Enhanced logical channel prioritization (LCP)

Abstract

Example embodiments of the present disclosure are related to enhanced logical channel prioritization (LCP). A method comprises receiving, by a first apparatus and from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; determining whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; and in accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the start time of the time window, determining a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and an overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

Description

ENHANCED LOGICAL CHANNEL PRIORITIZATION (LCP) FIELD

[0001] Various example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to thefield of telecommunication and in particular, to methods, devices, apparatuses andcomputer readable storage medium for enhanced logical channel prioritization (LCP).BACKGROUND

[0002] Delay-critical services such as Augment Reality (AR), EXtended Reality (XR)and Cloud Gaming (CG) are use cases and services which may be considered importantfor telecommunication networks. Although AR, XR and CG present a set of attractive usecases for future mobile systems, they impose a set of challenges for NR. For example,both DL and UL traffic in the XR and CG use cases are characterized by a relatively strictpacket delay budget (PDB).

[0003] In addition, Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) may be applied where aprioritized bit rate (PBR), a priority, and a bucket size duration (BSD) may be added toeach logical channel (LCH). Some LCP enhancements may be designed to better supportsuch challenging services as the XR and CG use cases.SUMMARY

[0004] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus. Thefirst apparatus comprises at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, determine an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the configuration information and the overlapping time.

[0005] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method. Themethod comprises: receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration informationindicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, determining an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the configuration information and the overlapping time.

[0006] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus. Thefirst apparatus comprises means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, determining an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and means for determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the configuration information and the overlapping time.

[0007] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus.The first apparatus comprises at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, adjust the remaining time based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the adjusted remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold.

[0008] In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method. Themethod comprises: receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, adjusting theremaining time based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the adjusted remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold.

[0009] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus.The first apparatus comprises means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, adjusting the remaining time based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and means for determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the adjusted remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold.

[0010] In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus.The first apparatus comprises at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, adjust one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds and the remaining time.

[0011] In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method. Themethod comprises: receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, adjusting one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds and theremaining time.

[0012] In a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus.The first apparatus comprises means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement timeperiod, adjusting one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold based on anoverlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and means for determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds and the remaining time.

[0013] In a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus.The first apparatus comprises at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; determine whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; and in accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the start time of the time window, determine a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and an overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

[0014] In an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method. Themethod comprises: receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; determining whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; and in accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the start time of the time window, determining a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and an overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

[0015] In a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a first apparatus.The first apparatus comprises means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for determining whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; and means for in accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the start time of the time window, determining a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and an overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

[0016] In a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computerreadable medium. The computer readable medium comprises instructions stored thereon for causing an apparatus to perform at least the method according to any of the second, fifth, eighth, or eleventh aspects.

[0017] It is to be understood that the Summary section is not intended to identify keyor essential features of embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily comprehensible through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Some example embodiments will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, where:

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an example communication environment in which exampleembodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented;

[0020] FIG. 2A illustrates a time diagram showing an example of measurement gap(MG) overlapping with data transmission slots;

[0021] FIG. 2B illustrates a schematic diagram showing LCH priorities withoutconsidering presence of MG;

[0022] FIG. 3A illustrates a signaling flow for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 3B illustrates a signaling flow for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 3C illustrates a signaling flow for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 3D illustrates a signaling flow for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG. 4A illustrates a time diagram showing an example of full overlapping ofMG with data transmission slots in accordance with some example embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 4B illustrates a time diagram showing an example of partial overlapping ofMG with data transmission slots in accordance with some example embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 4C illustrates a time diagram showing an example of overlapping of a timewindow consisting MG and a time period with data transmission slots in accordance withsome example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 5A illustrates a flowchart of a process for LCH priority rearrangement bydecreasing the remaining time in accordance with some example embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 5B illustrates a flowchart of a process for LCH priority rearrangement bydecreasing the remaining time in accordance with some other example embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method implemented at a first apparatus inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of a method implemented at a first apparatus inaccordance with some other example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart of a method implemented at a first apparatus inaccordance with some further example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of a method implemented at a first apparatus inaccordance with some further example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 10 illustrates a simplified block diagram of a device that is suitable forimplementing example embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0036] FIG. 11 illustrates a block diagram of an example computer readable medium inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0037] Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent thesame or similar element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Principle of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to someexample embodiments. It is to be understood that these embodiments are described only for the purpose of illustration and help those skilled in the art to understand and implement the present disclosure, without suggesting any limitation as to the scope of the disclosure. Embodiments described herein can be implemented in various manners other than the ones described below.

[0039] In the following description and claims, unless defined otherwise, all technicaland scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skills in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0040] References in the present disclosure to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,”“an example embodiment,” and the like indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but it is not necessary that every embodiment includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

[0041] It shall be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,”…, etc. in frontof noun(s) and the like may be used herein to describe various elements, these elementsshould not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another and they do not limit the order of the noun(s). For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed terms.

