {the wireless device 100a to 100f and the wireless device 100a to 100f} and / or {the BS 200 and the BS 200} of FIG. 1.

[0090] The first wireless device 100 may include at least one transceiver, such as a transceiver 106, at least one processing chip, such as a processing chip 101, and / or one or more antennas 108.

[0091] The processing chip 101 may include at least one processor, such a processor 102, and at least one memory, such as a memory 104. It is exemplarily shown in FIG. 2 that the memory 104 is included in the processing chip 101. Additional and / or alternatively, the memory 104 may be placed outside of the processing chip 101.

[0092] The processor 102 may control the memory 104 and / or the transceiver 106 and may be configured to implement the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts described in the present disclosure. For example, the processor 102 may process information within the memory 104 to generate first information / signals and then transmit radio signals including the first information / signals through the transceiver 106. The processor 102 may receive radio signals including second information / signals through the transceiver 106 and then store information obtained by processing the second information / signals in the memory 104.

[0093] The memory 104 may be operably connectable to the processor 102. The memory 104 may store various types of information and / or instructions. The memory 104 may store a software code 105 which implements instructions that, when executed by the processor 102, perform the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. For example, the software code 105 may implement instructions that, when executed by the processor 102, perform the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. For example, the software code 105 may control the processor 102 to perform one or more protocols. For example, the software code 105 may control the processor 102 to perform one or more layers of the radio interface protocol.

[0094] Herein, the processor 102 and the memory 104 may be a part of a communication modem / circuit / chip designed to implement RAT (e.g., LTE or NR). The transceiver 106 may be connected to the processor 102 and transmit and / or receive radio signals through one or more antennas 108. Each of the transceiver 106 may include a transmitter and / or a receiver. The transceiver 106 may be interchangeably used with radio frequency (RF) unit(s). In the present disclosure, the first wireless device 100 may represent a communication modem / circuit / chip.

[0095] The second wireless device 200 may include at least one transceiver, such as a transceiver 206, at least one processing chip, such as a processing chip 201, and / or one or more antennas 208.

[0096] The processing chip 201 may include at least one processor, such a processor 202, and at least one memory, such as a memory 204. It is exemplarily shown in FIG. 2 that the memory 204 is included in the processing chip 201. Additional and / or alternatively, the memory 204 may be placed outside of the processing chip 201.

[0097] The processor 202 may control the memory 204 and / or the transceiver 206 and may be configured to implement the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts described in the present disclosure. For example, the processor 202 may process information within the memory 204 to generate third information / signals and then transmit radio signals including the third information / signals through the transceiver 206. The processor 202 may receive radio signals including fourth information / signals through the transceiver 106 and then store information obtained by processing the fourth information / signals in the memory 204.

[0098] The memory 204 may be operably connectable to the processor 202. The memory 204 may store various types of information and / or instructions. The memory 204 may store a software code 205 which implements instructions that, when executed by the processor 202, perform the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. For example, the software code 205 may implement instructions that, when executed by the processor 202, perform the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. For example, the software code 205 may control the processor 202 to perform one or more protocols. For example, the software code 205 may control the processor 202 to perform one or more layers of the radio interface protocol.

[0099] Herein, the processor 202 and the memory 204 may be a part of a communication modem / circuit / chip designed to implement RAT (e.g., LTE or NR). The transceiver 206 may be connected to the processor 202 and transmit and / or receive radio signals through one or more antennas 208. Each of the transceiver 206 may include a transmitter and / or a receiver. The transceiver 206 may be interchangeably used with RF unit. In the present disclosure, the second wireless device 200 may represent a communication modem / circuit / chip.

[0100] Hereinafter, hardware elements of the wireless devices 100 and 200 will be described more specifically. One or more protocol layers may be implemented by, without being limited to, one or more processors 102 and 202. For example, the one or more processors 102 and 202 may implement one or more layers (e.g., functional layers such as physical (PHY) layer, media access control (MAC) layer, radio link control (RLC) layer, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio resource control (RRC) layer, and service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer). The one or more processors 102 and 202 may generate one or more protocol data units (PDUs) and / or one or more service data unit (SDUs) according to the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. The one or more processors 102 and 202 may generate messages, control information, data, or information according to the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. The one or more processors 102 and 202 may generate signals (e.g., baseband signals) including PDUs, SDUs, messages, control information, data, or information according to the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure and provide the generated signals to the one or more transceivers 106 and 206. The one or more processors 102 and 202 may receive the signals (e.g., baseband signals) from the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 and acquire the PDUs, SDUs, messages, control information, data, or information according to the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure.

[0101] The one or more processors 102 and 202 may be referred to as controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or microcomputers. The one or more processors 102 and 202 may be implemented by hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. As an example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), one or more digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), one or more programmable logic devices (PLDs), or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) may be included in the one or more processors 102 and 202. The descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure may be implemented using firmware or software and the firmware or software may be configured to include the modules, procedures, or functions. Firmware or software configured to perform the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure may be included in the one or more processors 102 and 202 or stored in the one or more memories 104 and 204 so as to be driven by the one or more processors 102 and 202. The descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure may be implemented using firmware or software in the form of code, commands, and / or a set of commands.

[0102] The one or more memories 104 and 204 may be connected to the one or more processors 102 and 202 and store various types of data, signals, messages, information, programs, code, instructions, and / or commands. The one or more memories 104 and 204 may be configured by read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), flash memories, hard drives, registers, cash memories, computer-readable storage media, and / or combinations thereof. The one or more memories 104 and 204 may be located at the interior and / or exterior of the one or more processors 102 and 202. The one or more memories 104 and 204 may be connected to the one or more processors 102 and 202 through various technologies such as wired or wireless connection.

[0103] The one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may transmit user data, control information, and / or radio signals / channels, mentioned in the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure, to one or more other devices. The one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may receive user data, control information, and / or radio signals / channels, mentioned in the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure, from one or more other devices. For example, the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may be connected to the one or more processors 102 and 202 and transmit and receive radio signals. For example, the one or more processors 102 and 202 may perform control so that the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may transmit user data, control information, or radio signals to one or more other devices. The one or more processors 102 and 202 may perform control so that the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may receive user data, control information, or radio signals from one or more other devices.

[0104] The one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may be connected to the one or more antennas 108 and 208 and the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may be configured to transmit and receive user data, control information, and / or radio signals / channels, mentioned in the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure, through the one or more antennas 108 and 208. In the present disclosure, the one or more antennas 108 and 208 may be a plurality of physical antennas or a plurality of logical antennas (e.g., antenna ports).

[0105] The one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may convert received user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., from RF band signals into baseband signals in order to process received user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., using the one or more processors 102 and 202. The one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may convert the user data, control information, radio signals / channels, etc., processed using the one or more processors 102 and 202 from the base band signals into the RF band signals. To this end, the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may include (analog) oscillators and / or filters. For example, the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 can up-convert OFDM baseband signals to OFDM signals by their (analog) oscillators and / or filters under the control of the one or more processors 102 and 202 and transmit the up-converted OFDM signals at the carrier frequency. The one or more transceivers 106 and 206 may receive OFDM signals at a carrier frequency and down-convert the OFDM signals into OFDM baseband signals by their (analog) oscillators and / or filters under the control of the one or more processors 102 and 202.

[0106] In the implementations of the present disclosure, a UE may operate as a transmitting device in uplink (UL) and as a receiving device in downlink (DL). In the implementations of the present disclosure, a BS may operate as a receiving device in UL and as a transmitting device in DL. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, it is mainly assumed that the first wireless device 100 acts as the UE, and the second wireless device 200 acts as the BS. For example, the processor(s) 102 connected to, mounted on or launched in the first wireless device 100 may be configured to perform the UE behavior according to an implementation of the present disclosure or control the transceiver(s) 106 to perform the UE behavior according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The processor(s) 202 connected to, mounted on or launched in the second wireless device 200 may be configured to perform the BS behavior according to an implementation of the present disclosure or control the transceiver(s) 206 to perform the BS behavior according to an implementation of the present disclosure.

[0107] In the present disclosure, a BS is also referred to as a node B (NB), an eNode B (eNB), or a gNB.

[0108] FIG. 3 shows an example of a wireless device to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0109] The wireless device may be implemented in various forms according to a use-case / service (refer to FIG. 1).

[0110] Referring to FIG. 3, wireless devices 100 and 200 may correspond to the wireless devices 100 and 200 of FIG. 2 and may be configured by various elements, components, units / portions, and / or modules. For example, each of the wireless devices 100 and 200 may include a communication unit 110, a control unit 120, a memory unit 130, and additional components 140. The communication unit 110 may include a communication circuit 112 and transceiver(s) 114. For example, the communication circuit 112 may include the one or more processors 102 and 202 of FIG. 2 and / or the one or more memories 104 and 204 of FIG. 2. For example, the transceiver(s) 114 may include the one or more transceivers 106 and 206 of FIG. 2 and / or the one or more antennas 108 and 208 of FIG. 2. The control unit 120 is electrically connected to the communication unit 110, the memory unit 130, and the additional components 140 and controls overall operation of each of the wireless devices 100 and 200. For example, the control unit 120 may control an electric / mechanical operation of each of the wireless devices 100 and 200 based on programs / code / commands / information stored in the memory unit 130. The control unit 120 may transmit the information stored in the memory unit 130 to the exterior (e.g., other communication devices) via the communication unit 110 through a wireless / wired interface or store, in the memory unit 130, information received through the wireless / wired interface from the exterior (e.g., other communication devices) via the communication unit 110.

[0111] The additional components 140 may be variously configured according to types of the wireless devices 100 and 200. For example, the additional components 140 may include at least one of a power unit / battery, input / output (I / O) unit (e.g., audio I / O port, video I / O port), a driving unit, and a computing unit. The wireless devices 100 and 200 may be implemented in the form of, without being limited to, the robot (100a of FIG. 1), the vehicles (100b-1 and 100b-2 of FIG. 1), the XR device (100c of FIG. 1), the hand-held device (100d of FIG. 1), the home appliance (100e of FIG. 1), the IoT device (100f of FIG. 1), a digital broadcast terminal, a hologram device, a public safety device, an MTC device, a medicine device, a FinTech device (or a finance device), a security device, a climate / environment device, the AI server / device (400 of FIG. 1), the BSs (200 of FIG. 1), a network node, etc. The wireless devices 100 and 200 may be used in a mobile or fixed place according to a use-example / service.

[0112] In FIG. 3, the entirety of the various elements, components, units / portions, and / or modules in the wireless devices 100 and 200 may be connected to each other through a wired interface or at least a part thereof may be wirelessly connected through the communication unit 110. For example, in each of the wireless devices 100 and 200, the control unit 120 and the communication unit 110 may be connected by wire and the control unit 120 and first units (e.g., 130 and 140) may be wirelessly connected through the communication unit 110. Each element, component, unit / portion, and / or module within the wireless devices 100 and 200 may further include one or more elements. For example, the control unit 120 may be configured by a set of one or more processors. As an example, the control unit 120 may be configured by a set of a communication control processor, an application processor (AP), an electronic control unit (ECU), a graphical processing unit, and a memory control processor. As another example, the memory unit 130 may be configured by a RAM, a DRAM, a ROM, a flash memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, and / or a combination thereof.

[0113] FIG. 4 shows an example of UE to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0114] Referring to FIG. 4, a UE 100 may correspond to the first wireless device 100 of FIG. 2 and / or the wireless device 100 or 200 of FIG. 3.

[0115] A UE 100 includes a processor 102, a memory 104, a transceiver 106, one or more antennas 108, a power management module 110, a battery 112, a display 114, a keypad 116, a subscriber identification module (SIM) card 118, a speaker 120, and a microphone 122.

