Activating and deactivating l1 event triggered configurations at the ue

Abstract

Embodiments of a method in a user equipment (UE) for transmitting a lower layer measurement report to a first network node. The UE receives, from the first network node, a lower layer measurement configuration which comprises one or more triggering conditions. The UE receives, from the first network node, a lower layer signaling which includes a triggering condition identifier that is associated with a lower layer measurement configuration. The UE performs lower layer measurement according to the lower layer measurement configuration associated with the triggering condition identifier, and transmits a lower layer measurement report when one or more triggering conditions are fulfilled.

Description

Activating and deactivating L1 event triggered configurations at the UE Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to network management, and in particular to activating and deactivating L1 event triggered configurations at the UE. Background

[0002] LTM is a procedure in which a gNB receives L1 measurement report(s) from a UE (which may also be called LTM lower layer measurements or LTM report), and on their basis the gNB changes UE’s serving cell by a cell switch command signalled via a MAC CE. The cell switch command indicates an LTM candidate cell configuration that the gNB previously prepared and provided to the UE through RRC signalling. Then the UE switches to the target cell according to the cell switch command [1].

[0003] When configured by the network, it is possible to activate TCI states of one or multiple cells that are different from the current serving cell i.e. activate (pre- activate) the TCI state(s) of an LTM candidate cell. For instance, the TCI states of the LTM candidate cells can be activated in advance before any of those cells become the serving cell (that is why this may be called pre-activation of a TCI state of an LTM candidate cell or activation of a Candidate TCI state of an LTM candidate cell. This allows the UE to be Downlink (DL) synchronized with those cells, thereby facilitating a faster cell switch to one of those cells when cell switch is triggered.

[0004] The overall procedure for conventional LTM is shown in Figure 1.

[0005] Referring to FIG.1, the procedure for LTM is as follows.

[0006] Step 1: The UE sends a MeasurementReport message to the gNB. The gNB decides to configure LTM and initiates candidate cell(s) preparation.

[0007] Step 2: The gNB transmits an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE including the LTM candidate cell configurations of one or multiple candidate cells.

[0008] Step 4: The UE stores the LTM candidate cell configurations and transmits an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the gNB.

[0009] Steps 4a and 4b: The UE may optionally perform an early synchronization procedure to synchronize with downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) signaling of the candidate cell(s).

[0010] Step 5: The UE performs L1 measurements on the configured candidate cell(s) and transmits L1 measurement reports to the gNB. L1 measurement should be performed as long as RRC reconfiguration (step 2) is applicable.

[0011] Step 6: The gNB decides to execute cell switch to a target cell and transmits a MAC CE triggering cell switch by including the candidate configuration index of the target cell. The UE switches to the target cell and applies the configuration indicated by candidate configuration index.

[0012] Step 7: The UE performs the random access procedure towards the target cell, if UE does not have valid TA of the target cell. The UE performs CFRA if the LTM cell switch command MAC CE contains information for CFRA.

[0013] Step 9: The UE completes the LTM cell switch procedure by sending RRCReconfigurationComplete message to target cell. If the UE has performed a RA procedure in step 7 the UE considers that LTM cell switch execution is successfully completed when the random access procedure is successfully completed. For RACH- less LTM, the UE considers that LTM cell switch execution is successfully completed when the UE determines that the network has successfully received its first UL data. The UE determines successful reception of its first UL data by receiving a PDCCH addressing the UE’s C-RNTI in the target cell, which schedules a new transmission following the first UL data. The PDCCH carries either a DL assignment or an UL grant addressing the same HARQ process as the first UL data.

[0014] There currently exist certain challenges. To assist the network to trigger an LTM Cell Switch or an early synchronization procedure, the UE is configured to transmit L1 measurement (LTM lower layer reports) including lower layermeasurements on beams (e.g. SSBs) of one or more LTM candidate cells. Thanks to these reports, the network determines the LTM candidate cell and the beam (e.g., corresponding TCI state identity) to indicate in the LTM Cell Switch command or the TCI state to activate at the UE, or to which LTM candidate cell to trigger an early UL synchronization procedure.

[0015] In the LTM functionality specified in Rel-18, LTM lower layer reports are configured in an LTM reporting configuration (LTM-CSI-ReportConfig IE) as periodic, semi-persistent on PUCCH, semi-persistent on PUSCH, or aperiodic. On the other hand, in Rel-19, one of the objectives that will be specified is L1 reporting based on events. In such a case, the UE will evaluate a certain even and if the event is fulfilled a L1 measurement report is sent by the UE to the network. However, according to the current signaling, it is not straightforward to standardize this solution and different problems needs to be addressed.

[0016] One problem is given by the number of reporting configurations that can be configured at the UE. Even if is possible to configure a maximum number of LTM-CSI- ReportingConfig of 48, a UE is only capable of supporting a maximum of 4 of such configurations. In this case, it may not be possible for the network to configure the necessary event for the UE without decreasing the number of reporting which are not linked to any events.

[0017] A further problem is given by the fact that different candidate cells may require the configuration of different events and different type of configurations, parameters, or fields, which are part of each event. This basically means that the signalling overhead and the amount of configuration to be generated by the network and transferred to the UE is quite high. In case the configuration to be sent to the UE is particularly large (e.g., larger than the PDCP PDU size limitation), it may be necessary to segment such configurations over one of the layers of the protocol stack (e.g., RRC, RLC, PDPC, or MAC) and this may also increase the chances of failure or packets being lost.Summary

[0018] Certain aspects of this disclosure may provide solutions to these or other The methods provided in the following disclosure aims at providing higher flexibility in configuring event-triggered L1 measurements at the UE without increasing the signalling overhead. Also, the target is to provide such flexibility without exceeded the current UE capability on the maximum number of reports supported.

[0019] This increases the chances for the network to configure for each candidate cell different events and different configurations, fields, parameters for each event. Having this high flexibility will make more meaningful measurement result available at the network which will be able to take better decisions regarding a possible LTM cell switch or early synchronization procedure.

[0020] Accordingly, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a method performed by a User Equipment (UE), for transmitting a lower layer measurement report to a first network node. The method comprises: ^ receiving, from the first network node, a lower layer measurement configuration which comprises one or more triggering conditions; ^ receiving, from the first network node, a lower layer signaling which includes a triggering condition identifier that is associated with a lower layer measurement configuration; ^ performing lower layer measurement according to the lower layer measurement configuration associated with the triggering condition identifier; and ^ transmitting a lower layer measurement report when one or more triggering conditions are fulfilled.

[0021] In some embodiments, one or more of the triggering conditions are associated to one or more LTM candidate cell configurations.

[0022] In some embodiments, the triggering condition comprises one or more of: ^ an event condition identifier;^ a triggering condition configuration identifier; ^ one or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; and ^ one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition.

[0023] In some embodiments, the one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition, comprises any one or more of: ^ a trigger quantity; ^ an offset value; ^ one or more reporting quantities; and ^ a time to trigger value;

[0024] In some embodiments, the triggering condition is indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration as a Report type indication. In some embodiments, the Report type indication comprises any one of: Periodic; Semi-persistent on PUCCH; Semi-persistent on PUSCH; Aperiodic; and Triggering condition.