[0042] As used herein, “at least one of the following: ”and “at least one of ” and similar wording, where the list of two or more elements are joined by “and” or “or”, mean at least any one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all the elements.

[0043] As used herein, unless stated explicitly, performing a step “in response to A”does not indicate that the step is performed immediately after “A” occurs and one or more intervening steps may be included.

[0044] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “has”, “having”, “includes” and / or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, elements, and / or components etc., but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0045] As used in this application, the term “circuitry” may refer to one or more or allof the following: (a) hardware-only circuit implementations (such as implementations in only analog and / or digital circuitry) and (b) combinations of hardware circuits and software, such as (as applicable): (i) a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuit(s) with software / firmware and (ii) any portions of hardware processor(s) with software (including digital signal processor(s)), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions) and (c) hardware circuit(s) and or processor(s), such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that requires software (e.g., firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation.

[0046] This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application,including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and / or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in server, a cellular network device, or other computing or network device.

[0047] As used herein, the term “communication network” refers to a network followingany suitable communication standards, such as New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) and so on. Furthermore, the communications between a terminal device and a network device in the communication network may be performed according to any suitable generation communication protocols, including, but not limited to, the first generation (1G), the second generation (2G), 2.5G, 2.75G, the third generation (3G), the fourth generation (4G), 4.5G, the fifth generation (5G), the sixth generation (6G) communication protocols, and / or any other protocols either currently known or to be developed in the future. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied in various communication systems. Given the rapid development in communications, there will of course also be future type communication technologies and systems with which the present disclosure may be embodied. It should not be seen as limiting the scope of the present disclosure to only the aforementioned system.

[0048] As used herein, the term “network device” refers to a node in a communicationnetwork via which a terminal device accesses the network and receives services therefrom. The network device may refer to a base station (BS) or an access point (AP), for example, a node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), an NR NB (also referred to as a gNB), a Remote Radio Unit (RRU), a radio header (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a relay, an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node, a low power node such as a femto, a pico, a non-terrestrial network (NTN) or non-ground network device such as a satellite network device, a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite and a geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) satellite, an aircraft network device, and so forth, depending on the applied terminology and technology. In some example embodiments, radio access network (RAN) split architecture comprises a Centralized Unit (CU) and a Distributed Unit (DU) at anIAB donor node. An IAB node comprises a Mobile Terminal (IAB-MT) part that behaves like a UE toward the parent node, and a DU part of an IAB node behaves like a base station toward the next-hop IAB node.

[0049] The term “terminal device” refers to any end device that may be capable ofwireless communication. By way of example rather than limitation, a terminal device may also be referred to as a communication device, user equipment (UE), a Subscriber Station (SS), a Portable Subscriber Station, a Mobile Station (MS), or an Access Terminal (AT).The terminal device may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, asmart phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, a tablet, a wearable terminal device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), portable computers, desktop computer, image capture terminal devices such as digital cameras, gaming terminal devices, music storage and playback appliances, vehicle-mounted wireless terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), USB dongles, smart devices, wireless customer-premises equipment (CPE), an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a watch or other wearable, a head-mounted display (HMD), a vehicle, a drone, a medical device and applications (e.g., remote surgery), an industrial device and applications (e.g., a robot and / or other wireless devices operating in an industrial and / or an automated processing chain contexts), a consumer electronics device, a device operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, and the like. The terminal device may also correspond to a Mobile Termination (MT) part of an IAB node (e.g., a relay node). In the following description, the terms “terminal device”, “communication device”, “terminal”, “user equipment” and “UE” may be used interchangeably.

[0050] As used herein, the term “resource,” “transmission resource,” “resource block,”“physical resource block” (PRB), “uplink resource,” or “downlink resource” may refer to any resource for performing a communication, for example, a communication between a terminal device and a network device, such as a resource in time domain, a resource in frequency domain, a resource in space domain, a resource in code domain, or any other combination of the time, frequency, space and / or code domain resource enabling a communication, and the like. In the following, unless explicitly stated, a resource in both frequency domain and time domain will be used as an example of a transmission resource for describing some example embodiments of the present disclosure. It is noted that example embodiments of the present disclosure are equally applicable to other resourcesin other domains.

[0051] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example communicationenvironment 100 in which example embodiments of the present disclosure can beimplemented. In the communication environment 100, a plurality of communicationdevices, including a terminal device 110 and a network device 120, can communicate with each other.

[0052] In the example of FIG. 1, the terminal device 110 may be a UE and the networkdevice 120 may be a base station serving the UE. The serving area of the network device120 may be called a cell 102. The network device 120 is operating in a radio accessnetwork (RAN) and thus is also referred to as a RAN network device.

[0053] In some example embodiments, the RAN architecture will include a centralizedpart, or central unit (CU), and a distributed part, or distributed unit (DU). The CU and theDU will be connected to one another by a so-called Fl interface. In some exampleembodiments, the CU may be split into a CU-UP (central unit-user plane) and a CU-CP (central unit-control plane). The CU-UP and the CU-CP will be connected to one another by a so-called El interface, and the Fl interface will be split between Fl-c and Fl-u interfaces for the control and user planes, respectively.