[0116] The processor 102 may be configured to implement the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. The processor 102 may be configured to control one or more other components of the UE 100 to implement the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. Layers of the radio interface protocol may be implemented in the processor 102. The processor 102 may include ASIC, other chipset, logic circuit and / or data processing device. The processor 102 may be an application processor. The processor 102 may include at least one of a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a modem (modulator and demodulator). An example of the processor 102 may be found in SNAPDRAGONTMseries of processors made by Qualcomm®, EXYNOSTMseries of processors made by Samsung®, A series of processors made by Apple®, HELIOTMseries of processors made by MediaTek®, ATOMTMseries of processors made by Intel®or a corresponding next generation processor.

[0117] The memory 104 is operatively coupled with the processor 102 and stores a variety of information to operate the processor 102. The memory 104 may include ROM, RAM, flash memory, memory card, storage medium and / or other storage device. When the embodiments are implemented in software, the techniques described herein can be implemented with modules (e.g., procedures, functions, etc.) that perform the descriptions, functions, procedures, suggestions, methods and / or operational flowcharts disclosed in the present disclosure. The modules can be stored in the memory 104 and executed by the processor 102. The memory 104 can be implemented within the processor 102 or external to the processor 102 in which case those can be communicatively coupled to the processor 102 via various means as is known in the art.

[0118] The transceiver 106 is operatively coupled with the processor 102, and transmits and / or receives a radio signal. The transceiver 106 includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 106 may include baseband circuitry to process radio frequency signals. The transceiver 106 controls the one or more antennas 108 to transmit and / or receive a radio signal.

[0119] The power management module 110 manages power for the processor 102 and / or the transceiver 106. The battery 112 supplies power to the power management module 110.

[0120] The display 114 outputs results processed by the processor 102. The keypad 116 receives inputs to be used by the processor 102. The keypad 116 may be shown on the display 114.

[0121] The SIM card 118 is an　integrated circuit　that is intended to　securely store the　international mobile subscriber identity　(IMSI) number and its related　key, which are used to identify and authenticate subscribers on　mobile telephony　devices (such as　mobile phones　and　computers). It is also possible to store contact information on many SIM cards.

[0122] The speaker 120 outputs sound-related results processed by the processor 102. The microphone 122 receives sound-related inputs to be used by the processor 102.

[0123] FIGS. 5 and 6 show an example of protocol stacks in a 3GPP based wireless communication system to which implementations of the present disclosure is applied.

[0124] In particular, FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a radio interface user plane protocol stack between a UE and a BS and FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a radio interface control plane protocol stack between a UE and a BS. The control plane refers to a path through which control messages used to manage call by a UE and a network are transported. The user plane refers to a path through which data generated in an application layer, for example, voice data or Internet packet data are transported. Referring to FIG. 5, the user plane protocol stack may be divided into Layer 1 (for example, a PHY layer) and Layer 2. Referring to FIG. 6, the control plane protocol stack may be divided into Layer 1 (for example, a PHY layer), Layer 2, Layer 3 (e.g., an RRC layer), and a non-access stratum (NAS) layer. Layer 1, Layer 2 and Layer 3 are referred to as an access stratum (AS).

[0125] In the 3GPP LTE system, the Layer 2 is split into the following sublayers: MAC, RLC, and PDCP. In the 3GPP NR system, the Layer 2 is split into the following sublayers: MAC, RLC, PDCP and SDAP. The PHY layer offers to the MAC sublayer transport channels, the MAC sublayer offers to the RLC sublayer logical channels, the RLC sublayer offers to the PDCP sublayer RLC channels, the PDCP sublayer offers to the SDAP sublayer radio bearers. The SDAP sublayer offers to 5G core network quality of service (QoS) flows.

[0126] In the 3GPP NR system, the main services and functions of the MAC sublayer include: mapping between logical channels and transport channels; multiplexing / de-multiplexing of MAC SDUs belonging to one or different logical channels into / from transport blocks (TB) delivered to / from the physical layer on transport channels; scheduling information reporting; error correction through hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) (one HARQ entity per cell in case of carrier aggregation (CA)); priority handling between UEs by means of dynamic scheduling; priority handling between logical channels of one UE by means of logical channel prioritization; padding. A single MAC entity may support multiple numerologies, transmission timings and cells. Mapping restrictions in logical channel prioritization control which numerology(ies), cell(s), and transmission timing(s) a logical channel can use.

[0127] Different kinds of data transfer services are offered by MAC. To accommodate different kinds of data transfer services, multiple types of logical channels are defined, for example, each supporting transfer of a particular type of information. Each logical channel type is defined by what type of information is transferred. Logical channels are classified into two groups: control channels and traffic channels. Control channels are used for the transfer of control plane information only, and traffic channels are used for the transfer of user plane information only. Broadcast control channel (BCCH) is a downlink logical channel for broadcasting system control information, paging control channel (PCCH) is a downlink logical channel that transfers paging information, system information change notifications and indications of ongoing public warning service (PWS) broadcasts, common control channel (CCCH) is a logical channel for transmitting control information between UEs and network and used for UEs having no RRC connection with the network, and dedicated control channel (DCCH) is a point-to-point bi-directional logical channel that transmits dedicated control information between a UE and the network and used by UEs having an RRC connection. Dedicated traffic channel (DTCH) is a point-to-point logical channel, dedicated to one UE, for the transfer of user information. A DTCH can exist in both uplink and downlink. In downlink, the following connections between logical channels and transport channels exist: BCCH can be mapped to broadcast channel (BCH); BCCH can be mapped to downlink shared channel (DL-SCH); PCCH can be mapped to paging channel (PCH); CCCH can be mapped to DL-SCH; DCCH can be mapped to DL-SCH; and DTCH can be mapped to DL-SCH. In uplink, the following connections between logical channels and transport channels exist: CCCH can be mapped to uplink shared channel (UL-SCH); DCCH can be mapped to UL-SCH; and DTCH can be mapped to UL-SCH.

[0128] The RLC sublayer supports three transmission modes: transparent mode (TM), unacknowledged mode (UM), and acknowledged node (AM). The RLC configuration is per logical channel with no dependency on numerologies and / or transmission durations. In the 3GPP NR system, the main services and functions of the RLC sublayer depend on the transmission mode and include: transfer of upper layer PDUs; sequence numbering independent of the one in PDCP (UM and AM); error correction through ARQ (AM only); segmentation (AM and UM) and re-segmentation (AM only) of RLC SDUs; reassembly of SDU (AM and UM); duplicate detection (AM only); RLC SDU discard (AM and UM); RLC re-establishment; protocol error detection (AM only).

[0129] In the 3GPP NR system, the main services and functions of the PDCP sublayer for the user plane include: sequence numbering; header compression and decompression using robust header compression (ROHC); transfer of user data; reordering and duplicate detection; in-order delivery; PDCP PDU routing (in case of split bearers); retransmission of PDCP SDUs; ciphering, deciphering and integrity protection; PDCP SDU discard; PDCP re-establishment and data recovery for RLC AM; PDCP status reporting for RLC AM; duplication of PDCP PDUs and duplicate discard indication to lower layers. The main services and functions of the PDCP sublayer for the control plane include: sequence numbering; ciphering, deciphering and integrity protection; transfer of control plane data; reordering and duplicate detection; in-order delivery; duplication of PDCP PDUs and duplicate discard indication to lower layers.

[0130] In the 3GPP NR system, the main services and functions of SDAP include: mapping between a QoS flow and a data radio bearer; marking QoS flow ID (QFI) in both DL and UL packets. A single protocol entity of SDAP is configured for each individual PDU session.

[0131] In the 3GPP NR system, the main services and functions of the RRC sublayer include: broadcast of system information related to AS and NAS; paging initiated by 5GC or NG-RAN; establishment, maintenance and release of an RRC connection between the UE and NG-RAN; security functions including key management; establishment, configuration, maintenance and release of signaling radio bearers (SRBs) and data radio bearers (DRBs); mobility functions (including: handover and context transfer, UE cell selection and reselection and control of cell selection and reselection, inter-RAT mobility); QoS management functions; UE measurement reporting and control of the reporting; detection of and recovery from radio link failure; NAS message transfer to / from NAS from / to UE.

[0132] FIG. 7 shows an example of the overall architecture of an NG-RAN to which technical features of the present disclosure can be applied.

[0133] Referring to FIG. 7, a gNB may include a gNB-CU (hereinafter, gNB-CU may be simply referred to as CU) and at least one gNB-DU (hereinafter, gNB-DU may be simply referred to as DU).

[0134] The gNB-CU is a logical node hosting RRC, SDAP and PDCP protocols of the gNB or an RRC and PDCP protocols of the en-gNB. The gNB-CU controls the operation of the at least one gNB-DU.

[0135] The gNB-DU is a logical node hosting RLC, MAC, and physical layers of the gNB or the en-gNB. The operation of the gNB-DU is partly controlled by the gNB-CU. One gNB-DU supports one or multiple cells. One cell is supported by only one gNB-DU.

[0136] The gNB-CU and gNB-DU are connected via an F1 interface. The gNB-CU terminates the F1 interface connected to the gNB-DU. The gNB-DU terminates the F1 interface connected to the gNB-CU. One gNB-DU is connected to only one gNB-CU. However, the gNB-DU may be connected to multiple gNB-CUs by appropriate implementation. The F1 interface is a logical interface. For NG-RAN, the NG and Xn-C interfaces for a gNB consisting of a gNB-CU and gNB-DUs, terminate in the gNB-CU. For E-UTRAN-NR dual connectivity (EN-DC), the S1-U and X2-C interfaces for a gNB consisting of a gNB-CU and gNB-DUs, terminate in the gNB-CU. The gNB-CU and connected gNB-DUs are only visible to other gNBs and the 5GC as a gNB.

[0137] Functions of the F1 interface includes F1 control (F1-C) functions as follows.

[0138] (1) F1 interface management function

[0139] The error indication function is used by the gNB-DU or gNB-CU to indicate to the gNB-CU or gNB-DU that an error has occurred.

[0140] The reset function is used to initialize the peer entity after node setup and after a failure event occurred. This procedure can be used by both the gNB-DU and the gNB-CU.

[0141] The F1 setup function allows to exchange application level data needed for the gNB-DU and gNB-CU to interoperate correctly on the F1 interface. The F1 setup is initiated by the gNB-DU.

[0142] The gNB-CU configuration update and gNB-DU configuration update functions allow to update application level configuration data needed between gNB-CU and gNB-DU to interoperate correctly over the F1 interface, and may activate or deactivate cells.

[0143] The F1 setup and gNB-DU configuration update functions allow to inform the single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) supported by the gNB-DU.

[0144] The F1 resource coordination function is used to transfer information about frequency resource sharing between gNB-CU and gNB-DU.

[0145] (2) System Information management function

[0146] Scheduling of system broadcast information is carried out in the gNB-DU. The gNB-DU is responsible for transmitting the system information according to the scheduling parameters available.

[0147] The gNB-DU is responsible for the encoding of NR master information block (MIB). In case broadcast of system information block type-1 (SIB1) and other SI messages is needed, the gNB-DU is responsible for the encoding of SIB1 and the gNB-CU is responsible for the encoding of other SI messages.

[0148] (3) F1 UE context management function

[0149] The F1 UE context management function supports the establishment and modification of the necessary overall UE context.

[0150] The establishment of the F1 UE context is initiated by the gNB-CU and accepted or rejected by the gNB-DU based on admission control criteria (e.g., resource not available).

[0151] The modification of the F1 UE context can be initiated by either gNB-CU or gNB-DU. The receiving node can accept or reject the modification. The F1 UE context management function also supports the release of the context previously established in the gNB-DU. The release of the context is triggered by the gNB-CU either directly or following a request received from the gNB-DU. The gNB-CU request the gNB-DU to release the UE Context when the UE enters RRC_IDLE or RRC_INACTIVE.