[0025] In some embodiments, within one lower layer measurement configuration, the UE receives a lower layer reporting configuration which comprises one type of report for the lower layer measurement and whether a triggering condition is indicated.

[0026] In some embodiments, the triggering condition is indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration together with a report type indication. This means that when e.g., an LTM-CSI-ReportConfig IE, the triggering condition comprises the LTM- CSI-ReportConfig information element including a Report type and a triggering condition. In some embodiments, the Report type indication comprises any one of: Periodic; Semi-persistent on PUCCH; Semi-persistent on PUSCH; and Aperiodic.

[0027] In some embodiments, within one lower layer measurement configuration, the UE receives a lower layer reporting configuration which comprises one report type and a triggering condition.

[0028] In some embodiments, the triggering condition is indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration as a lower layer triggering reporting configuration.

[0029] In some embodiments, within one lower layer measurement configuration, the UE receives one or more lower layer reporting configurations and one or more triggering condition configurations.

[0030] In some embodiments, the UE receives one or more triggering conditions, the number of triggering conditions being in accordance with permutations of different values that each configuration, field, parameter, or ASN.1 structure.

[0031] In some embodiments, the UE receives the lower layer signaling to indicate a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement, the lower layer signaling comprising one or more of: a triggering condition configuration identifier; a lower layer measurement configuration identifier; a value to be used for one or more of the Configurations, Parameters, fields, ASN.1 structures within the indicated triggering condition configuration; an LTM candidate cell identifier; and an event condition identifier.

[0032] In some embodiments, the UE receives one or more triggering conditions associated to one or more LTM candidate cells.

[0033] In some embodiments, the lower layer signaling is a MAC CE, a L1 signaling (DCI), or an RRC message.

[0034] In some embodiments, the indication of a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement is indicated within an LTM cell switch command.

[0035] In some embodiments, the UE applies default event ID(s) before receiving the lower layer signaling indication for event activation.

[0036] In some embodiments, the UE is configured with a list of events and default event ID(s) to apply from the list of events in the LTM CSI report configuration, and wherein each event ID configuration comprises: ^ an event condition identifier;^ a triggering condition configuration identifier; ^ one or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; ^ one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition; and ^ event IDs to activate or evaluate after the current event is triggered

[0037] In some embodiments,: ^ the UE measures the LTM measurements in accordance with the default event ID(s); and ^ when the trigger condition for at least one default event ID is met, the UE sends the measurement report and determines a next set of event(s) to activate or evaluate.

[0038] A further aspect of the present disclosure provides a method performed by a first network node for receiving a lower layer measurement report from a User Equipment (UE). The method comprises: ^ transmitting, to the UE, a lower layer measurement configuration which comprises one or more triggering conditions; ^ transmitting, to the UE, a lower layer signaling which includes a triggering condition identifier that is associated with a lower layer measurement configuration; and ^ receiving, from the UE, a lower layer measurement report in accordance with the lower layer measurement configuration and the lower layer signaling.

[0039] In some embodiments, the event triggering condition comprises one or more of: ^ an event condition identifier; ^ a triggering condition configuration identifier;^ one or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; and ^ one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition.

[0040] In some embodiments, the triggering condition is indicated to the UE within a lower layer measurement configuration according to one or more of: ^ a report type; ^ a lower layer measurement configuration together with a report type; and ^ a lower layer triggering reporting configuration.

[0041] In some embodiments, the first network node sends to the UE a lower layer signaling to indicate a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement, the lower layer signaling comprising one or more of: ^ a triggering condition configuration identifier; ^ a lower layer measurement configuration identifier; ^ a value to be used for one or more of the Configurations, Parameters, fields, ASN.1 structures within the indicated triggering condition configuration; ^ a LTM candidate cell identifier; and ^ an event condition identifier.

[0042] In some embodiments, the lower layer signaling sent to the UE is any one of a MAC CE, a L1 signaling (DCI), or an RRC message.

[0043] In some embodiments, the indication to the UE of a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement is indicated within an LTM cell switch command.

[0044] In some embodiments, the first network node configures a default event ID.

[0045] Some embodiment further comprise configuring a next set of events to activate in the event configuration.

[0046] Embodiments of a user equipment (UE) an a network node are also disclosed.

[0047] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). The methods proposed in the following disclosure allow the network to configure for each candidate cell different events and different configurations, fields, parameters for each event. Having this high flexibility will make more meaningful measurement results available at the network which will be able to take better decisions regarding a possible LTM cell switch or early synchronization procedure. The teachings of certain embodiments may improve UE performance by reducing delay and service interruption associated with inter-cell handover.

[0048] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0049] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain principles of the disclosure.

[0050] Figure 1 is a flowchart showing principal steps in a conventional LTM process;

[0051] FIG.2 is a flowchart showing principal steps in an example method in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0052] FIGs.3A-3C are block diagrams illustrating respective MAC-CE structures in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0053] FIG.4 is a flowchart showing principal steps in an example method in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0054] FIG.5 shows an example of a communication system 500 in accordance with some embodiments;

[0055] FIG.6 shows a UE in accordance with some embodiments;

[0056] FIG.7 shows a network node 700 in accordance with some embodiments;

[0057] FIG.8 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 800 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. Detailed Description

[0058] The embodiments set forth below represent information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure.

[0059] At least some of the following abbreviations and terms may be used in this disclosure. ^ 2D Two Dimensional ^ 3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project ^ 5G Fifth Generation ^ AAS Antenna Array System ^ AoA Angle of Arrival ^ AoD Angle of Departure ^ ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit ^ BF Beamforming ^ BLER Block Error Rate ^ BW Beamwidth ^ CPU Central Processing Unit ^ CSI Channel State Information ^ dB Decibel ^ DCI Downlink Control Information ^ DFT Discrete Fourier Transform ^ DSP Digital Signal Processor^ eNB Enhanced or Evolved Node B ^ FIR Finite Impulse Response ^ FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array ^ gNB New Radio Base Station ^ ICC Information Carrying Capacity ^ IIR Infinite Impulse Response ^ LTE Long Term Evolution ^ MIMO Multiple Input Multiple Output ^ MME Mobility Management Entity ^ MMSE Minimum Mean Square Error ^ MTC Machine Type Communication ^ NR New Radio ^ OTT Over-the-Top ^ PBCH Physical Broadcast Channel ^ PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel ^ PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel ^ P-GW Packet Data Network Gateway ^ RAM Random Access Memory ^ ROM Read Only Memory ^ RRC Radio Resource Control ^ RRH Remote Radio Head ^ SCEF Service Capability Exposure Function ^ SINR Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio ^ TBS Transmission Block Size ^ UE User Equipment ^ ULA Uniform Linear Array ^ URA Uniform Rectangular Array

[0060] Radio Node: As used herein, a “radio node” is either a radio access node or a wireless device.

[0061] Radio Access Node: As used herein, a “radio access node” or “radio network node” is any node in a radio access network of a cellular communications network that operates to wirelessly transmit and / or receive signals. Some examples of a radio access node include, but are not limited to, a base station (e.g., a New Radio (NR) base station (gNB) in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) NR network or an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNB) in a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) network), a high-power or macro base station, a low-power base station (e.g., a micro base station, a pico base station, a home eNB, or the like), and a relay node.