[0054] It is to be understood that the number of devices and their connections shown inFIG. 1 are only for the purpose of illustration without suggesting any limitation. Thecommunication environment 100 may include any suitable number of devices configuredto implementing example embodiments of the present disclosure. Although not shown, itwould be appreciated that one or more additional devices may be located in the cell 102, and one or more additional cells may be deployed in the communication environment 100. It is noted that although illustrated as a network device, the network device 120 may beanother device than a network device. Although illustrated as a terminal device, theterminal device 110 may be another device than a terminal device.

[0055] In the following, for the purpose of illustration, some example embodiments aredescribed with the terminal device 110 operating as a UE and the network device 120operating as a base station, e.g., gNB. However, in some example embodiments,operations described in connection with a terminal device may be implemented at a network device or other device, and operations described in connection with a network device may be implemented at a terminal device or other device.

[0056] In some example embodiments, a communication direction from the networkdevice 120 to the terminal device 110 is referred to as a downlink (DL), while acommunication direction from the terminal device 110 to the network device 120 isreferred to as an uplink (UL). In DL, the network device 120 is a transmitting (TX) device(or a transmitter) and the terminal device 110 is a receiving (RX) device (or a receiver). In UL, the terminal device 110 is a TX device (or a transmitter) and the network device 120 is a RX device (or a receiver).

[0057] Communications in the communication environment 100 may be implementedaccording to any proper communication protocol(s), comprising, but not limited to, cellular communication protocols of the first generation (1G), the second generation (2G), the third generation (3G), the fourth generation (4G), the fifth generation (5G), the sixth generation (6G), and the like, wireless local network communication protocols such asInstitute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 and the like, and / or anyother protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. Moreover, the communication may utilize any proper wireless communication technology, comprising but not limited to: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), Time Division Duplex (TDD), Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple (OFDM), Discrete Fourier Transform spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) and / or any other technologies currently known or to be developed in the future.

[0058] The Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) procedure is applied whenever a newtransmission is performed. In some embodiments, the radio resource control (RRC) layercontrols the scheduling of uplink data by signalling for each logical channel per mediaaccess control (MAC) entity:- priority where an increasing priority value indicates a lower priority level;- prioritisedBitRate which sets the Prioritized Bit Rate (PBR); and- bucketSizeDuration which sets the Bucket Size Duration (BSD).

[0059] The RRC additionally controls the LCP procedure by configuring mappingrestrictions for each logical channel:- allowedSCS-List which sets the allowed Subcarrier Spacing(s) for transmission;- maxPUSCH-Duration which sets the maximum physical uplink shared channel(PUSCH) duration allowed for transmission;- configuredGrantType1Allowed which sets whether a configured grant Type 1 canbe used for transmission;- allowedServingCells which sets the allowed cell(s) for transmission;- allowedCG-List which sets the allowed configured grant(s) for transmission;- allowedPHY-PriorityIndex which sets the allowed physical (PHY) priority index(es)of a dynamic grant for transmission;- allowedHARQ-mode which sets the allowed UL Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest(HARQ) mode for transmission.

[0060] The following UE variable is used for the Logical channel prioritizationprocedure:- Bj which is maintained for each logical channel j.

[0061] The MAC entity may initialize Bj of the logical channel to zero when the logicalchannel is established.

[0062] For each logical channel j, the MAC entity may increment Bj by the productPBR × T before every instance of the LCP procedure, where T is the time elapsed sinceBj was last incremented. If the value of Bj is greater than the bucket size (i.e. PBR × BSD),the MAC entity may set Bj to the bucket size. It is noted that the exact moment(s) whenthe UE updates Bj between LCP procedures is up to UE implementation, as long as Bj isup to date at the time when a grant is processed by LCP.

[0063] In some embodiments, the MAC entity may perform selection of logicalchannels. The MAC entity may, when a new transmission is performed, select the logical channels for each UL grant that satisfy all the following conditions. The conditions mayinclude the set of allowed subcarrier spacing (SCS) index values in allowedSCS-List ifconfigured, including the subcarrier spacing index associated to the UL grant. Theconditions may include maxPUSCH-Duration, if configured, being larger than or equal tothe PUSCH transmission duration associated to the UL grant. The conditions may includeconfiguredGrantType1Allowed, if configured, is set to true in case the UL grant is aConfigured Grant Type 1. The conditions may include allowedServingCells, if configured,including the Cell information associated to the UL grant, and does not apply to logicalchannels associated with a Data Radio Bearer (DRB) configured with Packet DataConvergence Protocol (PDCP) duplication within the same MAC entity (i.e. carrieraggregation, CA, duplication) when CA duplication is deactivated for this DRB in thisMAC entity. The conditions may include allowedCG-List, if configured, including theconfigured grant index associated to the UL grant. The conditions may includeallowedPHY-PriorityIndex, if configured, including the priority index associated to thedynamic UL grant. The conditions may include allowedHARQ-mode, if configured,including the allowed UL HARQ mode for the HARQ process associated to the UL grant.