[0152] This function can be also used to manage DRBs and SRBs, for example, establishing, modifying and releasing DRB and SRB resources. The establishment and modification of DRB resources are triggered by the gNB-CU and accepted / rejected by the gNB-DU based on resource reservation information and QoS information to be provided to the gNB-DU. For each DRB to be setup or modified, the S-NSSAI may be provided by gNB-CU to the gNB-DU in the UE context setup procedure and the UE context modification procedure.

[0153] The mapping between QoS flows and radio bearers is performed by gNB-CU and the granularity of bearer related management over F1 is radio bearer level. For NG-RAN, the gNB-CU provides an aggregated DRB QoS profile and QoS flow profile to the gNB-DU, and the gNB-DU either accepts the request or rejects it with appropriate cause value. To support packet duplication for intra-gNB-DU carrier aggregation (CA), one data radio bearer should be configured with two GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP)-U tunnels between gNB-CU and a gNB-DU.

[0154] With this function, gNB-CU requests the gNB-DU to setup or change of the special cell (SpCell) for the UE, and the gNB-DU either accepts or rejects the request with appropriate cause value.

[0155] With this function, the gNB-CU requests the setup of the secondary cell(s) (SCell(s)) at the gNB-DU side, and the gNB-DU accepts all, some or none of the SCell(s) and replies to the gNB-CU. The gNB-CU requests the removal of the SCell(s) for the UE.

[0156] (4) RRC message transfer function

[0157] This function allows to transfer RRC messages between gNB-CU and gNB-DU. RRC messages are transferred over F1-C. The gNB-CU is responsible for the encoding of the dedicated RRC message with assistance information provided by gNB-DU.

[0158] (5) Paging function

[0159] The gNB-DU is responsible for transmitting the paging information according to the scheduling parameters provided.

[0160] The gNB-CU provides paging information to enable the gNB-DU to calculate the exact paging occasion (PO) and paging frame (PF). The gNB-CU determines the paging assignment (PA). The gNB-DU consolidates all the paging records for a particular PO, PF and PA, and encodes the final RRC message and broadcasts the paging message on the respective PO, PF in the PA.

[0161] (6) Warning messages information transfer function

[0162] This function allows to cooperate with the warning message transmission procedures over NG interface. The gNB-CU is responsible for encoding the warning related SI message and sending it together with other warning related information for the gNB-DU to broadcast over the radio interface.

[0163] FIG. 8 shows an interface protocol structure for F1-C to which technical features of the present disclosure can be applied.

[0164] A transport network layer (TNL) is based on Internet protocol (IP) transport, comprising a stream control transmission protocol (SCTP) layer on top of the IP layer. An application layer signaling protocol is referred to as an F1 application protocol (E1AP).

[0165] Hereinafter, technical features related to Initial Context Setup are described. Sections of 3GPP TS 38.413 v18.0.0 may be referred.

[0166] The purpose of the Initial Context Setup procedure is to establish the necessary overall initial UE context at the NG-RAN node, when required, including PDU session context, the Security Key, Mobility Restriction List, UE Radio Capability and UE Security Capabilities, etc. The AMF may initiate the Initial Context Setup procedure if a UE-associated logical NG-connection exists for the UE or if the AMF has received the RAN UE NGAP ID IE in an INITIAL UE MESSAGE message or if the NG-RAN node has already initiated a UE-associated logical NG-connection by sending an INITIAL UE MESSAGE message via another NG interface instance. The procedure uses UE-associated signalling.

[0167] For signalling only connections and if the UE Context Request IE is not received in the Initial UE Message, the AMF may be configured to trigger the procedure for all NAS procedures or on a per NAS procedure basis depending on operator's configuration.

[0168] FIG. 9 shows an example of a successful operation for initial context setup.

[0169] In case of the establishment of a PDU session the 5GC shall be prepared to receive user data before the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message has been received by the AMF. If no UE-associated logical NG-connection exists, the UE-associated logical NG-connection shall be established at reception of the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message.

[0170] The INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message shall contain the Index to RAT / Frequency Selection Priority IE, if available in the AMF.

[0171] If the NAS-PDU IE is included in the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message, the NG-RAN node shall pass it transparently towards the UE.

[0172] If the Masked IMEISV IE is contained in the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message the target NG-RAN node shall, if supported, use it to determine the characteristics of the UE for subsequent handling.

[0173] Hereinafter, technical features related to handover are described. Sections of 3GPP TS 38.423 v18.0.0 may be referred.

[0174] This procedure is used to establish necessary resources in an NG-RAN node for an incoming handover. If the procedure concerns a conditional handover, parallel transactions are allowed. Possible parallel requests are identified by the target cell ID when the source UE AP IDs are the same.

[0175] The procedure uses UE-associated signalling.

[0176] FIG. 10 shows an example of a successful operation for Handover Preparation.

[0177] The source NG-RAN node initiates the procedure by sending the HANDOVER REQUEST message to the target NG-RAN node. When the source NG-RAN node sends the HANDOVER REQUEST message, it shall start the timer TXnRELOCprep.

[0178] If the Conditional Handover Information Request IE is contained in the HANDOVER REQUEST message, the target NG-RAN node shall consider that the request concerns a conditional handover and shall include the Conditional Handover Information Acknowledge IE in the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message.

[0179] If the Target NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID IE is contained in the Conditional Handover Information Request IE included in the HANDOVER REQUEST message, then the target NG-RAN node shall remove the existing prepared conditional HO identified by the Target NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID IE and the Target Cell Global ID IE. It is up to the implementation of the target NG-RAN node when to remove the HO information.

[0180] Upon reception of the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, the source NG-RAN node shall stop the timer TXnRELOCprep and terminate the Handover Preparation procedure. If the procedure was initiated for an immediate handover, the source NG-RAN node shall start the timer TXnRELOCoverall. The source NG-RAN node is then defined to have a Prepared Handover for that Xn UE-associated signalling.

[0181] For each E-RAB ID IE included in the QoS Flow To Be Setup List IE in the HANDOVER REQUEST message, the target NG-RAN node shall, if supported, store the content of the IE in the UE context and use it for subsequent inter-system handover.

[0182] FIG. 11 shows an example of a successful operation for SN Status Transfer.

[0183] The source NG-RAN node initiates the procedure by stop assigning PDCP SNs to downlink SDUs and stop delivering UL SDUs towards the 5GC and sending the SN STATUS TRANSFER message to the target NG-RAN node at the time point when it considers the transmitter / receiver status to be frozen. The target NG-RAN node using full configuration for this handover or for the MR-DC operations shall ignore the information received in this message. In case of MR-DC, if the target NG-RAN node performs PDCP SN length change or RLC mode change for a DRB, it shall ignore the information received for that DRB in this message.

[0184] In case that the Xn handover is a DAPS handover, the source NG-RAN node may continue assigning PDCP SNs to downlink SDUs and delivering uplink SDUs toward the 5GC when initiating this procedure for DRBs not configured with DAPS.

[0185] For each DRB in the DRBs Subject to Status Transfer List IE, the source NG-RAN node shall include the DRB ID IE, the UL COUNT Value IE and the DL COUNT Value IE.

[0186] The source NG-RAN node may also include in the SN STATUS TRANSFER message the missing and the received uplink SDUs in the Receive Status of UL PDCP SDUs IE for each DRB for which the source NG-RAN node has accepted the request from the target NG-RAN node for uplink forwarding.

[0187] For each DRB in the DRBs Subject to Status Transfer List IE, the target NG-RAN node shall not deliver any uplink packet which has a PDCP-SN lower than the value contained within the UL COUNT Value IE.

[0188] For each DRB in the DRBs Subject to Status Transfer List IE, the target NG-RAN node shall use the value of the PDCP SN contained within the DL COUNT Value IE for the first downlink packet for which there is no PDCP-SN yet assigned.

[0189] Hereinafter, technical features related to UE Context Modification are described. Sections of 3GPP TS 38.473 v18.0.0 may be referred.

[0190] The purpose of the UE Context Modification procedure is to modify the established UE Context, e.g., establishing, modifying and releasing radio resources or sidelink resources. This procedure is also used to command the gNB-DU to stop data transmission for the UE for mobility. The procedure uses UE-associated signalling.

[0191] FIG. 12 shows an example of a successful operation for UE Context Modification procedure.

[0192] The UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message is initiated by the gNB-CU.

[0193] Upon reception of the UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message, the gNB-DU shall perform the modifications, and if successful reports the update in the UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE message.

[0194] FIG. 13 shows an example of a successful operation for Resource Status Reporting Initiation.

[0195] This procedure is used by an gNB-CU to request the reporting of load measurements to gNB-DU.

[0196] The procedure uses non UE-associated signalling.

[0197] gNB-CU initiates the procedure by sending the RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST message to gNB-DU to start a measurement, stop a measurement, or add cells to report for a measurement. Upon receipt, gNB-DU:

[0198] - shall initiate the requested measurement according to the parameters given in the request in case the Registration Request IE set to "start"; or

[0199] - shall stop all cells measurements and terminate the reporting in case the Registration Request IE is set to "stop"; or

[0200] - shall add cells indicated in the Cell To Report List IE to the measurements initiated before for the given measurement IDs, in case the Registration Request IE is set to "add". If measurements are already initiated for a cell indicated in the Cell To Report List IE, this information shall be ignored.

[0201] FIG. 14 shows an example of a successful operation for Resource Status Reporting.

[0202] This procedure is initiated by gNB-DU to report the result of measurements admitted by gNB-DU following a successful Resource Status Reporting Initiation procedure.

[0203] The procedure uses non UE-associated signalling.

[0204] The gNB-DU shall report the results of the admitted measurements in RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE message. The admitted measurements are the measurements that were successfully initiated during the preceding Resource Status Reporting Initiation procedure.

[0205] If some results of the admitted measurements in RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE message are missing, the gNB-CU shall consider that these results were not available at the gNB-DU.

[0206] Meanwhile, in NR, studies for UE energy consumption are in progress.

[0207] For example, RAN work organization relating to per UE energy consumption is described. The need to measure the RAN energy consumption per-UE is submitted.

[0208] Operators can already calculate an average for the "energy consumption per UE" by taking the complete energy consumption for the network; the complete data traffic for the network; and the amount of data used by the UE.

[0209] For example, documents illustrate that the amount of energy a user uses varies depending upon the range / radio conditions and the time of day (e.g., how many other users use the adjacent cells).

[0210] Independently from these documents, it is clear from cell edge data rates vs peak data rates, that UEs in different locations can experience vastly different (perhaps 1000-fold different) data rates with the same base station (with the base station transmitting at constant power).

[0211] The interesting aspect of the SA2 Study Item "FS_EnergySys" is to find the energy consumption differences for different UEs using the same data volume. What the operator does with this information, but, at the moment, no one (operator, subscriber, chipset maker, base station vendor, CN vendor) knows this information and hence, e.g. network optimisation cannot be done to reduce energy consumption, nor enterprises encouraged to mount IoT devices in less energy-consuming locations, nor consumers nudged to modify their habits, etc.

[0212] While some of this energy consumption (e.g., in the base-band unit) is probably relatively easy to compute based on the UE's data volume, the majority of the energy is consumed by the remote radio heads and is likely to vary with the radio conditions and require more complex estimation.

[0213] A document gives an example of how the variable part of the per-UE RAN energy consumption might be estimated (see below), but, believes that RAN Working Groups are the correct place to provide such an estimate.

[0214] No. of DL resource blks*Transmit Time interval*transmit power / No. of users sharing the resource blk

[0215] Given that most base stations are likely to have the capability to use "proportional-fair" schedulers, the feedback loops to that fairness algorithm must be providing information on the number of resource blocks used, and number of sharing users. And the TTI and Tx power are probably constants. So, this calculation ought to be feasible within the base station and able to be reported to the CN. The "fixed energy" usage of the base station can either be ignored (as it is small in comparison) or reported as a separate "average" metric.

[0216] Per-UE energy consumption metric

[0217] SA2 invites RAN1, RAN2 and RAN4 to investigate whether and how the gNB can estimate the base station energy consumption described above and whether a standardized solution can be identified.