[0062] Core Network Node: As used herein, a “core network node” is any type of node in a core network. Some examples of a core network node include, e.g., a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), or the like.

[0063] Wireless Device: As used herein, a “wireless device” is any type of device that has access to (i.e., is served by) a cellular communications network by wirelessly transmitting (and / or receiving) signals to (and / or from) a radio access node. Some examples of a wireless device include, but are not limited to, a User Equipment device (UE) in a 3GPP network and a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device.

[0064] Network Node: As used herein, a “network node” is any node that is either part of the radio access network or the core network of a cellular communications network / system.

[0065] Cell: As used herein, a “cell” is a combination of radio resources (such as, for example, antenna port allocation, time and frequency) that a wireless device may use to exchange radio signals with a radio access node, which may be referred to as a host node or a serving node of the cell. However, it is important to note that beams may be used instead of cells, particularly with respect to 5G NR. As such, it should beappreciated that the techniques described herein are equally applicable to both cells and beams.

[0066] Note that references in this disclosure to various technical standards (such as 3GPP TS 38.211 V15.1.0 (2018-03) and 3GPP TS 38.214 V15.1.0 (2018-03), for example) should be understood to refer to the specific version(s) of such standard(s) that is(were) current at the time the present application was filed, and may also refer to applicable counterparts and successors of such versions.

[0067] The description herein focuses on a 3GPP cellular communications system and, as such, 3GPP terminology or terminology similar to 3GPP terminology is oftentimes used. However, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to a 3GPP system.

[0068] The text refers to the term “L1 / L2 based inter-cell mobility” as used in the Work Item Description in 3GPP, though it interchangeably also uses the terms L1 / L2 mobility, L1-mobility, L1 based mobility, L1 / L2-centric inter-cell mobility, L1 / L2 inter-cell mobility L1 / L2-Triggered Mobility, Lower-layer triggered Mobility or LTM. The basic principle is that the UE receives a lower layer signaling from the network indicating to the UE a change (or switch or activation) of its serving cell (e.g. change of PCell, from a source to a target Pcell), wherein a lower layer signaling is a message / signaling of a lower layer protocol, which may be referred as a L1 / L2 inter-cell mobility execution command or LTM cell switch command. The change of serving cell (e.g. change of Pcell) may also lead to a change in Scell(s) for the same cell group e.g. in case the command triggers the UE to change to another cell group configuration of the same type (e.g. another MCG configuration). Before the UE receives the LTM cell switch command, the UE is configured by the network with one or more LTM candidate cell configurations (e.g. reception of an RRC Reconfiguration message, with at least one LTM candidate cell configuration) A LTM candidate cell configuration may include parameters in the IE CellGroupConfig per candidate cell and / or an embedded RRC Reconfiguration per LTM candidate cell.

[0069] The term LTM cell switch procedure refers to the process of a UE switching (or changing) its cell from a source cell to a target cell (which may be called here an LTM candidate cell or a neighbour cell), using L1 / L2-triggered mobility (aLTM). In the context of L1 / L2-triggered mobility (LTM), an LTM cell switch procedure may sometimes also be known as L1 / L2 based inter-cell mobility execution, LTM execution, dynamic switch, LTM switch, (LTM) cell switch, (LTM) serving cell change or (LTM) cell change. In the context of the disclosure, switching to the LTM candidate cell configuration comprises the UE considering that an LTM candidate cell becomes its new special cell (SpCell) e.g. Pcell in case of LTM being configured for a Master Cell Group (MCG) and / or PSCell in case of LTM being configured for a Secondary Cell Group (SCG); or, changing its SpCell from the current Pcell to an LTM candidate cell.

[0070] Even if the term change of cell is used, that may comprise a change of a whole cell group configuration, which includes a change in the SpCell (e.g. change of Pcell, or change of PSCell) and a change in Scells of the cell group (e.g. addition, modification and / or release of one or more Scells).

[0071] An LTM cell switch procedure may be triggered in the UE by reception of a LTM cell switch command (e.g. LTM Cell Switch MAC CE), or alternatively, triggered by some other event, such as a condition, e.g., a triggering condition used for conditional configuration, such as conditional handover, being fulfilled, as a result of recovery from radio link failure or handover failure.

[0072] The text refers to a LTM candidate cell, which is a cell the UE is configured with when configured with L1 / L2-triggered mobility. That is a cell the UE can move to in a LTM cell switch procedure, upon reception of a LTM cell switch command. These cells may also be called candidate cell(s), LTM candidate cells, candidates, mobility candidates, non-serving cells, additional cells, target candidate cell, target candidate, etc. An LTM candidate cell is a cell the UE perform measurements on (e.g. CSI measurements) so that the UE reports these measurements and network may take educated decision on which beam (e.g. TCI state) and / or cell the UE is to be switchedto. An LTM candidate cell may be a candidate to be a target Pcell or PSCell, or an Scell of a cell group (e.g. MCG Scell).

[0073] The text refers to at least one LTM candidate cell configuration and that the UE has received at least one LTM candidate cell configuration. This is also sometimes referred to as a configuration of a LTM candidate cell, which may be an RRC configuration, such as encapsulated in an RRC Reconfiguration message, that the UE receives when being configured with L1 / L2-Triggered Mobility. A LTM candidate cell configuration comprises the configuration which the UE needs to start to operate accordingly when it performs an LTM cell switch procedure to that LTM candidate cell e.g. upon reception of the LTM cell switch command indicating the UE to perform a LTM cell switch procedure to that LTM candidate cell, which becomes the target cell and the current (new) SpCell, or an SCell in a serving frequency. The LTM candidate cell configuration comprises parameters of a serving cell (or multiple serving cells, such as a cell group), comprising one or more of the groups of parameters, such as an RRCReconfiguration message an IE CellGroupConfig or an IE SpCellConfig (or the IE SCellConfig, in the case of a Secondary Cell). A LTM candidate cell configuration may in one example comprise one or more of: i) the PCell configuration and one or more SCell configuration(s) of a Master Cell Group (MCG); i) the PSCell configuration and one or more SCell configuration(s) of a secondary Cell Group (SCG). The terms (LTM) candidate configuration, LTM configuration, (LTM) candidate target cell configuration, (LTM) target candidate (cell) configuration may be used interchangeably when referring to LTM candidate cell configuration. An LTM candidate cell configuration is associated with an identifier which is used in the signaling when referring to a certain LTM candidate cell configuration, such as when the UE receives the LTM candidate cell configuration and when the UE receives an LTM cell switch command indicating the UE to perform a LTM cell switch procedure to that LTM candidate cell. This identifier is sometimes known as the LTM candidate cell configuration identity or LTM candidate configuration index (or similar).