[0064] In some embodiment, the Subcarrier Spacing index, PUSCH transmissionduration, cell information, and priority index are included in uplink transmissioninformation received from lower layers for the corresponding scheduled uplink transmission.

[0065] For LCH prioritization, it is proposed to apply additional priorities configuredto LCHs in case of these LCHs with delay-critical data, and not to consider LCP prioritization within a logical channel.

[0066] In the communication network, the network may configure the UE with respectto when the UE measures reference signal received power (RSRP) from e.g. SSBs bymeans of RRC signaling of the so-called SMTC (synchronization signal block, SSB,measurement time configuration SMTC). The time-resolution of SMTC may be onsubframe level, corresponding to 1-ms intervals. The SMTC may only instruct the UEwhen (in time domain) RSRP is measured, while it is left for UE implementation to decideexactly when to measure, and which antenna panel is to be used for conducting such measurement(s) during those measurement windows.

[0067] Scheduling restrictions may apply to the UE during time-intervals where it maybe performing RSRP measurements according to the SMTC configuration. In particular,in some examples, for frequency range 2 (FR2) and layer 1 RSRP (L1-RSRP) on SSB, theUE may not be expected to transmit physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), PUSCH,or sounding reference signal (SRS), or to receive physical downlink control channel(PDCCH), physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS). A typical network configuration may use a setting with SMTC windows of 5 ms every 20 ms (aligned to the SSB periodicity), meaning that 25% of thetime the UE may not be scheduled, and its transmissions get delayed by up to 5ms, whichcorresponds to half the time of the packet delay budget (PDB) of delay-critical servicessuch as AR or VR services. This poses serious scheduling restrictions that likely challengethe network’s capability to efficiently schedule and serve its XR users according to theirquality of service (QoS) constraints, severely limiting the XR capacity if such schedulingrestrictions are valid.

[0068] There may be some cases where scheduling restrictions or measurement gapsmay occur where data belonging to a data unit is meant to be transmitted. In thoseoccasions, the time available for transmitting data belonging to a data unit may be lessthan the available remaining time.

[0069] With scheduling restriction enhancements, the network device may for exampledecide to indicate to the UE to skip an SMTC or measurement gap (MG) for RRMmeasurements and prioritize PUSCH transmission, so that the packet delay budget(PDB) / PDU set delay budget (PSDB) can be fulfilled. However, in case it cannot beskipped, there is a risk that the data transmission overlaps with an SMTC / MG. Then, ifthe LCHs priority is not handling according to the MG occurrence, the PDB / PSDBrequirements may not be fulfilled.

[0070] An example of an overlapping MG with UL slots is depicted in FIG. 2A. It isassumed that the numerology value of ^ = 1 (i.e., SCS = 30 kHz) and a frame structureof “DDDSU” (with “D” representing DL slot and “S” representing a special slot, and “U”representing an UL slot). It is further assumed that a PDCP discard timer of 20milliseconds (ms), which provides the UE at maximum 7 UL slots to transmit a PDCPSDU before discarding occurs (i.e., it is assumed the PSCP SDU arrives in the buffer att0, the beginning of / during an UL slot, and therefore the UL slot where the PDCP SDU arrives cannot be used for transmitting it). However, in the example, it can be noticed that the UE only have four UL slots available for transmission of the packet due to theconfiguration of a MG with duration of 6ms as shown in FIG. 2A. It means the resourceavailability has been reduced by approximate 43%. Assuming that the transmission in thelast UL slot prior to the MG (the UL slot before the arrow at t1 in FIG. 2A) is done withthe current LCP procedure, as depicted in FIG. 2B. The PDCP SDU belongs to LCH(LCH2) and there can be other UE’s data in the buffer with higher priority (e.g., data belonging to LCH4 and LCH3). If the LCP procedure does not consider the presence of the MG, LCH2 with priority 3 may not be able to transmit data before the PDCP discardtimer expires, since buffered data “P7” in LCH2 needs to be transmitted in any of the nextthree UL slots after t1, which all overlap with a MG.

[0071] To reduce such scheduling restrictions, one possible way is to enable the UE toprioritize downlink reception and / or uplink transmissions within an SMTC and / or a MG.

[0072] If it allows increasing the priority of logical channels with delay-critical data sothat such data can be transmitted before the PDCP discard timer expires. However, if those enhancements imply taking actions while the MG occurs, i.e., if the data of a LCH becomes delay-critical during or shortly before the start of a MG or SMTC with scheduling restrictions, the result may be that the same data would be discarded.