[0218] SA2 were uncertain which groups(s) needed to be involved in this work, so TSG-RAN guidance on the relevant group(s) would be useful.

[0219] It seems likely that this question needs more than one RAN-WG meeting to answer. Hence it is probably appropriate to add an objective that spans a few meetings into the RAN Rel 19 "Enhancements of network energy savings for NR" WID (latest agreed version in RP-234065).

[0220] While the SA2 Study Item should finish in June 2024, knowing that RAN is working on (or will work on) this question ought to be sufficient to allow SA2 to move onto their Work Item phase.

[0221] Per-UE-per-QoS flow energy measurement

[0222] SA2 invites RAN2 to indicate whether the base station energy consumption (that varies with radio conditions) can be reported on a per-UE-per-PDU session and per-UE-per-QoS flow basis.

[0223] This question relates to how the data flows of one UE are multiplexed onto the radio interface. This may be possible for RAN2 to answer quickly.

[0224] The answer to this question impacts whether the SA1 requirements on better than per-UE granularity of energy reporting can be fulfilled.

[0225] Work in RAN3

[0226] SA2 are examining mechanisms (including something similar to Rel 15's secondary RAT data volume reporting, and, GTP-U header extensions) by which the RAN could report the RAN's energy consumption for that UE to the CN.

[0227] Whatever approach is taken, it seems likely that some mechanism inside the NG-RAN would be needed for the DU to report to the CU, before the CU reports to the Core Network.

[0228] It seems useful to capture the work needed in this area in e.g., an update to the RAN Rel 19 "Enhancements of network energy savings for NR" WID.

[0229] From an SA2 perspective, this "NG-RAN internal" work would be invisible to the Core Network and hence only needs completion in time for the stage 3 Rel 19 completion.

[0230] For example, TSG RAN is requested to discuss this topic and to consider how to organise this work. It is proposed that the annexed updates to the RAN Rel 19 "Enhancements of network energy savings for NR" WID are discussed, revised, and agreed.

[0231] In the light above, some mechanism inside the NG-RAN would be needed for the DU to report RAN's energy consumption for a wireless device to the CU, before the CU reports to the Core Network.

[0232] In the ongoing Rel-19 study item FS_EnergySys (Study on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving) in SA2, it is necessary to consider energy consumption per UE (additionally per PDU Session of UE and per QoS Flow of UE).

[0233] For this purpose, it is being considered that the CN requests the base station to report per UE energy consumption.

[0234] If the CN requests a report of per UE energy consumption from a CU-DU split base station, a mechanism may be needed between the CU and the DU. Thus, a specific plan considering the CU and DU to measure and report the UE energy consumption at the request of the CN is needed.

[0235] Therefore, studies for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture are required.

[0236] Hereinafter, a method for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, will be described with reference to the following drawings.

[0237] The following drawings are created to explain specific embodiments of the present disclosure. The names of the specific devices or the names of the specific signals / messages / fields shown in the drawings are provided by way of example, and thus the technical features of the present disclosure are not limited to the specific names used in the following drawings. Herein, a wireless device may be referred to as a user equipment (UE).

[0238] FIG. 15 shows an example of a method for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0239] In particular, FIG. 15 shows an example of a method performed by a Central Unit (CU) of a radio access network (RAN) node.

[0240] In step S1501, the CU of the RAN node may receive, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device.

[0241] For example, the core network may include an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

[0242] For example, the first message may include i) an identity of the wireless device for which the energy consumption measurements is performed, ii) a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device, iii) a report indication, iv) a decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device, and / or v) at least one reporting method.

[0243] For example, the at least one reporting method may include at least one of i) periodic reporting, ii) reporting based on at least one reporting event, iii) reporting based on a threshold, iv) reporting based on a location of the wireless device, and v) reporting based on a radio condition variation of the wireless device.

[0244] For example, the first message may include an initial context setup request message.

[0245] In step S1502, the CU of the RAN node may transmit, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0246] For example, the second message may include an identity of the wireless device for which the energy consumption measurements is performed.

[0247] For example, the CU may transmit a decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device to reduce energy consumption of the wireless device.

[0248] For example, the decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device may be included in the second message.

[0249] For example, the second message may include information related to at least one reporting method for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device. For example, the at least one reporting method may include at least one of i) periodic reporting, ii) reporting based on at least one reporting event, iii) reporting based on a threshold, iv) reporting based on a location of the wireless device, and v) reporting based on a radio condition variation of the wireless device.

[0250] For example, the second message may include a resource status request message.

[0251] In step S1503, the CU of the RAN node may receive, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report.

[0252] For example, the energy consumption report may include measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

[0253] For example, the third message may include an identity of the wireless device related to the energy consumption report.

[0254] For example, the energy consumption report may include measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device per protocol data unit (PDU) session, per slice, per data radio bearer (DRB), and / or per quality of service (QoS) flow.

[0255] For example, the energy consumption report may include i) information related to a start time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device and / or ii) information related to an end time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0256] For example, the third message may include a resource status update message.

[0257] For example, the CU of the RAN node may transmit, to the core network, a fourth message including the energy consumption report. For example, the fourth message may include a UE statue report message.

[0258] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wireless device may be in communication with at least one of a user equipment, a network, or an autonomous vehicle other than the wireless device.

[0259] Hereinafter, technical features related to supporting of UE energy consumption in disaggregated gNB architecture are described.

[0260] > Embodiment 1

[0261] When a base station that is split into CU-DU receives a request for UE energy consumption measurement and report from a CN, the gNB-CU may provide the gNB-DU with a UE Energy Consumption Request, Reporting Indication, and UE ID for the UE energy consumption measurement and report request.

[0262] The UE Energy Consumption Request may include a request to the gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE. Based on the QoS flow to DRB mapping information in the PDU session, slice, and UE context, the UE Energy Consumption Request may include a request for energy consumption measurement for the UE per DRB and / or QoS flow included in a specific PDU session or service. When requesting by PDU Session, slice, or QoS flow, it may be specified that it is for a specific PDU Session, a specific slice, or a specific QoS flow.

[0263] The Report Indication may include a request for the gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU. In addition, the gNB-DU may include several ways to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU.

[0264] The UE ID may be included to indicate the UE that requested measurement and reporting of UE energy consumption.

[0265] Additionally, the gNB-CU may provide a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication for requesting the gNB-DU to reduce energy consumption for the UE.

[0266] Based on the received information, the gNB-DU may provide Collected UE Energy Consumption and UE ID to provide measured UE energy consumption related information to the gNB-CU.

[0267] Collected UE Energy Consumption may include UE energy consumption measured by gNB-DU, and can be included by PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0268] In addition, Collected UE Energy Consumption may include start time value, which is the time when measurement of UE energy consumption started, and end time value, which is the time when measurement ended.

[0269] UE ID may be included to inform the UE related to the UE energy consumption measured by gNB-DU. The gNB-CU may provide the AMF with the received UE energy consumption related information and the UE ID to inform that this information belongs to a specific UE.

[0270] FIG. 16a and FIG. 16b show a flow chart for UE Initial Access procedure for per UE energy consumption support.

[0271] In particular, FIG. 16a and FIG. 16b present a method to support the CN requesting measurement of UE energy consumption to the gNB where CU-DU is split, and the gNB reports the measurement result to the CN.

[0272] In step S1601, the UE sends an RRCSetupRequest message to the gNB-DU.

[0273] In step S1602, the gNB-DU includes the received RRCSetupRequest message in an INITIAL UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message and transmits it to the gNB-CU.

[0274] In step S1603, the gNB-CU allocates F1AP ID to the UE, generates an RRCSetup message, and sends it to gNB-DU by including the RRCSetup message in DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message.

[0275] In step S1604, the gNB-DU sends the RRCSetup message to the UE.

[0276] In step S1605, the UE sends the RRCSetupComplete message to gNB-DU.

[0277] In step S1606, the gNB-DU sends the received RRCSetupComplete message to the gNB-CU by including the received RRCSetupComplete message in UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message.

[0278] In step S1607, the gNB-CU sends the INITIAL UE MESSAGE message to AMF.

[0279] In step S1608, the AMF sends the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message to the gNB-CU. This message may contain a UE Energy Consumption Request, a Report Indication, and a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication. Upon receiving this, the gNB-CU stores the received information. If the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, and / or the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication are received later via another message (e.g. UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST), the gNB-CU may update the existing content with the received content.

[0280] Information on how much energy consumption will be reduced may be included together with a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication. (e.g. per PDU Session, per slice, per QoS flow, per UE, etc.).

[0281] Additionally, the AMF may also send only the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication to the gNB-CU. In this case, the gNB-CU may decide how to collect energy consumption for the UE based on the information about the level to which energy consumption will be reduced.

[0282] The UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the gNB-CU to measure energy consumption for the UE, and may include requesting measurement of energy consumption for the UE per PDU session, slice and / or QoS flow. The Report Indication may include a request to report the measured UE energy consumption to the CN. In addition, the Report Indication may include a method for the gNB-CU to report the measured UE energy consumption to the CN. The reporting method may include and apply one or more of the following:

[0283] - Periodic reporting (report for each period value)

[0284] - Event based reporting (report when an event occurs, examples are below)

[0285] > Per UE level reporting (report when state change occurs, such as CM-IDLE / RRC-Inactive, report when handover occurs)

[0286] > Per PDU session level reporting (report when PDU session release occurs)

[0287] > Per QoS flow level reporting (report when QoS flow release occurs)

[0288] > Per Slice level reporting (report when all PDU sessions associated with the slice are released)

[0289] - Threshold based reporting (report when threshold is met or exceeded)

[0290] - UE's location-based reporting (report when the wireless device is at the cell edge or cell center)

[0291] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting (report when the change in radio condition exceeds a certain value)

[0292] The information that can be included depending on each reporting method described above is as follows.

[0293] - Periodic reporting: reporting cycle value

[0294] - Event based reporting: event indicator or event index

[0295] - Threshold based reporting: one or more threshold value

[0296] - UE's location-based reporting: cell edge indicator and / or cell center indicator

[0297] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting: radio condition variation value

[0298] The Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication may include requesting the gNB-CU to reduce energy consumption for the UE.

[0299] - If step S1608 does not contain any content related to PDU session establishment (e.g. PDU Session Resource Setup Request List IE), the PDU session establishment can be performed after step S1620 (e.g. PDU SESSION RESOURCE SETUP REQUEST message is sent from AMF to gNB-CU). At this time, AMF and / or SMF can request UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU (e.g. UE Energy Consumption Request, Report Indication, and Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication).

[0300] In step S1609, the gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message including a SecurityModeCommand message to the gNB-DU to establish a UE context. This message may include a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication. The Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication may include a request to the gNB-DU to reduce the energy consumption of the UE.

[0301] In step S1610, the gNB-DU sends a SecurityModeCommand message to the UE.

[0302] In step S1611, the gNB-DU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message to the gNB-CU.

[0303] In step S1612, the gNB-CU may transmit a RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST message, a new F1AP, or an existing F1AP message, including the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, and / or the UE ID, to the gNB-DU.

[0304] Upon receiving this, the gNB-DU stores the received information. If it receives a message (e.g. RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST) containing the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, and / or the UE ID later, the gNB-DU may update the existing content with the received content.

[0305] The UE Energy Consumption Request may include a request to the gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE. Based on the QoS flow to DRB mapping information in the PDU session, slice, and UE context, the UE Energy Consumption Request may include a request for energy consumption measurement for the UE per DRB and / or QoS flow included in a specific PDU session or service.