[0074] The actual LTM candidate cell configuration and its exact content and / or structure of this IE and / or embedded message may be called an RRC model for the candidate configuration, or simply RRC model. An LTM candidate cell configuration comprises the configuration which the UE needs to operate accordingly when it performs (executes) L1 / L2 based inter-cell mobility execution to a LTM candidate cell, upon reception of the lower layer signaling (MAC CE) indicating a L1 / L2 based inter- cell mobility to a LTM candidate cell (which becomes the target cell and the current (new) PCell, or an SCell in a serving frequency), or upon reception of the lower layer signaling (MAC CE) indicating a L1 / L2 based inter-cell mobility to a LTM candidate cell configuration indicated with a candidate configuration index (sometimes also denoted candidate configuration ID). The UE may be configured with multiple LTM candidate cell configurations, so a Candidate DU generates and sends to the CU multiple configuration(s). The actual LTM candidate cell configuration the UE receives during the LTM configuration may be a delta signaling to be applied on top of a reference configuration, so that the actual configuration the UE is to use in the candidate cell upon LTM cell switch is the combination of the LTM candidate cell configuration and the reference configuration (e.g. separately signaled by the network to the UE).

[0075] The text refers to a report triggered by the UE upon fulfillment of a triggering condition which the UE is evaluating, the report including the measurement results that is sent by the UE to the network, called a L1 report for LTM, LTM CSI measurement report, or CSI report for L1 / L2-triggered Mobility (LTM). In one option, the report includes at least one or more measurement which were used as input to the triggering conditions which have been fulfilled and triggered the UE to transmit report. In one option for the LTM measurement report, the UE includes a list of identifiers (e.g. resource identifiers or resource indications, or SSB identifiers) each one of them pointing to one or more SSBs and LTM candidate cells where e.g., ID1, is the first element of the list of LTM candidate cell and first element of the list of SSB. When the network receives the report, it means that the report SSB is the one identified by thefirst element of the list of SSB and belongs to the LTM candidate cell identified by the first element of the list of LTM candidate cells. This may also be called a resource identifier or indicator, such as an SSB resource Identifier (SSBRI), in the case of an RS being an SSB.

[0076] An LTM candidate cell may also be an LTM candidate cell in a 5G Radio access technology, such as NR, or a 6G Radio Access Technology.

[0077] Also, in the different embodiments, the co-called RS of an LTM candidate cell comprises an SSB and / or an RS transmitted in a beam or spatial direction, and / or a Mobility Reference Signal (MRS), a Channel State Information – RS (CSI-RS), or a RS defined for a 6G radio interface. The term “beam” may also be used to express a spatial direction in which a Reference Signal (e.g. SSB) associated to an index (e.g. SSB index, or CSI-RS index) is being transmitted, so that a beam measurement may correspond to a measurement on an RS transmitted in that beam e.g. an SSB measurement.

[0078] In the disclosure, a beam (or RS) may be associated to a TCI e.g. by the RS (e.g. SSB) being configured as QCL source of a TCI state configuration.

[0079] The text uses the terminology “LTM candidate cell” to identify a configuration that the UE shall start to use when switching to a target cell during a mobility procedure (in such a case an LTM cell switch procedure). However, the methods and solutions described in this disclosure can be equally applied to any candidate configuration used for any mobility procedure. An example can be a conditional candidate configuration used for CHO, CPA, CPA, or subsequent CPAC. A further example can be a conditional candidate configuration used for conditional LTM. A further example can be a candidate configuration used for an handover procedure or a DAPS handover. All of this candidate configuration can be exchanged in all embodiments with “LTM candidate cell configuration” without any loss of meaning.

[0080] In this disclosure triggering condition and event triggering condition are used interchangeably.

[0081] Systems and methods are disclosed herein that provide higher flexibility in configuring event-triggered L1 measurements at the UE without increasing the signaling overhead.

[0082] FIG.2 is a flowchart illustrating principal steps in a method 200 performed by a User Equipment (UE), for transmitting a lower layer measurement report to a first network node, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG.2, the method includes steps of:

[0083] Step 1 (at 202): The UE receives, from a first network node, a lower layer measurement configuration (e.g., message 1) which comprises one or more triggering conditions. The one or more triggering conditions may be associated to one or more LTM candidate cell configurations. For example, the lower layer measurement configuration may include an LTM-CSI-ReportConfig IE that has been modified to include a triggering condition as described below;

[0084] Step 2 (at 204): The UE receives, from the first network node, a lower layer signaling (e.g., message 2) which includes a triggering condition identifier that is associated with a lower layer measurement configuration. For example, the lower layer signaling may include a MAC CE that has been modified to include a triggering condition identifier as described below.

[0085] Step 3 (at 206): The UE performs lower layer measurement according to the lower layer measurement configuration associated with the received triggering condition identifier; and

[0086] Step 4 (at 208): The UE performs measurement evaluation and transmits the lower layer measurement report when the one or more event triggering conditions are fulfilled during the measurement evaluation.

[0087] In some embodiments, the event triggering condition may include any one or more of: ^ An event condition identifier; ^ A triggering condition configuration identifier;^ One or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; and ^ One or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition, such as, for example: A trigger quantity; An offset value; One or more reporting quantities; and A time to trigger value;

[0088] The triggering condition may, for example, be indicated within the lower layer measurement configuration as a new type of reporting. This means that when the UE receives e.g., an LTM-CSI-ReportConfig IE, the triggering condition may comprise the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element including a Report type indicating one of: ^ Periodic; ^ Semi-persistent on PUCCH; ^ Semi-persistent on PUSCH; ^ Aperiodic; and ^ Triggering condition.

[0089] In this embodiment, within one lower layer measurement configuration the UE may receive a lower layer reporting configuration which comprises one type of report for the lower layer measurement and whether or not a triggering condition is indicated. This means that the UE will send a lower layer measurement report only when the indicated triggering condition is fulfilled.

[0090] In an example, this embodiment may be implemented by amending the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element defined in TS 38.331 (section 6.3.2) as follows (new text in bold underline): – LTM-CSI-ReportConfig The IE LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is used to configure report on the cell in which the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is included. LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element -- ASN1START -- TAG-LTM-CSI-REPORTCONFIG-START LTM-CSI-ReportConfig-r18 ::= SEQUENCE {ltm-CSI-ReportConfigId-r18 LTM-CSI-ReportConfigId-r18, ltm-ResourcesForChannelMeasurement-r18 LTM-CSI-ResourceConfigId-r18, ltm-ReportConfigType-r18 CHOICE {}, semiPersistentOnPUCCH-r18 SEQUENCE { reportSlotConfig-r18 CSI- ReportPeriodicityAndOffset, pucch-CSI-ResourceList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofBWPs)) OF PUCCH-CSI-Resource }, semiPersistentOnPUSCH-r18 SEQUENCE { reportSlotConfig-r18 CSI- ReportPeriodicityAndOffset, reportSlotOffsetList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128),... } LTM-ReportContent-r18 ::= SEQUENCE { nrOfReportedCells-r18 ENUMERATED {n1,n2,n3,n4}, nrOfReportedRS-PerCell-r18 ENUMERATED {n1,n2,n3,n4}, spCellInclusion-r18 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL -- Need R } -- TAG-LTM-CSI-REPORTCONFIG-STOP -- ASN1STOP

[0091] In some embodiments, a triggering condition may be indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration together with a report type, which can be an existing report type or a new report type. This means that when the UE receives e.g., an LTM-CSI-ReportConfig IE, the triggering condition may comprises the LTM-CSI- ReportConfig information element including a Report type and a triggering condition.The report type may indicate any one of: Periodic; Semi-persistent on PUCCH; Semi- persistent on PUSCH; and Aperiodic.