[0073] In example embodiments of the present disclosure, it proposes an enhancedmechanism for a terminal device to apply delay-aware LCP enhancement with theconsideration of overlapping with a measurement time period(s) (e.g., MG(s) and / orSMTC(s)). A condition to change the LCH priority of transmission for certain buffereddata may be defined based on presence of one or more measurement time period (e.g.,SMTC or MG). If it is determined that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH atleast partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement timeperiod, a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure is determined based at least inpart on the overlapping time.

[0074] Accordingly, to arrange the LCH priorities based on the overlapping with theMG / SMTC in the delay-aware LCP enhancement, it can avoid discarding delay-criticaldata and increasing the delay for delay-critical services, and thus improve the delayperformance.

[0075] Example embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail belowwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0076] FIG. 3A illustrates a signaling flow 300A for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The signaling flow300A involves the terminal device 110 and the network device 120 in FIG. 1. For purposeof illustration, the signaling flow 300A will be described with respect to FIG. 1.

[0077] The network device 120 transmits (302) configuration information indicating atleast one remaining time (RT) threshold for determining a LCH priority for a LCH in anLCP procedure. The terminal device 110 receives (304) the configuration information andmay perform LCH priority arrangement / rearrangement based on the configurationinformation.

[0078] The network device 120 may configure the terminal device 110 one or moreremaining time (RT) thresholds for determining a rearrangement of LCH(s) priority. Theconfiguration information from the network device 120 may include different LCHpriorities and corresponding remaining time thresholds. With the configured remainingtime thresholds, the terminal device 110 may be configured with a plurality of LCHpriorities per LCH, or with a way to derive a plurality of LCH priorities from one LCHpriority, where each of the plurality of LCH priorities is associated with the value of theminimum remaining time of the buffered data for the LCH with respect to one or more network(NW)-configured thresholds, i.e., the remaining time thresholds.

[0079] Then at the time of LCP, the terminal device 110 determines the minimumremaining time of the buffered data for each eligible LCH and determines the corresponding LCH priority by comparing the value of the minimum remaining time with the one or more NW-configured (remaining time) thresholds, and based on the configuration by the network device 120.

[0080] Example embodiments of the present disclosure propose that the terminal device110 dynamically modifies one or more parameters (e.g., the remaining time, and / or theremaining time threshold(s)) that are used for determining the LCH(s) priority rearrangement based on the value of the remaining time, RT. In some exampleembodiments, the parameter modification may be determined based on the time to thestart of a next measurement time period (e.g., the next MG or SMTC with schedulingrestrictions), and / or the duration of the measurement time period.

[0081] In some example embodiments, the network device 120 may configure theterminal device 110 to consider of overlapping at least one measurement time period (e.g.,MG(s) or SMTC(s)) when determining the rearrangement of LCH(s) priority. In such case,the configuration information further indicates applying of the overlapping time indetermining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0082] The terminal device 110 determines a remaining time of buffered data in theLCH, and determines whether the remaining time at least partially overlaps with a timewindow comprising at least one measurement time period.

[0083] In some example embodiments, one next measurement time period is considered.The at least one measurement time period may at least include an immediate nextmeasurement time period. The terminal device 110 may determine whether the remainingtime at least partially overlaps with the next measurement time period. In some exampleembodiments, more than one next measurement time period is considered. That is, theterminal device 110 may determine whether the remaining time at least partially overlapswith a time window comprising the at least one next measurement time period.

[0084] In some example embodiments, the time window may include a predeterminedtime period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period, i.e., the start ofan immediate next measurement time period. In this case, the terminal device 110 maydetermine whether the remaining time at least partially overlaps with a time windowcomprising the predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate nextmeasurement time period and the at least one next measurement time period.

[0085] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period mayinclude one or more SMTCs or MGs following a current time point. In some exampleembodiments, the SMTC(s) or MG(s) under consideration may include those withscheduling restrictions.

[0086] Based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH atleast partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement timeperiod, the terminal device 110 determines (306) an overlapping time between theremaining time and the time window. The terminal device 110 determines (308) a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCH procedure based on the configuration information and the overlapping time. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the terminal device 110 considers the overlapping time when determining the rearrangement of LCH(s) priority.

[0087] The terminal device 110 may determine the minimum remaining time of thebuffered data for each eligible LCH. The terminal device 110 may determine whether theminimum remaining time at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising atleast an upcoming measurement time period (e.g., a MG or SMTC). The terminal device110 may calculate the amount of time that the RT overlaps with such time window ifdetermining that the overlaps occur. The overlapping time may be calculated andconsidered when determining the rearrangement of LCH(s) priority.

[0088] In some example embodiments, the remaining time may be determined toindicate a minimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not been reported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR). In some examples, theremaining time (also referred to as minimum remaining time) refers to the smallestremaining value of the running PDCP discard timers (discardTimers) among all the SDUsbuffered for a LCG (or LCH) that has not been transmitted in any MAC PDU and has notbeen reported as data volume in a DSR MAC CE, which is used to determine arearrangement of LCH(s) priority.

[0089] In some example embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine theoverlapping time based on at least one of the remaining time, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, an end time of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least one measurement time period, or a predetermine time period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period. Here, the start time of the at leastone measurement time period may be a start time of an immediate next measurement timeperiod.