[0306] The Report Indication may include a request for the gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU. Additionally, the Report Indication may include a method for the gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU. The reporting method may include and apply one or more of the following:

[0307] - Periodic reporting (report for each period value)

[0308] - Event based reporting (report when an event occurs, examples are below)

[0309] > Per UE level reporting (report when state change occurs, such as CM-IDLE / RRC-Inactive, report when handover occurs)

[0310] > Per PDU session level reporting (report when PDU session release occurs)

[0311] > Per QoS flow level reporting (report when QoS flow release occurs)

[0312] > Per Slice level reporting (report when all PDU sessions associated with the slice are released)

[0313] - Threshold based reporting (report when threshold is met or exceeded)

[0314] - UE's location-based reporting (report when the wireless device is at the cell edge or cell center)

[0315] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting (report when the change in radio condition exceeds a certain value)

[0316] The information that can be included depending on each reporting method described above is as follows.

[0317] - Periodic reporting: reporting cycle value

[0318] - Event based reporting: event indicator or event index

[0319] - Threshold based reporting: one or more threshold value

[0320] - UE's location-based reporting: cell edge indicator and / or cell center indicator

[0321] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting: radio condition variation value

[0322] The UE ID (e.g. gNB-CU UE F1AP ID and / or gNB-DU UE F1AP ID) may be provided to the gNB-DU to notify the UE that requested measurement and reporting of UE energy consumption.

[0323] - If step S1608 does not include anything related to the PDU session establishment, the PDU session establishment including the UE Energy Consumption Request and the Report Indication can be performed after step S1620. After establishment is performed, the gNB-CU can perform step S1612 and step S1613.

[0324] In step S1613, the gNB-DU sends a RESOURCE STATUS RESPONSE, a new F1AP, or an existing F1AP message to the gNB-CU as response.

[0325] In step S1614, the UE sends a SecurityModeComplete message to the gNB-DU.

[0326] In step S1615, the gNB-DU includes the received SecuirtyModeComplete message in the UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message and sends it to the gNB-CU.

[0327] In step S1616, the gNB-CU generates the RRCReconfiguration message, includes it in the DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message, and sends it to the gNB-DU.

[0328] In step S1617, the gNB-DU sends the RRCReconfiguration message to the UE.

[0329] In step S1618, the UE sends the RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the gNB-DU.

[0330] In step S1619, the gNB-DU includes received RRCReconfigurationComplete message in UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message and transmits it to gNB-CU.

[0331] In step S1620, the gNB-CU sends the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message to the AMF.

[0332] In step S1621, when the gNB-DU satisfies the report condition provided in step S1612, it may send the Collected UE Energy Consumption to the gNB-CU by including it in the RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE, the new F1AP or the existing F1AP message. The Collected UE Energy Consumption may include the UE energy consumption measured by the gNB-DU, and may include it per PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0333] In addition, the Collected UE Energy Consumption may include a start time value, which is the time when the measurement of the UE energy consumption started, and an end time value, which is the time when the measurement ended. The UE ID (e.g. gNB-CU UE F1AP ID and / or gNB-DU UE F1AP ID) may be included to inform the UE to which the UE energy consumption measured by the gNB-DU is related.

[0334] In step S1622, upon receiving the Collected UE Energy Consumption from the gNB-DU, the gNB-CU may include the received information in the UE STATUS REPORT, the new NGAP, or the existing NGAP message and send it to AMF.

[0335] UE ID (e.g. AMF UE NGAP ID and / or RAN UE NGAP ID) may be included to indicate that Collected UE Energy Consumption provided by the gNB-CU is related to a specific UE.

[0336] - Regardless of whether the report conditions provided in step S1608, and step S1612 are satisfied, there may be cases where the Collected UE Energy Consumption is transmitted from the gNB-DU via the gNB-CU to the AMF as follows.

[0337] - Established PDU session release for a given UE

[0338] - Established PDU session modification for a given UE

[0339] - Release the UE-associated logical NG-connection

[0340] F1AP and NGAP messages related to the above cases may include Collected UE Energy Consumption.

[0341] F1AP Message

[0342] - UE CONTEXT RELEASE REQUEST

[0343] - UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE

[0344] - NOTIFY

[0345] - UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE

[0346] - UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED

[0347] NGAP Message

[0348] - PDU SESSION RESOURCE RELEASE RESPONSE

[0349] - PDU SESSION RESOURCE MODIFY RESPONSE

[0350] - PDU SESSION RESOURCE NOTIFY

[0351] - PDU SESSION RESOURCE MODIFY INDICATION

[0352] - UE CONTEXT RELEASE REQUEST

[0353] - UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE

[0354] According to the embodiment 1, when receiving a UE energy consumption measurement and report request from a CN, a signaling method between a gNB-CU and a gNB-DU to support this is provided.

[0355] The gNB-CU may provide the gNB-DU with the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Reporting Indication, and the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication received from the AMF and / or SMF, and additionally with the UE ID, for the UE energy consumption measurement and the report request.

[0356] The gNB-CU may receive the Collected UE Energy Consumption and the UE ID from the gNB-DU.

[0357] Additionally, the UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE, and may include requesting measurement of energy consumption for the UE per PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0358] Additionally, the Report Indication may include requesting the gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU, and may include multiple ways in which the gNB-DU reports measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU.

[0359] Additionally, the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication may include requesting the gNB-DU to reduce the energy consumption of the UE.

[0360] Additionally, the UE ID may be included to indicate the UE that requested the measurement and reporting of the UE energy consumption.

[0361] Additionally, Collected UE Energy Consumption may include UE energy consumption measured by gNB-DU, may be included by PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow, and may include a start time value, which is the time when measurement of UE energy consumption started, and an end time value, which is the time when measurement ended.

[0362] > Embodiment 2

[0363] After the base station with CU-DU split receives a request for UE energy consumption measurement and report from the CN, if the gNB-DU measuring UE energy consumption is changed to another gNB-DU due to the movement of the UE, the gNB-CU may provide a Measurement ID to the source gNB-DU (the gNB-DU before the change) to obtain UE energy consumption related information from the source gNB-DU.

[0364] The Measurement ID is the measurement ID that the gNB-CU previously used when requesting the source gNB-DU to measure the UE energy consumption of a specific UE. The source gNB-DU that received this may provide Collected UE Energy Consumption and UE ID.

[0365] The Collected UE Energy Consumption may include the UE energy consumption measured by the source gNB-DU, and may include it by PDU session, slice, DRB, and / or QoS flow. In addition, the Collected UE Energy Consumption may include a start time value, which is the time when the measurement of UE energy consumption started, and an end time value, which is the time when the measurement ended.

[0366] The UE ID may be included to inform the UE of the Collected UE Energy Consumption provided by the source gNB-DU.

[0367] The gNB-CU prepares resources for the moving UE considering the UE energy consumption related information received from the source gNB-DU by the target gNB-DU (the gNB-DU to be changed). In order to measure and report UE energy consumption, the gNB-CU may provide the target gNB-DU with a UE Energy Consumption Request, a Report Indication, a UE ID, and / or the Collected UE Energy Consumption.

[0368] The UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the target gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE, and may include requesting the measurement of energy consumption for the UE for each DRB and / or QoS flow included in a specific PDU session or service, based on the QoS flow to DRB mapping information in the PDU session, slice, and UE context.

[0369] The UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the target gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE. The UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the measurement of energy consumption for the UE, based on the PDU session, slice, QoS flow to DRB mapping information in the UE context, for each DRB and / or QoS flow included in a specific PDU session or service.

[0370] The Report Indication may include requesting the target gNB-DU to report the measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU. In addition, the target gNB-DU may include multiple methods for reporting the measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU.

[0371] The UE ID can be included to inform the UE that requested measurement and report of UE energy consumption. Collected UE Energy Consumption is information related to UE energy consumption provided by the source gNB-DU.

[0372] In addition, the gNB-CU can provide Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication to the target gNB-DU to request to reduce energy consumption for the UE.

[0373] In order to obtain the latest UE energy consumption related information from the source gNB-DU and provide it to the target gNB-DU and AMF, the gNB-CU may provide the source gNB-DU with an End Measurement ID. After receiving the End Measurement ID, the source gNB-DU may provide the gNB-CU with the measured UE energy consumption related information and the UE ID, considering the data successfully transmitted to the UE since the most recent UE energy consumption report to the gNB-CU until the UE disconnects the RRC connection. The gNB-CU can provide the target gNB-DU and AMF with UE ID and the UE energy consumption related information received from the source gNB-DU.

[0374] When the gNB-CU releases the UE context of the source gNB-DU, depending on whether the gNB-CU previously provided UE energy consumption related information to the AMF, whether the gNB-CU and the source gNB-DU provide the information can be determined.

[0375] If the gNB-CU has not provided UE energy consumption related information to the AMF, the source gNB-DU can provide the Collected UE Energy Consumption to the gNB-CU, and the gNB-CU can provide it to the AMF. If the gNB-CU has provided UE energy consumption related information to the AMF, the gNB-CU can provide the Stop Reporting to the source gNB-DU. After receiving this, the source gNB-DU does not provide the Collected UE Energy Consumption to the gNB-CU.

[0376] FIG. 17a and FIG. 17b show an inter-gNB-DU mobility flow chart for per UE energy consumption support.

[0377] In particular, FIG. 17a and FIG. 17b present a method to support continuous measurement of the UE energy consumption in the changed gNB-DU and reporting of measurement results to gNB-CU and CN, when the gNB-DU measuring UE energy consumption is changed to another gNB-DU due to movement of the UE.

[0378] In step S1701, the UE sends a MeasurementReport message to the source gNB-DU.

[0379] In step S1702, the source gNB-DU includes the received the MeasurementReport message in a UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message and transmits it to the gNB-CU.

[0380] In step S1703, after determining the inter-gNB-DU mobility of the UE, the gNB-CU sends the UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU.

[0381] This message may include a Measurement ID. The Measurement ID is the measurement ID (e.g. gNB-CU Measurement ID and / or gNB-DU Measurement ID) that the gNB-CU used when requesting the source gNB-DU to measure the UE energy consumption of a specific UE (e.g. via the Resource Status Report Initiation procedure).

[0382] Upon receiving the Measurement ID, the source gNB-DU may provide the gNB-CU with information related to the UE energy consumption of the corresponding UE. One of the following messages may be used to provide the gNB-CU with information related to the UE energy consumption.

[0383] In step S1704a, upon receiving the Measurement ID from the gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message to the gNB-CU as a response.

[0384] This message may contain Collected UE Energy Consumption. The Collected UE Energy Consumption may contain the UE energy consumption measured by the source gNB-DU, and may be included by PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0385] In addition, the Collected UE Energy Consumption may contain a start time value, which is the time when the measurement of the UE energy consumption started, and an end time value, which is the time when the measurement ended.

[0386] In step S1704b, when receiving Measurement ID from gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU can send the Collected UE Energy Consumption to the gNB-CU by including it in the RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE, the new F1AP, or the existing F1AP message. Collected UE Energy Consumption can include UE energy consumption measured by the source gNB-DU, and can include it by PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0387] In addition, the Collected UE Energy Consumption can include start time value which is time when measurement of UE energy consumption started and end time value which is time when measurement ended.

[0388] UE ID (e.g. gNB-CU UE F1AP ID and / or gNB-DU UE F1AP ID) can be included to inform UE related to Collected UE Energy Consumption provided by source gNB-DU.

[0389] In step S1705, the gNB-CU stores the received Collected UE Energy Consumption information. The gNB-CU prepares resources for the target gNB-DU by considering the energy consumption of the UE for the UE moving to the target gNB-DU.

[0390] The gNB-CU sends a HandoverPreparationInformation message to the target gNB-DU in the UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message to create a UE context and one or more data bearers in the target gNB-DU.

[0391] This message may include a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication. The Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication may include a request to the target gNB-DU to reduce the energy consumption for the UE. If the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication is received later through a message (e.g., UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST), the existing content may be updated with the received content.

[0392] In step S1706, the target gNB-DU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message to the gNB-CU as a response.