[0092] In this embodiment, within one lower layer measurement configuration the UE may receive a lower layer reporting configuration which comprises one report type and a triggering condition. Since a lower layer measurement configuration may configure the UE to perform lower layer measurement on one or more LTM candidate cells, this means that the UE will perform the lower layer measurements on the indicated LTM candidate cells, but such lower layer measurements can be reported either via one of the indicated report types or when the triggering condition is fulfilled or both.

[0093] In an example, this embodiment may be implemented by amending the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element defined in TS 38.331 (section 6.3.2) as follows (new text in bold underline): – LTM-CSI-ReportConfig The IE LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is used to configure report on the cell in which the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is included. LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element -- ASN1START -- TAG-LTM-CSI-REPORTCONFIG-START LTM-CSI-ReportConfig-r18 ::= SEQUENCE { ltm-CSI-ReportConfigId-r18 LTM-CSI-ReportConfigId-r18, ltm-ResourcesForChannelMeasurement-r18 LTM-CSI-ResourceConfigId-r18,(1..maxNrofBWPs)) OF PUCCH-CSI-Resource }, semiPersistentOnPUCCH-r18 SEQUENCE { reportSlotConfig-r18 CSI- ReportPeriodicityAndOffset, pucch-CSI-ResourceList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofBWPs)) OF PUCCH-CSI-Resource }, semiPersistentOnPUSCH-r18 SEQUENCE { reportSlotConfig-r18 CSI- ReportPeriodicityAndOffset, reportSlotOffsetList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128), reportSlotOffsetListDCI-0-2-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128), reportSlotOffsetListDCI-0-1-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128),p0alpha P0-PUSCH-AlphaSetId }, aperiodic-r18 SEQUENCE { )

[0094] In some embodiments, a triggering condition may be indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration as a new lower layer triggering reporting configuration. This means that when the UE receives e.g., a CSI-MeasConfig IE, the triggering condition may be received according to the following structure: ^ CSI-MeasConfig ^ LTM-CSI-ReportConfig ^ LTM-CSI-TriggeringCondition ^ Triggering condition

[0095] In this embodiment, within one lower layer measurement configuration the UE may receive one or more lower layer reporting configurations, and one or moretriggering condition configurations. This means that the UE will perform the lower layer measurements on the associated LTM candidate cells within the lower layer measurement configuration, but such lower layer measurements can be reported either via one of the indicated report types or when the triggering condition is fulfilled or both. In such a case the trigger and report of the measurement will happen independently (report type or triggering condition).

[0096] In an example, this embodiment may be implemented by amending the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element defined in TS 38.331 (section 6.3.2) as follows (new text in bold underline), and introducing a new LTM-CSI-EventConfig information element as indicated below: – LTM-CSI-ReportConfig The IE LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is used to configure report on the cell in which the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is included. CSI-MeasConfig information element -- ASN1START -- TAG-CSI-MEASCONFIG-START CSI-MeasConfig ::= SEQUENCE { nzp-CSI-RS-ResourceToAddModList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofNZP-CSI-RS-Resources)) OF NZP-CSI-RS-Resource OPTIONAL, -- Need N nzp-CSI-RS-ResourceToReleaseList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofNZP-CSI-RS-Resources)) OF NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceId OPTIONAL, -- Need N nzp-CSI-RS-ResourceSetToAddModList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofNZP-CSI-RS- ResourceSets)) OF NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet OPTIONAL, -- Need N nzp-CSI-RS-ResourceSetToReleaseList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofNZP-CSI-RS- ResourceSets)) OF NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSetId OPTIONAL, -- Need N csi-IM-ResourceToAddModList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofCSI-IM-Resources)) OF OF ) ) ) )csi-ResourceConfigToReleaseList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofCSI- ResourceConfigurations)) OF CSI-ResourceConfigId OPTIONAL, -- Need Ncsi-ReportConfigToAddModList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofCSI- ReportConfigurations)) OF CSI-ReportConfig OPTIONAL, -- Need N csi-ReportConfigToReleaseList SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofCSI- ReportConfigurations)) OF CSI-ReportConfigId OPTIONAL, -- Need N reportTriggerSize INTEGER (0..6) OPTIONAL, -- Need M aperiodicTriggerStateList SetupRelease { CSI-AperiodicTriggerStateList } OPTIONAL, -- Need M semiPersistentOnPUSCH-TriggerStateList SetupRelease { CSI-SemiPersistentOnPUSCH- TriggerStateList } OPTIONAL, -- Need M ..., [[ reportTriggerSizeDCI-0-2-r16 INTEGER (0..6) OPTIONAL -- Need R ]], [[ sCellActivationRS-ConfigToAddModList-r17 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofSCellActRS-r17)) OF SCellActivationRS-Config-r17 OPTIONAL, -- Need N sCellActivationRS-ConfigToReleaseList-r17 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofSCellActRS-r17)) OF SCellActivationRS-ConfigId-r17 OPTIONAL -- Need N ]], [[ ltm-CSI-ReportConfigToAddModList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofLTM-CSI- ReportConfigurations-r18)) OF LTM-CSI-ReportConfig-r18 OPTIONAL, -- Need N ltm-CSI-ReportConfigToReleaseList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofLTM-CSI- ReportConfigurations-r18)) OF LTM-CSI-ReportConfigId-r18 OPTIONAL -- Need N ]], [[ ltm-CSI-EventConfigToAddModList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofLTM-CSI- ReportConfigurations-r18)) OF LTM-CSI-EventConfig-r18 OPTIONAL, -- Need N ltm-CSI-EventConfigToReleaseList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofLTM-CSI- ReportConfigurations-r18)) OF LTM-CSI-EventConfig-r18 OPTIONAL, -- Need N ]] } -- TAG-CSI-MEASCONFIG-STOP -- ASN1STOP (New) LTM-CSI-EventConfig information element -- ASN1START -- TAG-CSI-MEASCONFIG-START LTM-CSI-EventsConfig-r18 ::= SEQUENCE { ltm-CSI-EventConfigId-r18 LTM-CSIEventsConfigId-r18, ltm-ResourcesForChannelMeasurement-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofLTM-CSI- ResourceConfigurations-r18)) OF LTM-CSI-ResourceConfigId-r18, config1 Config1 OPTIONAL, config2 Config2 OPTIONAL, events SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations- r16)) OF Events OPTIONAL, } -- TAG-CSI-MEASCONFIG-STOP -- ASN1STOP

[0097] In some embodiments, the UE may receive one or more triggering conditions, where the number of triggering conditions is according to all the permutation of the different values that each configuration, field, parameter, or ASN.1 structure can have. According to this embodiment, if a triggering condition has the following example structure: ^ Triggering condition ^ Configuration 1 = [10,2] ^ Parameter 1 = [3,6] ^ Field 1 = [5,8]

[0098] The UE can be provided with the following one or more example triggering conditions: ^ Triggering condition[1] ^ Configuration 1 =

[0010] ^ Parameter 1 = [3] ^ Field 1 = [5] ^ Triggering condition[2] ^ Configuration 1 = [2] ^ Parameter 1 = [6] ^ Field 1 = [8] ^ Triggering condition[3] ^ Configuration 1 =

[0010] ^ Parameter 1 = [6] ^ Field 1 = [5] ^ Triggering condition[4] ^ Configuration 1 = [2] ^ Parameter 1 = [3] ^ Field 1 = [5]^ And all the possible permutations of the values of Configuration 1, Parameter 1, and Field 1.