[0090] In some example embodiments, the terminal device 110 may adjust at least oneof a plurality of parameters that are configured to configured to determine a LCH priorityfor the LCH in the LCP procedure based at least in part on the overlapping time. In someexample embodiments, the plurality of parameters may include the remaining time andthe at least one remaining time threshold.

[0091] It is proposed to reduce the value of the RT used for determining a potentialrearrangement of the LCH(s) priority, if the terminal device 110 estimates that the minimum remaining time (i.e. the time available for scheduling prior to PDCP discard timer expires) at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least an upcoming MG / SMTC.

[0092] In some example embodiments, the RT may be reduced by the amount of timethe RT overlaps with such time window, so that the rearrangement of LCH(s) priority happens early enough prior the start of the MG / SMTC. As an alternative to reducing the value of the minimum remaining time used for LCH priority rearrangement, the terminal device 110 may increase, by the same amount, the value of the one or more (remaining time) thresholds the minimum remaining time RT is compared with when determining theLCH priority prior to LCP. More details about the implementations are provided.

[0093] Accordingly, the terminal device 110 may adjust the at least one parameter bydecreasing the remaining time by a value determined based at least in part on the overlapping time, and / or increasing one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold by one or more values determined based at least in part on the overlapping time,respectively. Then in the LCP procedure, the LCH priority for the LCH may be based onthe at least one adjusted parameter, e.g., the adjusted remaining time or the adjusted remaining time threshold(s).

[0094] In some example embodiments, the terminal device 110 may compare the(adjusted or not-adjusted) remaining time with an (not-adjusted or adjusted) remainingtime threshold. Then an LCP procedure is performed for LCH priority reengagement. Ifthe (adjusted or not-adjusted) remaining time satisfies the condition related to the (not-adjusted or adjusted) remaining time threshold, a corresponding LCH priority may bereassigned to the LCH. Assuming one threshold is configured, if the (adjusted or not-adjusted) minimum remaining time is lower than the (not-adjusted or adjusted) remainingtime threshold, a first LCH priority value is assigned for the LCH, and if the (adjusted ornot-adjusted) minimum remaining time is equal or above the (not-adjusted or adjusted)remaining time threshold, a second LCH priority value is assigned for the LCH.

[0095] FIG. 4A illustrates a time diagram showing an example 400 of full overlappingof MG with data transmission slots in accordance with some example embodiments of thepresent disclosure, and FIG. 4B illustrates a time diagram showing an example 401 ofpartial overlapping of MG with data transmission slots in accordance with some exampleembodiments of the present disclosure.

[0096] In the illustrated examples, ^^ corresponds to the remaining time for thebuffered data arrived at t0 and with a discard timer expired at t12 (in FIG. 4A) or t22 (inFIG. 4B). ^^ may be calculated as the smallest remaining value of the running PDCPdiscardTimers among all the PDCP SDUs buffered for the considered LCH that have notbeen transmitted in any MAC PDU and have not been reported as data volume in a DSR MAC CE.

[0097] ^^^^^^^^^ corresponds to the remaining time threshold for triggering arearrangement of LCH(s) priority. Note that this threshold may be different from thethreshold of remaining time used for triggering a delay status report (DSR). In theillustrated examples and following discussion, for the purpose of discussion, it is assumedthat one remaining time threshold and 2 LCH priorities are configured. Thus, the terminaldevice 110 may determine to apply one LCH priority value if the minimum remainingtime is lower than the remaining time threshold, and the other LCH priority value if thedetermined minimum remaining time is equal or above the remaining time threshold. Itwould be appreciated that example embodiments of the present disclosure can be extendedto any case with N LCH priorities and N-1 remaining time thresholds (where N is largerthan or equal to 2).

[0098] ^^^^ and ^^^^ are the starting time and the ending time of the considered timewindow, respectively. In the illustrated examples, for the purpose of discussion, anupcoming measurement time period of MG is illustrated as an example of the time window.In this implementation example, it is assumed that such time window exactly correspondsto the MG duration, though in some possible implementations the time window may alsoinclude a time period ^ prior to ^^^^. FIG. 4C shows such an example with a time period^ prior to ^^^^ of the next MG considered, where the time window consisting of MGand time period ^ prior to ^^^^ is partially overlapping with ^^(^) . However, asdiscussed above, more than one following measurement time period may be considered indetermining the overlapping.

[0099] It can be observed that, by reducing the value of the remaining time and / orincreasing the remaining time threshold prior to using the remaining time and theremaining time threshold for determination of the LCH priority (or alternatively by increasing the value of the threshold), the first UL slot in which the LCH priority isincreased can be advanced in time. This allows the terminal device 110 to actually transmitthe delay-critical data prior to the measurement time period(s) occurs and the PDCPdiscard timer expires.