[0393] In step S1707, the gNB-CU may send a RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST message, a new F1AP or an existing F1AP message including a UE Energy Consumption Request, a Report Indication, a UE ID and / or a Collected UE Energy Consumption to the target gNB-DU.

[0394] The target gNB-DU that receives this may store the received information and may update the existing content with the received content when it receives a UE Energy Consumption Request, a Report Indication, a UE ID, and / or a Collected UE Energy Consumption via a subsequent message (e.g. RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST). The UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the target gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for UE. The UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE, for each DRB and / or QoS flow included in a specific PDU session or service, based on QoS flow to DRB mapping information in the PDU session, slice, and UE context. Report Indication may include requesting the target gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU. In addition, Report Indication may include method for the target gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU.

[0395] The reporting method may include and apply one or more of the following:

[0396] - Periodic reporting (report for each period value)

[0397] - Event based reporting (report when an event occurs, examples are below)

[0398] > Per UE level reporting (report when state change occurs, such as CM-IDLE / RRC-Inactive, report when handover occurs)

[0399] > Per PDU session level reporting (report when PDU session release occurs)

[0400] > Per QoS flow level reporting (report when QoS flow release occurs)

[0401] > Per Slice level reporting (report when all PDU sessions associated with the slice are released)

[0402] - Threshold based reporting (report when threshold is met or exceeded)

[0403] - UE's location-based reporting (report when the wireless device is at the cell edge or cell center)

[0404] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting (report when the change in radio condition exceeds a certain value)

[0405] The information that can be included depending on each reporting method described above is as follows.

[0406] - Periodic reporting: reporting cycle value

[0407] - Event based reporting: event indicator or event index

[0408] - Threshold based reporting: one or more threshold value

[0409] - UE's location-based reporting: cell edge indicator and / or cell center indicator

[0410] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting: radio condition variation value

[0411] The UE ID (e.g. gNB-CU UE F1AP ID and / or gNB-DU UE F1AP ID) may be provided to the target gNB-DU to notify the UE that requested measurement and reporting of UE energy consumption. Collected UE Energy Consumption is the information received in step S1704a or step S1704b.

[0412] In step S1708, the target gNB-DU sends a RESOURCE STATUS RESPONSE, a new F1AP, or an existing F1AP message to the gNB-CU in response.

[0413] In step S1709, the gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message including an RRCReconfiguration message to the source gNB-DU to stop the source gNB-DU from transmitting data to the UE and to send the RRCReocnfiguration message generated by the gNB-CU to the UE.

[0414] The source gNB-DU sends a Downlink Data Deliver Status frame to the gNB-CU to inform the gNB-CU about the downlink data that was not successfully transmitted to the UE.

[0415] The UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message may include an End Measurement ID. Upon receiving the End Measurement ID, the source gNB-DU may provide the gNB-CU with measured UE energy consumption-related information considering the data successfully transmitted to the UE since the most recent time (e.g., step S1704a or step S1704b) when it reported the UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU until the UE disconnects the RRC connection.

[0416] In step S1710, the source gNB-DU forwards the received RRCReconfiguration message to the UE. The source gNB-DU can use one of the following messages to provide UE energy consumption related information.

[0417] In step S1711a, when the End Measurement ID is received from the gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message including Collected UE Energy Consumption to the gNB-CU as a response. Upon receiving the Collected UE Energy Consumption, the gNB-CU can update the existing content.

[0418] In step S1711b, upon receiving the End Measurement ID from the gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU can include the Collected UE Energy Consumption and the UE ID in the RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE, a new F1AP, or an existing F1AP message and send it to the gNB-CU. The gNB-CU that receives the Collected UE Energy Consumption can update the existing content.

[0419] In step S1712, the gNB-CU can send Collected UE Energy Consumption to the AMF by including it in the UE STATUS REPORT, new NGAP or existing NGAP message. The UE ID (e.g. AMF UE NGAP ID and / or RAN UE NGAP ID) can be included to indicate that the Collected UE Energy Consumption provided by the gNB-CU is related to a specific UE.

[0420] In step S1713, the gNB-CU can send the Collected UE Energy Consumption and UE ID to the target gNB-DU by including them in the RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST, the new F1AP, or the existing F1AP message. The target gNB-DU, upon receiving this, updates the Collected UE Energy Consumption information for the corresponding UE received in step S1707.

[0421] In step S1714, the target gNB-DU sends a RESOURCE STATUS RESPONSE, a new F1AP, or an existing F1AP message to the gNB-CU in response.

[0422] - In step S1713 and step S1714, UE-associated procedures (e.g. UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST and UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE messages) may be used.

[0423] In step S1715, the terminal performs a Random Access procedure with the target gNB-DU, and the target gNB-DU sends a Downlink Data Delivery Status frame to the gNB-CU.

[0424] In step S1716, the terminal sends an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB-DU in response.

[0425] In step S1717, the target gNB-DU transmits a UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message containing the received RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the gNB-CU.

[0426] In step S1718, the gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMMAND message to the source gNB-DU. If step S1712 was performed, this message may contain the Stop Reporting. Otherwise it does not contain the Stop Reporting.

[0427] In step S1719, the source gNB-DU releases the UE context and sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message to the gNB-CU in response. If the Stop Reporting is received, this message cannot contain Collected UE Energy Consumption. If Stop Reporting is not received, it can contain it.

[0428] In step S1720, if Collected UE Energy Consumption is received through step S1719, the gNB-CU can update the existing content and send it to the AMF by including it in the UE STATUS REPORT, the new NGAP, or the existing NGAP message. The UE ID (e.g. AMF UE NGAP ID and / or RAN UE NGAP ID) can be included to indicate that the Collected UE Energy Consumption provided by the gNB-CU is related to a specific UE. If Collected UE Energy Consumption is not received through step S1719, this step is not performed.

[0429] According to the embodiment 2, when a gNB-DU measuring UE energy consumption changes to another gNB-DU due to movement of a UE after receiving a request for UE energy consumption measurement and report from a CN, a signaling method between a gNB-CU and a source / target gNB-DU is provided to support this.

[0430] The gNB-CU may provide a Measurement ID to the source gNB-DU to obtain UE energy consumption related information from the source gNB-DU.

[0431] The gNB-CU may receive Collected UE Energy Consumption and / or UE ID from the source gNB-DU.

[0432] The gNB-CU may provide a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication to the target gNB-DU to request for reducing energy consumption related to the UE.

[0433] The gNB-CU may provide the target gNB-DU with the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, the UE ID and / or the Collected UE Energy Consumption to prepare resources for a moving UE considering the UE energy consumption related information received from the source gNB-DU, and to request measurement and reporting of the UE energy consumption.

[0434] The gNB-CU may provide the source gNB-DU with the End Measurement ID to obtain the latest UE energy consumption related information from the source gNB-DU and provide it to the target gNB-DU and the AMF.

[0435] When the gNB-CU releases the UE context of the source gNB-DU, if the gNB-CU has provided the UE energy consumption related information to the AMF, the gNB-CU may provide the Stop Reporting to the source gNB-DU to prevent the source gNB-DU from reporting the UE energy consumption related information to the gNB-CU.

[0436] Additionally, the Measurement ID may mean the measurement ID that the gNB-CU previously used when requesting the source gNB-DU to measure the UE energy consumption of a specific UE.

[0437] Additionally, the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication may include requesting the target gNB-DU to reduce the energy consumption for the UE.

[0438] Additionally, the UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the target gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE, and may include requesting measurement of the energy consumption for the UE per PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0439] Additionally, the Report Indication may include requesting the target gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU, and may include multiple ways for the target gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU.

[0440] Additionally, the UE ID may be included to indicate the UE that requested measurement and reporting of UE energy consumption.

[0441] Additionally, the End Measurement ID can be used to obtain information related to UE energy consumption measured by the received source gNB-DU, considering the data successfully transmitted to the terminal from since the most recent report of UE energy consumption to the gNB-CU to when the terminal disconnects the RRC connection.

[0442] Additionally, Collected UE Energy Consumption can include UE energy consumption measured by the source / target gNB-DU, and can be included by PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow, and can include a start time value which is the time when the measurement of UE energy consumption started and an end time value which is the time when the measurement ended.

[0443] > Embodiment 3

[0444] After the base station with CU-DU split receives a request for UE energy consumption measurement and report from the CN, if the gNB-DU measuring the UE energy consumption changes to a gNB-DU belonging to another gNB-CU due to the movement of the UE, the source gNB-CU (the gNB-CU before the change) can provide a Measurement ID to the source gNB-DU to obtain UE energy consumption related information from the source gNB-DU (the gNB-DU before the change) and provide it to the target gNB-CU (the gNB-CU to be changed).

[0445] The Measurement ID is the measurement ID that the source gNB-CU previously used when requesting the source gNB-DU to measure the UE energy consumption of a specific terminal. The source gNB-DU that receives this may provide Collected UE Energy Consumption and UE ID.

[0446] The Collected UE Energy Consumption may include UE energy consumption measured by source gNB-DU, and may be included by PDU session, slice, DRB, and / or QoS flow.

[0447] In addition, the Collected UE Energy Consumption may include a start time value, which is the time when measurement of UE energy consumption started, and an end time value, which is the time when measurement ended. UE ID may be included to notify the terminal related to the Collected UE Energy Consumption provided by the source gNB-DU. The source gNB-CU may provide the Collected UE Energy Consumption received from the source gNB-DU to the target gNB-CU.

[0448] The target gNB-CU may prepare resources for a moving UE by considering the UE energy consumption related information received from the source gNB-CU by the target gNB-DU (the gNB-DU to be changed), and may provide the target gNB-DU with a UE Energy Consumption Request, a Report Indication, a UE ID, and / or a Collected UE Energy Consumption to request measurement and reporting of UE energy consumption.

[0449] The target gNB-CU prepares resources for the moving UE by considering the UE energy consumption related information received from the source gNB-CU by the target gNB-DU (the gNB-DU to be changed). To measure and request reporting of the UE energy consumption, the target gNB-CU may provide the target gNB-DU with the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, the UE ID, and / or the Collected UE Energy Consumption. The Report Indication may include requesting target gNB-DU to report measured UE energy consumption to target gNB-CU.

[0450] In addition, target gNB-DU may include multiple ways to report measured UE energy consumption to the target gNB-CU. The UE ID may be included to indicate the UE that requested measurement and reporting of the UE energy consumption.

[0451] The Collected UE Energy Consumption is information related to the UE energy consumption provided by source gNB-CU. In addition, the target gNB-CU may provide the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication to request the target gNB-DU to reduce energy consumption for UE.

[0452] The source gNB-CU may provide the source gNB-DU with an End Measurement ID in order to obtain the latest UE energy consumption related information from the source gNB-DU and provide it to the target gNB-CU. Upon receiving the End Measurement ID, the source gNB-DU may provide the measured UE energy consumption related information and the UE ID to the source gNB-CU, considering the data successfully transmitted to the UE from the most recent UE energy consumption report to the source gNB-CU until the UE disconnects the RRC connection. The source gNB-CU may provide the target gNB-CU with the UE energy consumption related information received from the source gNB-DU.

[0453] The target gNB-CU may provide the received Collected UE Energy Consumption to the target gNB-DU together with the UE ID to provide the latest UE energy consumption related information to the target gNB-DU and the AMF. In addition, the target gNB-CU may provide the received Collected UE Energy Consumption to the AMF.

[0454] The target gNB-CU may provide the Stop Reporting to the source gNB-CU to prevent the source gNB-CU from providing any more UE energy consumption related information to the CN or the target gNB-CU. The source gNB-CU may provide the received Stop Reporting to the source gNB-DU.

[0455] FIG. 18a, FIG. 18b, and, FIG. 18c show an inter-gNB-CU mobility flow chart for per UE energy consumption support.