[0099] In this embodiment, each permutation has an identifier, so the UE can identify which combination of values for Configuration 1, Parameter 1, and Field 1 it should use. In an example, this embodiment may be implemented by amending the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element defined in TS 38.331 (section 6.3.2) as follows (new text in bold underline): – LTM-CSI-ReportConfig The IE LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is used to configure report on the cell in which the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig is included. LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element -- ASN1START -- TAG-LTM-CSI-REPORTCONFIG-START LTM-CSI-ReportConfig-r18 ::= SEQUENCE { ltm-CSI-ReportConfigId-r18 LTM-CSI-ReportConfigId-r18, ltm-ResourcesForChannelMeasurement-r18 LTM-CSI-ResourceConfigId-r18, ltm-ReportConfigType-r18 CHOICE {(1..maxNrofBWPs)) OF PUCCH-CSI-Resource }, semiPersistentOnPUCCH-r18 SEQUENCE { reportSlotConfig-r18 CSI- ReportPeriodicityAndOffset, pucch-CSI-ResourceList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofBWPs)) OF PUCCH-CSI-Resource }, semiPersistentOnPUSCH-r18 SEQUENCE { reportSlotConfig-r18 CSI- ReportPeriodicityAndOffset, reportSlotOffsetList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128), reportSlotOffsetListDCI-0-2-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128), reportSlotOffsetListDCI-0-1-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128), p0alpha P0-PUSCH-AlphaSetId }, aperiodic-r18 SEQUENCE { reportSlotOffsetList-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128), reportSlotOffsetListDCI-0-2-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128), reportSlotOffsetListDCI-0-1-r18 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1.. maxNrofUL-Allocations-r16)) OF INTEGER (0..128) }, ... }, ltm-ReportContent-r18 LTM-ReportContent-r18, ...,{{ eventConfig-r19 EventConfig-r19 OPTIONAL }} } EventConfig-r19 ::= SEQUENCE { config1 Config1 OPTIONAL, config2 Config2 OPTIONAL, events SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNrofEvents-r16) OF Events OPTIONAL, } Events-r19 ::= SEQUENCE{ eventId EventId OPTIONAL, config1 Config1 OPTIONAL,nrOfReportedRS-PerCell-r18 ENUMERATED {n1,n2,n3,n4}, spCellInclusion-r18 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL -- Need R } -- TAG-LTM-CSI-REPORTCONFIG-STOP -- ASN1STOP

[0100] In some embodiments, the UE receives a lower layer signaling to indicate a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement. The lower layer signaling may comprise any one or more of the following: ^ A triggering condition configuration identifier ^ A lower layer measurement configuration identifier ^ A value to be used for one or more of the Configurations, Parameters, fields, ASN.1 structures within the indicated triggering condition configuration ^ A LTM candidate cell identifier ^ An event condition identifier

[0101] In an example, this embodiment may be implemented by amending the MAC CE defined in TS 38.321 to include an appropriate one of the following: ^ When only one LTM cell is indicated, the fields shown in FIG.3A:^ When multiple LTM candidate cells are indicated – Option 1 the fields shown in FIG.3B: ^ When multiple LTM candidate cell are indicated – Option 2, the fields shown in FIG.3C:

[0102] In some embodiments, the UE receives one or more triggering conditions associated to one or more LTM candidate cells.

[0103] In some embodiments, the lower layer signaling is a MAC CE, a L1 signaling (DCI), or an RRC message.

[0104] In some embodiments, the indication of a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement is indicated within the LTM cell switch command.

[0105] In some embodiments, the UE performs lower layer measurement and evaluates the triggering condition indicated by the network according to any one of embodiments A3-A5, and A7.

[0106] In some embodiments, the UE applies default event ID(s) before receiving the lower layer signaling indication for event activation. The default event ID(s) that the UE applies may be implicitly specified in the specification. In one example the first event ID in the event list configured is applied as default event ID. In another example, the default event ID is a specified using an explicitly parameter in the events configuration (e.g., eventConfig-r19).

[0107] One example of the above-mentioned default event ID is: EventConfig-r19 { config 1 Config config2Config events SEQUENCE ( SIZE (1..maxNrOfEvents-r19)) OF Events defaultEventID BIT STRING (SIZE ((1..maxNrOfEvents-r19))) }

[0108] If the NW sets a bit to 1 in the defaultEventID, the event in the list can be treated as event to consider as default event ID to activate.

[0109] Some embodiments provide an alternate method of acquiring the trigger condition through the event configuration with or without receiving the lower layer signaling indication. In the alternate method, UE may be configured with a list of events and the default event ID(s) to apply from the list of events in the LTM CSI report configuration. Each event ID configuration may comprise: ^ An event condition identifier; ^ A triggering condition configuration identifier; ^ One or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; ^ One or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition, for example: A trigger quantity; An offset value; One or more reporting quantities; and A time to trigger value; and ^ Event IDs to activate or evaluate after this event is triggered

[0110] In this method, UE may first measure and evaluate the LTM measurements as per the default event ID(s). When the trigger condition for a default event ID is met, UE sends a measurement report and the UE determines the next set of event(s) to activate or evaluate from the configuration of the default event ID whose trigger condition was met. When the UE evaluates a next set of events and when one or more of next set of events trigger condition is met, the next set of events may contain a further next set of events to evaluate and activate.

[0111] In some embodiments, the events other than default event(s) are deactivated and not measured or evaluated before those events are activated.

[0112] FIG.4 is a flowchart illustrating principal steps in a method 400 performed by a first network node, for receiving a lower layer measurement report from a User Equipment (UE), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG.4, the method includes steps of:

[0113] Step 1 (at 402): The first network node transmits, to the UE, a lower layer measurement configuration which comprises one or more triggering conditions. Atleast one of the one or more triggering conditions may be associated to one or more LTM candidate cell configurations.

[0114] Step 2 (at 404): the first network node transmits, to the UE, a lower layer signaling which includes a triggering condition identifier that is associated with a lower layer measurement configuration;

[0115] Step 3 (at 406): Receiving from the UE, a lower layer measurement report in accordance with the lower layer measurement configuration and the lower layer signaling (i.e. when one or more triggering conditions are fulfilled).

[0116] In some embodiments, an event triggering condition may comprise one or more of the following: ^ An event condition identifier; ^ A triggering condition configuration identifier; ^ One or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; and ^ One or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition, for example: A trigger quantity An offset value; One or more reporting quantities; and A time to trigger value.

[0117] In some embodiments, the triggering condition is indicated to the UE within a lower layer measurement configuration according to one or more of the following: ^ the triggering condition is indicated to the UE within a lower layer measurement configuration as a new type of reporting; ^ the triggering condition is indicated to the UE within a lower layer measurement configuration together with a report type (which can be an existing or a new one); and ^ the triggering condition is indicated to the UE within a lower layer measurement configuration as a new lower layer triggering reporting configuration.