[0100] In the examples of FIGS. 4A-4C, it is assumed that data arrived at t0 and thecorresponding discard timer expires at t12 (in FIG. 4A or 4C) or t22 (in FIG. 4B). Withoutapplying adjustment proposed in the present disclosure, a LCH priority for the LCH maybe first increased in the UL slot at t3 if the terminal device 110 applies the configuredremaining time threshold and the real remaining time to trigger the LCH priorityrearrangement. By adjusting the remaining time and / or the remaining time threshold, theLCH priority may be increased in the UL slot at t11 (in FIG. 4A or FIG. 4C) or t21 (inFIG. 4B), leaving the terminal device more time to transmit the buffered data prior to themeasurement time period(s).

[0101] As discussed, the terminal device 110 may either increase the remaining time ordecrease the remaining time threshold used in determining the LCH priorityrearrangement. Different example embodiments will be discussed in detail with reference to FIG. 3B and FIG.3C.

[0102] FIG. 3B illustrates a signaling flow 300B for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The signaling flow300B involves the terminal device 110 and the network device 120 in FIG. 1. For purposeof illustration, the signaling flow 300B will be described with respect to FIG. 1.

[0103] In the signaling flow 300B, similarly to the signaling flow 300A, the networkdevice 120 transmits (312) configuration information indicating at least one remainingtime threshold for determining a LCH priority for a LCH in an LCP procedure. Theterminal device 110 receives (314) the configuration information and may perform an LCP procedure based on the configuration information. In some example embodiments, theconfiguration information may further indicate applying of the overlapping time indetermining the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0104] The terminal device 110 determines a remaining time of buffered data in theLCH, and determines whether the remaining time at least partially overlaps with a timewindow comprising at least one measurement time period. As discussed above, the timewindow may include an immediate next measurement time period (e.g., MG or SMTC),more than one next measurement time period, and / or include at least one measurementtime period and an additional predetermined time period ^ prior to a start of the at leastone measurement time period.

[0105] The terminal device 110, based on a determination that the remaining time ofbuffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising atleast one measurement time period, adjusts (316) the remaining time based on anoverlapping time between the remaining time and the time window. Then the terminaldevice 110 determines (318) a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCH procedure based onthe adjusted remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold.

[0106] In the example embodiments of FIG. 3B, the remaining time is dynamicallyadjusted based on the overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window.

[0107] In some examples, the dynamic remaining time may be defined as a function oftime ^, represented as ^^^(^). ^^^(^) may change when the terminal device 110 estimatesthat the remaining time ^^(^) is overlapping with a time window comprising at least thenext measurement time period (e.g., the next MG).

[0108] FIG. 5A illustrates a flowchart of a process 500 implemented by the terminaldevice 110 for LCH priority rearrangement by decreasing the remaining time.

[0109] At block 510, for a specific LCH, the terminal device 110 determines theremaining time ^^(^) of buffered data in the LCH at time ^. The terminal device 110 mayfurther determine how much of the remaining time ^^(^) is overlapping with the definedtime window (for example, the immediate next measurement gap period MG andpotentially including a time window ^ prior to the start of the MG).

[0110] At block 512, the terminal device 110 determines whether the remaining time^^(^) is overlapping with the defined time window. For example, the terminal device 110may determine whether the remaining time is before a start of the time window (notoverlapping), fails into the time window (partial overlapping) or is later than the end ofthe time window (fully overlapping). As shown in FIG. 5A, the terminal device 110 maydetermine if ^^(^) < ^^^^ − ^ − ^.

[0111] If the remaining time ^^(^) is determined at block 512 to be overlapping withthe defined time window, e.g., ^^(^) ≥ ^^^^ − ^ − ^ , the terminal device 110 maydetermine an adjustment value for the remaining time based on the overlapping timebetween the remaining time and the defined time window.

[0112] The terminal device 110 may determine an updated value of the remaining time^^^(^) by decreasing the determined adjustment value from the value of ^^(^). In someexample embodiments, the adjustment value may be determined as a function of theoverlapping time. In some examples, the adjustment value may be determined as value ofthe overlapping time. In some examples, the adjustment value may be determined in anyother suitable way according to the overlapping time.

[0113] The terminal device 110 may calculate the overlapping time in the case of partialoverlapping or the case of the fully overlapping based on at least one of the remainingtime ^^(^), a start time ^^^^ of the at least one measurement time period, an end time^^^^of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least onemeasurement time period, or a predetermine time period ^ prior to a start of the at leastone measurement time period.

[0114] Depending on whether the remaining time ^^(^) is partially or fully with thedefined time window, the terminal device 110 may perform calculations of the adjustmentvalue for the remaining time accordingly. As illustrated in FIG. 5A, if the remaining time^^(^) is overlapping with the defined time window, at block 514, the terminal device 110determines the remaining time ^^(^) falls within the time window, e.g., the remainingtime ^^(^) is later than the start of the time window (^^^^ − ^ − ^), and is before theend of the time window (^^^^ − ^), represented as ^^^^ − ^ − ^ ≤ ^^(^) ≤ ^^^^ − ^.