[0456] FIG. 18a, FIG. 18b, and, FIG. 18c present a method to support continuous measurement of the UE energy consumption in the changed gNB-DU and reporting of the measurement results to the gNB-CU and CN to which the changed gNB-DU belongs, when the gNB-DU measuring UE energy consumption changes to a gNB-DU belonging to a different gNB-CU due to movement of the UE.

[0457] In step S1801, the UE sends a MeasurementReport message to the source gNB-DU.

[0458] In step S1802, The source gNB-DU includes the received MeasurementReport message in a UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message and transmits it to the source gNB-CU.

[0459] In step S1803, the source gNB-CU, which has decided to handover the UE based on the received MeasurementReport message and RRM information, sends a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU.

[0460] This message may include a Measurement ID. The Measurement ID refers to the measurement ID (e.g., gNB-CU Measurement ID and / or gNB-DU Measurement ID) that the source gNB-CU used to request the source gNB-DU to measure the UE energy consumption of a specific UE (e.g., via the Resource Status Report Initiation procedure).

[0461] The source gNB-DU, which has received the Measurement ID, may provide the source gNB-CU with information related to the UE energy consumption of the corresponding UE. One of the following messages may be used to provide the source gNB-CU with information related to the UE energy consumption.

[0462] In step S1804a, when receiving a Measurement ID from the source gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message to the source gNB-CU as a response. This message may contain the Collected UE Energy Consumption. The Collected UE Energy Consumption may contain the UE energy consumption measured by the source gNB-DU, and may be included by PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow. In addition, the Collected UE Energy Consumption may contain a start time value, which is the time when the measurement of UE energy consumption started, and an end time value, which is the time when the measurement ended.

[0463] In step S1804b, when receiving the Measurement ID from the source gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU can send the Collected UE Energy Consumption to the source gNB-CU by including it in the RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE, the new F1AP, or the existing F1AP message. The Collected UE Energy Consumption can include the UE energy consumption measured by the source gNB-DU, and can be include by PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0464] In addition, the Collected UE Energy Consumption can include the start time value which is time when measurement of UE energy consumption started and end time value which is time when measurement ended.

[0465] The UE ID (e.g. gNB-CU UE F1AP ID and / or gNB-DU UE F1AP ID) can be included to inform UE related to the Collected UE Energy Consumption provided by source gNB-DU.

[0466] In step S1805, the source gNB-CU sends an XnAP HANDOVER REQUEST message to the target gNB-CU. This message may include the Collected UE Energy Consumption. The target gNB-CU may perform resource allocation for the UE performing handover to the target gNB-DU by considering the energy consumption of the UE.

[0467] In step S1806, the target gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message to the target gNB-DU in the target gNB-DU, by storing and considering the received Collected UE Energy Consumption information to create a UE context and one or more data bearers.

[0468] This message may include a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication. The Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication may include a request to the target gNB-DU to reduce energy consumption for the UE. If the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication is received later via a message (e.g., UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST), the existing content may be updated with the received content.

[0469] In step S1807, the target gNB-DU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message to the target gNB-CU in response.

[0470] In step S1808, the target gNB-CU can transmit a RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST message, a new F1AP or an existing F1AP message, including the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, the UE ID and / or the Collected UE Energy Consumption, to the target gNB-DU.

[0471] After receiving this, the target gNB-DU stores the received information. Upon receiving the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, UE the ID, and / or the Collected UE Energy Consumption via a message (e.g. RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST), the target gNB-DU can update the existing content with the received content. The UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the target gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for UE and may include requesting the gNB-DU to measure energy consumption for the UE, for each DRB and / or QoS flow included in a specific PDU session or service, based on QoS flow to DRB mapping information in the PDU session, slice, and UE context.

[0472] The Report Indication may include a request for the target gNB-DU to report the measured UE energy consumption to the target gNB-CU. Additionally, the Report Indication may include a method for the target gNB-DU to report the measured UE energy consumption to the target gNB-CU. The reporting method may include and apply one or more of the following:

[0473] - Periodic reporting (report for each period value)

[0474] - Event based reporting (report when an event occurs, examples are below)

[0475] > Per UE level reporting (report when state change occurs, such as CM-IDLE / RRC-Inactive, report when handover occurs)

[0476] > Per PDU session level reporting (report when PDU session release occurs)

[0477] > Per QoS flow level reporting (report when QoS flow release occurs)

[0478] > Per Slice level reporting (report when all PDU sessions associated with the slice are released)

[0479] - Threshold based reporting (report when threshold is met or exceeded)

[0480] - UE's location-based reporting (report when the wireless device is at the cell edge or cell center)

[0481] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting (report when the change in radio condition exceeds a certain value)

[0482] The information that can be included depending on each reporting method described above is as follows.

[0483] - Periodic reporting: reporting cycle value

[0484] - Event based reporting: event indicator or event index

[0485] - Threshold based reporting: one or more threshold value

[0486] - UE's location-based reporting: cell edge indicator and / or cell center indicator

[0487] - UE's radio condition variation-based reporting: radio condition variation value

[0488] The UE ID (e.g. gNB-CU UE F1AP ID and / or gNB-DU UE F1AP ID) may be provided to the target gNB-DU to notify the UE that requested measurement and reporting of the UE energy consumption. The Collected UE Energy Consumption is the information received in step S1805.

[0489] In step S1809, the target gNB-DU sends a RESOURCE STATUS RESPONSE, a new F1AP or an existing F1AP message to the target gNB-CU as response.

[0490] In step S1810, the target gNB-CU sends an XnAP HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message including an RRC message to be sent to UE to perform a UE handover to the source gNB-CU.

[0491] In step S1811, the source gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message including an RRCReconfiguration message to the source gNB-DU to stop the source gNB-DU from transmitting data to the UE and to send an RRCReocnfiguration message including information required to access the target gNB-DU to the UE.

[0492] This message may include an End Measurement ID. The source gNB-DU that receives the End Measurement ID may provide the source gNB-CU with the measured UE energy consumption-related information considering data successfully transmitted to the UE since the latest time when it reports UE energy consumption to the source gNB-CU (e.g., step S1804a or step S1804b) until the UE disconnects the RRC connection.

[0493] In step S1812, the source gNB-DU forwards the received RRCReconfiguration message to the UE. The source gNB-DU may use one of the following messages to provide UE energy consumption related information.

[0494] In step S1813a, when the source gNB-DU receives the End Measurement ID from the source gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message including the Collected UE Energy Consumption to the source gNB-CU as a response.

[0495] In step S1813b, when the source gNB-DU receives the End Measurement ID from the source gNB-CU, the source gNB-DU may include the Collected UE Energy Consumption and the UE ID in a RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE, a new F1AP, or an existing F1AP message and send them to the source gNB-CU.

[0496] In step S1814, the source gNB-CU sends the SN STATUS TRANSFER message to the target gNB-CU to convey the uplink PDCP SN receiver status and the downlink PDCP SN transmitter status to the target gNB-CU. This message may include the Collected UE Energy Consumption received from the source gNB-DU to provide to the target gNB-DU.

[0497] In step S1815, the target gNB-CU that receives the Collected UE Energy Consumption may update the existing content and transmit it to the target gNB-DU by including it in the RESOURCE STATUS REQUEST, a new F1AP or an existing F1AP message along with the UE ID. The target gNB-DU that receives this updates the Collected UE Energy Consumption information for the corresponding UE received in step S1808.

[0498] In step S1816, the target gNB-DU sends a RESOURCE STATUS RESPONSE, a new F1AP or an existing F1AP message to the target gNB-CU in response.

[0499] - In step S1815 and step S1816, UE-associated procedures (e.g., UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST and UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE messages) may be used.

[0500] In step S1817, the UE performs a Random Access procedure with the target gNB-DU.

[0501] In step S1818, the UE sends a RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB-DU in response.

[0502] In step S1819, the target gNB-DU transmits an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message including received an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB-CU.

[0503] In step S1820, the target gNB-CU sends a PATH SWITCH REQUEST message to the AMF to request 5GC to switch downlink data path to the target gNB-CU and establish NG-C interface to the target gNB-CU. This message may include the Collected UE Energy Consumption.

[0504] In step S1821, the target gNB-CU receives the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message from AMF.

[0505] In step S1822, the target gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE message to the source gNB-CU to inform the source gNB-CU of the successful handover of the UE. This message may include the Stop Reporting to indicate that the source gNB-CU will no longer provide the UE energy consumption related information to the CN or the target gNB-CU.

[0506] In step S1823, the source gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMMAND message to the source gNB-DU. This message may include the Stop Reporting. Upon receiving this, the source gNB-DU does not report the Collected UE Energy Consumption for the handover UE to the source gNB-CU.

[0507] In step S1824, the source gNB-DU releases the UE context and sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message to the gNB-CU in response.

[0508] According to the embodiment 3, when a gNB-DU measuring the UE energy consumption changes to a gNB-DU belonging to another gNB-CU due to movement of a terminal after receiving a request for measuring and reporting the UE energy consumption from a CN, a signaling method between a source gNB-CU and a source gNB-DU, a target gNB-CU and a target gNB-DU, and a source gNB-CU and a target gNB-CU is provided to support this.

[0509] The target gNB-CU can receive the Collected UE Energy Consumption from the source gNB-CU.

[0510] The target gNB-CU can provide a Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication to request the target gNB-DU to reduce the energy consumption for the terminal.

[0511] The target gNB-CU may provide the target gNB-DU with the UE Energy Consumption Request, the Report Indication, the UE ID and / or the Collected UE Energy Consumption to prepare resources for a moving UE considering the UE energy consumption related information received from the source gNB-CU, and to request measurement and reporting of the UE energy consumption.

[0512] The target gNB-CU may provide the Collected UE Energy Consumption to the AMF.

[0513] When the target gNB-CU releases the UE context of the source gNB-CU, the target gNB-CU may provide the Stop Reporting to the source gNB-CU to prevent the source gNB-CU from reporting the UE energy consumption related information to the AMF or the target gNB-CU.

[0514] Additionally, the Decreasing UE Energy Consumption Indication may include requesting the target gNB-DU to reduce the energy consumption for the UE.

[0515] Additionally, the UE Energy Consumption Request may include requesting the target gNB-DU to measure the energy consumption for the UE, and may include requesting measurement of the energy consumption for the UE per PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow.

[0516] Additionally, the Report Indication may include requesting the target gNB-DU to report the measured UE energy consumption to the target gNB-CU, and may include multiple ways for the target gNB-DU to report the measured UE energy consumption to the target gNB-CU.

[0517] Additionally, the UE ID may be included to indicate the terminal that requested the measurement and report of the UE energy consumption.

[0518] Additionally, the Collected UE Energy Consumption may include the UE energy consumption provided by the source gNB-CU or measured by the target gNB-DU, and may be included per PDU session, slice, DRB and / or QoS flow, and may include a start time value, which is the time when the measurement of the UE energy consumption started, and an end time value, which is the time when the measurement ended.

[0519] Some of the detailed steps shown in the examples of FIGS. 15 - 18 may not be essential steps and may be omitted. In addition to the steps shown in FIGS. 15 - 18, other steps may be added, and the order of the steps may vary. Some of the above steps may have their own technical meaning.

[0520] Hereinafter, a RAN node for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, will be described.

[0521] The RAN node may be the gNB in FIG. 7. The RAN node may include a Central Unit (CU) and at least one Distributed Unit (DU).

[0522] A Central Unit (CU) of a first Radio Access Network (RAN) node may include at least one transceiver, at least one memory, and at least one processor operatively coupled to the at least one transceiver and the at least one memory.

[0523] The at least one memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, perform operations comprising.

[0524] The operations comprises: receiving, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device; transmitting, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; and receiving, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report, wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

[0525] For example, the operations further comprise: transmitting, to the core network, a fourth message including the energy consumption report.

[0526] For example, the second message includes an identity of the wireless device for which the energy consumption measurements is performed.

[0527] For example, the third message includes an identity of the wireless device related to the energy consumption report.