[0118] In some embodiments, the first network node sends to the UE a lower layer signaling to indicate a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement. The which lower layer signaling may comprise one or more of the following: ^ a triggering condition configuration identifier; ^ a lower layer measurement configuration identifier; ^ a value to be used for one or more of the Configurations, Parameters, fields, ASN.1 structures within the indicated triggering condition configuration; ^ a LTM candidate cell identifier; and ^ an event condition identifier.

[0119] In some embodiments, the lower layer signaling sent to the UE is any one of a MAC CE, a L1 signaling (DCI), or an RRC message.

[0120] In some embodiments, the indication to the UE of a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement is indicated within a, LTM cell switch command.

[0121] In some embodiments, the first network node configures the default event ID.

[0122] Some embodiments further comprise configuring a next set of events to activate in the event configuration.

[0123] Figure 5 shows an example of a communication system 500 in accordance with some embodiments.

[0124] In the example, the communication system 500 includes a telecommunication network 502 that includes an access network 504, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 506, which includes one or more core network nodes 508. The access network 504 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 510a and 510b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 510), or any other similar 3rdGeneration PartnershipProject (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP access points. Moreover, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a network node is not necessarily limited to an implementation in which a radio portion and a baseband portion are supplied and integrated by a single vendor. Thus, it will be understood that network nodes include disaggregated implementations or portions thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the telecommunication network 502 includes one or more Open-RAN (ORAN) network nodes. An ORAN network node is a node in the telecommunication network 502 that supports an ORAN specification (e.g., a specification published by the O-RAN Alliance, or any similar organization) and may operate alone or together with other nodes to implement one or more functionalities of any node in the telecommunication network 502, including one or more network nodes 510 and / or core network nodes 508.

[0125] Examples of an ORAN network node include an open radio unit (O-RU), an open distributed unit (O-DU), an open central unit (O-CU), including an O-CU control plane (O-CU-CP) or an O-CU user plane (O-CU-UP), a RAN intelligent controller (near-real time or non-real time) hosting software or software plug-ins, such as a near- real time control application (e.g., xApp) or a non-real time control application (e.g., rApp), or any combination thereof (the adjective “open” designating support of an ORAN specification). The network node may support a specification by, for example, supporting an interface defined by the ORAN specification, such as an A1, F1, W1, E1, E2, X2, Xn interface, an open fronthaul user plane interface, or an open fronthaul management plane interface. Moreover, an ORAN access node may be a logical node in a physical node. Furthermore, an ORAN network node may be implemented in a virtualization environment (described further below) in which one or more network functions are virtualized. For example, the virtualization environment may include an O-Cloud computing platform orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an O-2 interface defined by the O-RAN Alliance or comparable technologies. The network nodes 510 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 512a, 512b, 512c, and 512d (one or moreof which may be generally referred to as UEs 512) to the core network 506 over one or more wireless connections.

[0126] Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 500 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 500 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0127] The UEs 512 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 510 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 510 are arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 512 and / or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 502 to enable and / or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and / or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 502.

[0128] In the depicted example, the core network 506 connects the network nodes 510 to one or more host computing systems, such as host 516. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 506 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 508) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 508. Example core network nodes includefunctions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and / or a User Plane Function (UPF).

[0129] The host 516 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 504 and / or the telecommunication network 502. The host 516 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre- recorded audio / video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

[0130] As a whole, the communication system 500 of Figure 5 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and / or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0131] In some examples, the telecommunication network 502 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunicationsnetwork 502 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 502. For example, the telecommunications network 502 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) / Massive IoT services to yet further UEs.

[0132] In some examples, the UEs 512 are configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 504 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 504. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi- RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e. being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio – Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0133] In the example, the hub 514 communicates with the access network 504 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 512c and / or 512d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 510b). In some examples, the hub 514 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 514 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 506 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 514 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 510, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 514. As another example, the hub 514 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 514 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR device, display, loudspeaker, or other media delivery device, the hub 514 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media ordata related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 514 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 514 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular if one or more of the UEs are low energy IoT devices.

[0134] The hub 514 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 510b. The hub 514 may also allow for a different communication scheme and / or schedule between the hub 514 and UEs (e.g., UE 512c and / or 512d), and between the hub 514 and the core network 506. In other examples, the hub 514 is connected to the core network 506 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 514 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 504 and / or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 510 while still connected via the hub 514 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 514 may be a dedicated hub – that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to / from the UEs from / to the network node 510b. In other embodiments, the hub 514 may be a non-dedicated hub – that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 510b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0135] Figure 6 shows a UE 600 in accordance with some embodiments. The UE 600 presents additional details of some embodiments of the UE 512 of Figure 1. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage / playback device, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop- embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), an Augmented Reality(AR) or Virtual Reality (VR) device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle, vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded / integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

[0136] A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0137] The UE 600 includes processing circuitry 602 that is operatively coupled via a bus 604 to an input / output interface 606, a power source 608, a memory 610, a communication interface 612, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 6. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0138] The processing circuitry 602 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 610. The processing circuitry 602 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purposeprocessors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 602 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0139] In the example, the input / output interface 606 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 600. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

[0140] In some embodiments, the power source 608 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 608 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 608 itself, and / or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 600 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 608. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 608 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 600 to which power is supplied.

[0141] The memory 610 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 610 includes one or more application programs 614, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 616. The memory 610 may store, for use by the UE 600, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0142] The memory 610 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini- dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and / or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 610 may allow the UE 600 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 610, which may be or comprise a device- readable storage medium.

[0143] The processing circuitry 602 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 612. The communication interface 612 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 622. Thecommunication interface 612 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 618 and / or a receiver 620 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 618 and receiver 620 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 622) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0144] In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 612 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol / internet protocol (TCP / IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

[0145] Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 612, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0146] As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

[0147] A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an IoT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, a flood / moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an IoT device comprises circuitry and / or software in dependence of the intended application of the IoT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 600 shown in Figure 6.

[0148] As yet another specific example, in an IoT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0149] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g. by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and / or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0150] Figure 7 shows a network node 700 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)), O-RAN nodes or components of an O-RAN node (e.g., O-RU, O-DU, O-CU).

[0151] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units, distributed units (e.g., in an O-RAN access node) and / or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may ormay not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0152] Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E- SMLCs)), and / or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

[0153] The network node 700 includes a processing circuitry 702, a memory 704, a communication interface 706, and a power source 708. The network node 700 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 700 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 700 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 704 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 710 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 700 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 700, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wirelesstechnologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 700.

[0154] The processing circuitry 702 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 700 components, such as the memory 704, to provide network node 700 functionality.

[0155] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 702 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 702 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 712 and baseband processing circuitry 714. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 712 and the baseband processing circuitry 714 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 712 and baseband processing circuitry 714 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

[0156] The memory 704 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 702. The memory 704 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 702 and utilized by the network node 700. The memory 704 may be used to store anycalculations made by the processing circuitry 702 and / or any data received via the communication interface 706. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 702 and memory 704 is integrated.