[0528] For example, the operations further comprise: transmitting, to the DU, a decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device to reduce energy consumption of the wireless device.

[0529] For example, the second message includes information related to at least one reporting method for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0530] For example, the at least one reporting method includes at least one of i) periodic reporting, ii) reporting based on at least one reporting event, iii) reporting based on a threshold, iv) reporting based on a location of the wireless device, and v) reporting based on a radio condition variation of the wireless device.

[0531] For example, the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device per protocol data unit (PDU) session, per slice, per data radio bearer (DRB), and / or per quality of service (QoS) flow.

[0532] For example, the energy consumption report includes i) information related to a start time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device and / or ii) information related to an end time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0533] For example, the first message includes an initial context setup request message.

[0534] For example, the second message includes a resource status request message.

[0535] For example, the third message includes a resource status update message.

[0536] For example, the fourth message includes a UE statue report message.

[0537] For example, the wireless device is in communication with at least one of a user equipment, a network, or an autonomous vehicle other than the wireless device.

[0538] Hereinafter, a processor for a Central Unit (CU) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) node for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, will be described.

[0539] The processor may be adapted to control the CU to perform operations. The operations comprises: receiving, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device; transmitting, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; and receiving, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report, wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

[0540] For example, the operations further comprise: transmitting, to the core network, a fourth message including the energy consumption report.

[0541] For example, the second message includes an identity of the wireless device for which the energy consumption measurements is performed.

[0542] For example, the third message includes an identity of the wireless device related to the energy consumption report.

[0543] For example, the operations further comprise: transmitting, to the DU, a decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device to reduce energy consumption of the wireless device.

[0544] For example, the second message includes information related to at least one reporting method for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0545] For example, the at least one reporting method includes at least one of i) periodic reporting, ii) reporting based on at least one reporting event, iii) reporting based on a threshold, iv) reporting based on a location of the wireless device, and v) reporting based on a radio condition variation of the wireless device.

[0546] For example, the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device per protocol data unit (PDU) session, per slice, per data radio bearer (DRB), and / or per quality of service (QoS) flow.

[0547] For example, the energy consumption report includes i) information related to a start time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device and / or ii) information related to an end time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0548] For example, the first message includes an initial context setup request message.

[0549] For example, the second message includes a resource status request message.

[0550] For example, the third message includes a resource status update message.

[0551] For example, the fourth message includes a UE statue report message.

[0552] For example, the wireless device is in communication with at least one of a user equipment, a network, or an autonomous vehicle other than the wireless device.

[0553] Hereinafter, a non-transitory computer-readable medium has stored thereon a plurality of instructions for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, will be described.

[0554] According to some embodiment of the present disclosure, the technical features of the present disclosure could be embodied directly in hardware, in a software executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. For example, a method performed by a wireless device in a wireless communication may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. For example, a software may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other storage medium.

[0555] Some example of storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. For another example, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components.

[0556] The computer-readable medium may include a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0557] For example, non-transitory computer-readable media may include random access memory (RAM) such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), FLASH memory, magnetic or optical data storage media, or any other medium that can be used to store instructions or data structures. Non-transitory computer-readable media may also include combinations of the above.

[0558] In addition, the method described herein may be realized at least in part by a computer-readable communication medium that carries or communicates code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed, read, and / or executed by a computer.

[0559] According to some embodiment of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium has stored thereon a plurality of instructions.

[0560] When executed by a processor of a Central Unit (CU) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, cause the CU to perform operations, the operations comprising.

[0561] The operations comprises: receiving, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device; transmitting, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; and receiving, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report, wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

[0562] For example, the operations further comprise: transmitting, to the core network, a fourth message including the energy consumption report.

[0563] For example, the second message includes an identity of the wireless device for which the energy consumption measurements is performed.

[0564] For example, the third message includes an identity of the wireless device related to the energy consumption report.

[0565] For example, the operations further comprise: transmitting, to the DU, a decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device to reduce energy consumption of the wireless device.

[0566] For example, the second message includes information related to at least one reporting method for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0567] For example, the at least one reporting method includes at least one of i) periodic reporting, ii) reporting based on at least one reporting event, iii) reporting based on a threshold, iv) reporting based on a location of the wireless device, and v) reporting based on a radio condition variation of the wireless device.

[0568] For example, the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device per protocol data unit (PDU) session, per slice, per data radio bearer (DRB), and / or per quality of service (QoS) flow.

[0569] For example, the energy consumption report includes i) information related to a start time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device and / or ii) information related to an end time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.

[0570] For example, the first message includes an initial context setup request message.

[0571] For example, the second message includes a resource status request message.

[0572] For example, the third message includes a resource status update message.

[0573] For example, the fourth message includes a UE statue report message.

[0574] For example, the wireless device is in communication with at least one of a user equipment, a network, or an autonomous vehicle other than the wireless device.

[0575] Hereinafter, a method performed by a wireless device for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, will be described.

[0576] The wireless device may receive, from the DU, a radio resource control setup message. The wireless device may transmit, to the DU, a radio resource control setup complete message. The DU receives, from a CU of the RAN node, a first message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device. The DU transmits, from a CU of the RAN node, a second message including an energy consumption report. The energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

[0577] Hereinafter, an apparatus for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, will be described.

[0578] The wireless device may include a transceiver, a memory, and a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory. For example, the wireless device may be the first wireless device 100 or the second wireless device 200 of FIGS. 2 and 3, or the UE 100 of FIG. 4.

[0579] The processor may be configured to control the wireless device to receive, from the DU, a radio resource control setup message. The processor may be configured to control the wireless device to transmit, to the DU, a radio resource control setup complete message. The DU receives, from a CU of the RAN node, a first message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device. The DU transmits, from a CU of the RAN node, a second message including an energy consumption report. The energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

[0580] The present disclosure can have various advantageous effects.

[0581] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the radio access network (RAN) node in disaggregated architecture could efficiently perform signaling for energy consumption measurements.

[0582] For example, when a base station with Central Unit (CU)- Distributed Unit (DU) split receives a request for User Equipment (UE) energy consumption measurement and report from a Core Network (CN), gNB-CU requests gNB-DU to measure UE energy consumption, informs gNB-DU of the report method, and enables gNB-DU to report the measurement result.

[0583] Even if the serving gNB-DU or serving gNB-CU changes due to the movement of the UE, measurement and report of UE energy consumption can be continuously performed.

[0584] Thus, CN can obtain UE energy consumption related information without interruption. Through this, CN can provide energy dependent service more efficiently by considering the energy consumption information of the UE.

[0585] For example, UE energy consumption measurement can be performed efficiently between a gNB-DU and a gNB-CU.

[0586] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wireless network system could provide efficient solutions for energy consumption measurements in disaggregated architecture.

[0587] Advantageous effects which can be obtained through specific embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the advantageous effects listed above. For example, there may be a variety of technical effects that a person having ordinary skill in the related art can understand and / or derive from the present disclosure. Accordingly, the specific effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those explicitly described herein, but may include various effects that may be understood or derived from the technical features of the present disclosure.

[0588] Claims in the present disclosure can be combined in a various way. For instance, technical features in method claims of the present disclosure can be combined to be implemented or performed in an apparatus, and technical features in apparatus claims can be combined to be implemented or performed in a method. Further, technical features in method claim(s) and apparatus claim(s) can be combined to be implemented or performed in an apparatus. Further, technical features in method claim(s) and apparatus claim(s) can be combined to be implemented or performed in a method. Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1.A method, comprising:receiving, by a central unit (CU) of a radio access network (RAN) node from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device;transmitting, by the CU to a distributed unit (DU) of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; andreceiving, by the CU from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.2.The method of claim 1, further comprising:transmitting, by the CU to the core network, a fourth message including the energy consumption report.3.The method of claim 1,wherein the second message includes an identity of the wireless device for which the energy consumption measurements is performed.4.The method of claim 1,wherein the third message includes an identity of the wireless device related to the energy consumption report.5.The method of claim 1, further comprising:transmitting, by the CU to the DU, a decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device to reduce energy consumption of the wireless device.6.The method of claim 1,wherein the second message includes information related to at least one reporting method for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.7.The method of claim 6,wherein the at least one reporting method includes at least one of i) periodic reporting, ii) reporting based on at least one reporting event, iii) reporting based on a threshold, iv) reporting based on a location of the wireless device, and v) reporting based on a radio condition variation of the wireless device.8.The method of claim 1,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device per protocol data unit (PDU) session, per slice, per data radio bearer (DRB), and / or per quality of service (QoS) flow.9.The method of claim 1,wherein the energy consumption report includes i) information related to a start time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device and / or ii) information related to an end time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.10.The method of claim 1,wherein the first message includes an initial context setup request message.11.The method of claim 1,wherein the second message includes a resource status request message.12.The method of claim 1,wherein the third message includes a resource status update message.13.The method of claim 2,wherein the fourth message includes a UE statue report message.14.The method of claim 1,wherein the wireless device is in communication with at least one of a user equipment, a network, or an autonomous vehicle other than the wireless device.15.A Central Unit (CU) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, comprising:at least one transceiver;at least one processor; andat least one memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and the at least one transceiver, and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, perform operations comprising:receiving, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device;transmitting, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; andreceiving, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.16.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprising:transmitting, to the core network, a fourth message including the energy consumption report.17.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the second message includes an identity of the wireless device for which the energy consumption measurements is performed.18.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the third message includes an identity of the wireless device related to the energy consumption report.19.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprising:transmitting, to the DU, a decreasing UE energy consumption indication for the wireless device to reduce energy consumption of the wireless device.20.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the second message includes information related to at least one reporting method for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.21.The CU of the RAN node of claim 20,wherein the at least one reporting method includes at least one of i) periodic reporting, ii) reporting based on at least one reporting event, iii) reporting based on a threshold, iv) reporting based on a location of the wireless device, and v) reporting based on a radio condition variation of the wireless device.22.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device per protocol data unit (PDU) session, per slice, per data radio bearer (DRB), and / or per quality of service (QoS) flow.23.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the energy consumption report includes i) information related to a start time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device and / or ii) information related to an end time point of the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device.24.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the first message includes an initial context setup request message.25.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the second message includes a resource status request message.26.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the third message includes a resource status update message.27.The CU of the RAN node of claim 16,wherein the fourth message includes a UE statue report message.28.The CU of the RAN node of claim 15,wherein the wireless device is in communication with at least one of a user equipment, a network, or an autonomous vehicle other than the wireless device.29.A processor for a Central Unit (CU) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) node in a wireless communication system, wherein the processor is adapted to control the CU to perform operations comprising:receiving, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device;transmitting, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; andreceiving, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.30.A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a processor of a Central Unit (CU) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, cause the CU to perform operations, the operations comprising,receiving, from a core network, a first message including a configuration related to energy consumption measurements for a wireless device;transmitting, to a DU of the RAN node, a second message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; andreceiving, from the DU, a third message including an energy consumption report,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.31.A method, comprising:transmitting, by a wireless device to a DU of a RAN node, a radio resource control setup request message;receiving, by the wireless device from the DU, a radio resource control setup message; andtransmitting, by the wireless device to the DU, a radio resource control setup complete message,wherein the DU receives, from a CU of the RAN node, a first message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; andwherein the DU transmits, from a CU of the RAN node, a second message including an energy consumption report,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.32.A wireless device, comprising:at least one transceiver;at least one processor; andat least one memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, perform operations comprising:transmitting, to a DU of a RAN node, a radio resource control setup request message;receiving, from the DU, a radio resource control setup message; andtransmitting, to the DU, a radio resource control setup complete message,wherein the DU receives, from a CU of the RAN node, a first message including a request for the energy consumption measurements for the wireless device; andwherein the DU transmits, from a CU of the RAN node, a second message including an energy consumption report,wherein the energy consumption report includes measurement results related to energy consumption for the wireless device.

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