[0157] The communication interface 706 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between a network node, access network, and / or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 706 comprises port(s) / terminal(s) 716 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 706 also includes radio front- end circuitry 718 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 710. Radio front-end circuitry 718 comprises filters 720 and amplifiers 722. The radio front-end circuitry 718 may be connected to an antenna 710 and processing circuitry 702. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 710 and processing circuitry 702. The radio front-end circuitry 718 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 718 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 720 and / or amplifiers 722. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 710. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 710 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 718. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 702. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0158] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 700 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 718, instead, the processing circuitry 702 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 710. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 712 is part of the communication interface 706. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 706 includes one or more ports or terminals 716, the radio front-end circuitry 718, and the RF transceiver circuitry 712, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and thecommunication interface 706 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 714, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0159] The antenna 710 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. The antenna 710 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 718 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and / or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 710 is separate from the network node 700 and connectable to the network node 700 through an interface or port.

[0160] The antenna 710, communication interface 706, and / or the processing circuitry 702 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and / or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 710, the communication interface 706, and / or the processing circuitry 702 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and / or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment.

[0161] The power source 708 provides power to the various components of network node 700 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 708 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 700 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 700 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 708. As a further example, the power source 708 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

[0162] Embodiments of the network node 700 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 7 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 700 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 700 and to allow output of information from the network node 700. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 700. In some embodiments providing a core network node, such as core network node 108 of FIG.5, some components, such as the radio front-end circuitry 718 and the RF transceiver circuitry 712 may be omitted.

[0163] Figure 8 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 800 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 800 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized. In some embodiments, the virtualization environment 800 includes components defined by the O-RAN Alliance, such as an O-Cloud environment orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an O-2 interface. Virtualization may facilitate distributed implementations of a network node, UE, core network node, or host.

[0164] Applications 802 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0165] Hardware 804 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and / or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input / output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 806 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 808a and 808b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 808), and / or perform any of the functions, features and / or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 806 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 808.

[0166] The VMs 808 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 806. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 802 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 808, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

[0167] In the context of NFV, a VM 808 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non- virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 808, and that part of hardware 804 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions thatrun in one or more VMs 808 on top of the hardware 804 and corresponds to the application 802.

[0168] Hardware 804 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 804 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 804 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 810, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 802. In some embodiments, hardware 804 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 812 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0169] Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and / or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice,computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0170] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and / or by end users and a wireless network generally.

[0171] While processes in the figures may show a particular order of operations performed by certain embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that such order is representative, and that alternative embodiments may perform the operations in a different order, combine certain operations, overlap certain operations, etc.

[0172] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A Method performed by a User Equipment (UE), for transmitting a lower layer measurement report to a first network node, comprising: receiving, from the first network node, a lower layer measurement configuration which comprises one or more triggering conditions; receiving, from the first network node, a lower layer signaling which includes a triggering condition identifier that is associated with a lower layer measurement configuration; performing lower layer measurement according to the lower layer measurement configuration associated with the triggering condition identifier; and transmitting a lower layer measurement report when one or more triggering conditions are fulfilled.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the triggering conditions are associated to one or more LTM candidate cell configurations.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the triggering condition comprises one or more of: an event condition identifier; a triggering condition configuration identifier; one or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; and one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition, comprises any one or more of: a trigger quantity; an offset value;one or more reporting quantities; and a time to trigger value; 5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the triggering condition is indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration as a Report type indication.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the Report type indication comprises any one of: Periodic; Semi-persistent on PUCCH; Semi-persistent on PUSCH; Aperiodic; and Triggering condition.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6 wherein, within one lower layer measurement configuration, the UE receives a lower layer reporting configuration which comprises one type of report for the lower layer measurement and whether a triggering condition is indicated.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the triggering condition is indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration together with a report type indication. This means that when e.g., an LTM-CSI-ReportConfig IE, the triggering condition comprises the LTM-CSI-ReportConfig information element including a Report type and a triggering condition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the Report type indication comprises any one of: Periodic; Semi-persistent on PUCCH; Semi-persistent on PUSCH; and Aperiodic.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9 wherein, within one lower layer measurement configuration, the UE receives a lower layer reporting configuration which comprises one report type and a triggering condition.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the triggering condition is indicated within a lower layer measurement configuration as a lower layer triggering reporting configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein, within one lower layer measurement configuration, the UE receives one or more lower layer reporting configurations and one or more triggering condition configurations.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the UE receives one or more triggering conditions, the number of triggering conditions being in accordance with permutations of different values that each configuration, field, parameter, or ASN.1 structure.

14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the UE receives the lower layer signaling to indicate a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement, the lower layer signaling comprising one or more of: a triggering condition configuration identifier; a lower layer measurement configuration identifier; a value to be used for one or more of the Configurations, Parameters, fields, ASN.1 structures within the indicated triggering condition configuration; an LTM candidate cell identifier; and an event condition identifier.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the UE receives one or more triggering conditions associated to one or more LTM candidate cells.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the lower layer signaling is a MAC CE, a L1 signaling (DCI), or an RRC message.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the indication of a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement is indicated within an LTM cell switch command.

18. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the UE applies default event ID(s) before receiving the lower layer signaling indication for event activation.

19. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the UE is configured with a list of events and default event ID(s) to apply from the list of events in the LTM CSI report configuration, and wherein each event ID configuration comprises: an event condition identifier; a triggering condition configuration identifier; one or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition; andevent IDs to activate or evaluate after the current event is triggered 20. The method of claim 19, wherein: the UE measures the LTM measurements in accordance with the default event ID(s); and when the trigger condition for at least one default event ID is met, the UE sends the measurement report and determines a next set of event(s) to activate or evaluate.

21. A user equipment for transmitting a lower layer measurement report to a first network node, comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any one of claims 1 to 20; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

22. A method performed by a first network node for receiving a lower layer measurement report from a User Equipment (UE), comprising: transmitting, to the UE, a lower layer measurement configuration which comprises one or more triggering conditions; transmitting, to the UE, a lower layer signaling which includes a triggering condition identifier that is associated with a lower layer measurement configuration; and receiving, from the UE, a lower layer measurement report in accordance with the lower layer measurement configuration and the lower layer signaling.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the event triggering condition comprises one or more of: an event condition identifier; a triggering condition configuration identifier; one or more LTM candidate cell identifiers to which the trigger condition applies; and one or more configurations used by the UE to evaluate the triggering condition.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the triggering condition is indicated to the UE within a lower layer measurement configuration according to one or more of: a report type; a lower layer measurement configuration together with a report type; and a lower layer triggering reporting configuration.

25. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the first network node sends to the UE a lower layer signaling to indicate a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement, the lower layer signaling comprising one or more of: a triggering condition configuration identifier; a lower layer measurement configuration identifier; a value to be used for one or more of the Configurations, Parameters, fields, ASN.1 structures within the indicated triggering condition configuration; a LTM candidate cell identifier; and an event condition identifier.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the lower layer signaling sent to the UE is any one of a MAC CE, a L1 signaling (DCI), or an RRC message.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the indication to the UE of a triggering condition to be used for performing lower layer measurement is indicated within an LTM cell switch command.

28. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the first network node configures a default event ID.

29. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, further comprising configuring a next set of events to activate in the event configuration.

30. A network node for receiving a lower layer measurement report from a User Equipment (UE), the network node comprising:processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any one of claims; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

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