[0115] If the remaining time ^^(^) is later than the end of the time window, e.g.,^^(^) > ^^^^ − ^, then the terminal device 110 may determine that the remaining time^^(^) is fully overlapping with the defined time window. In this case, the terminal device110 may determine the adjustment value at least based on the remaining time, an end timeof the time window, and a start time of the time window. The overlapping time may bedetermined as(^^^^ − ^) − (^^^^ − ^ − ^). In an example, if the adjustment value isdetermined as the overlapping time, then the updated remaining time may be determinedas ^^^(^) = ^^(^) − [(^^^^ − ^) − (^^^^ − ^ − ^)] = ^^(^) − ^^^^ + ^^^^ − ^, asshown at block 518.

[0116] If ^^^^ − ^ − ^ ≤ ^^(^) ≤ ^^^^ − ^, the terminal device 110 may determinethat the remaining time ^^(^) is partially overlapping with the defined time window. Inthis case, the terminal device 110 may determine the adjustment value at least based on astart time of the time window and a current time point ^ . The overlapping time may bedetermined as ^^(^) − (^^^^ − ^ − ^) . In an example, if the adjustment value isdetermined as the overlapping time, then the updated remaining time may be determinedas ^^^(^) = ^^(^) − [^^(^) − (^^^^ − ^ − ^)] = ^^^^ − ^ − ^, as shown at block 520.

[0117] In some example embodiments, if the remaining time ^^(^) is determined atblock 512 to be not-overlapping with the defined time window, e.g., ^^(^) < ^^^^ −^ − ^, the terminal device 110 may determine ^^^(^) to be the remaining time ^^(^), i.e.,^^^(^) = ^^(^).

[0118] The terminal device 110 may perform LCP including potential LCH priorityrearrangement 525 based on the updated values of remaining time ^^^(^) and theremaining time threshold ^^^^^^^^^. At block 522, the terminal device 110 maydetermine whether the updated remaining time ^^^(^) is smaller than one of the at leastone remaining time threshold, e.g., if ^^^(^) < ^^^^^^^^^ . If ^^^(^) <^^^^^^^^^, the terminal device 110 may perform LCH priority rearrangement at block524, to update the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure. For example, the LCHpriority value may be increased to allow the buffered data in the LCH to be transmitted in time prior to the measurement time period. As in the examples of FIGS. 4A-4C, by reducing the remaining time, the LCH priority may be increased in the UL slot at t11 (inFIG. 4A or FIG. 4C) or t21 (in FIG. 4B), leaving the terminal device more time to transmitthe buffered data prior to the measurement time period(s).

[0119] In some example embodiments, in the process described above, the values of^^^^ and ^^^^ are the start and end time of the upcoming MG / SMTC (e.g., theimmediate next MG / SMTC). As such, their values need to be updated to the values of the start and end of MG / SMTC occasion #N+1 when entering MG occasion #N. In other words,at time ^ = ^^^^ the values of ^^^^ and ^^^^ may be increased by the MGperiodicity / SMTC period. It can be noticed that the value of the remaining time to be usedfor LCH priority rearrangement is only changed when the remaining time is overlapping with a predefined time window which corresponds to the duration of the upcomingMG / SMTC plus a time window ^ preceding the start of the upcoming MG / SMTC.

[0120] As such, if the terminal device 110 estimates that the available time forscheduling (i.e. the remaining time) overlaps with a time window including at least theupcoming MG / SMTC, the terminal device 110 may reduce the value of the remaining timeused for LCH priority rearrangement by a quantity corresponding to the overlappingperiod. In other words, the remaining time may be decreased by an amount ^^(^) −( ^^^^ − ^ − ^) or ( ^^^^ − ^^^^ + ^).

[0121] A few of numerical examples are provided below, to better understand theexample embodiments of the present disclosure where the remaining time is decreased to trigger the LCP priority rearrangement.

[0122] In a first example, it is assumed that a PDCP PDU arrives in the terminal deviceand buffers at time ^ − 10 ^^. The PDCP discard timer corresponding to the PDCP PDUis set to 20 ms. At time ^ the remaining time is 10 ms. There is a MG with a duration of 6ms that starts at ^^^^ = ^ + 11 ^^ and ends at ^^^^ = ^ + 16 ^^. The remaining timethreshold is set to 8 ms, i.e., ^^^^^^^^^ = 8 ^^.^^(^) = 10 ^^^^^^ − ^ = 11 ^^^^^^ − ^ = 16 ^^

[0123] Since ^^(^) < ^^^ ^^ − ^ (10 ms < 11 ms), ^^ (^) = ^^ (^) = 10 ^^ . In thiscase, it is noticeable that it is not necessary to change ^^(^). ^^^(^) is compared with theremaining time threshold and since ^^^(^) > ^^^^^^^^^ (10 ms > 8 ms), the LCHpriority may not be increased prior to the LCP procedure.

[0124] In a second example, it is assumed that the MG with a duration of 6 ms starts at^^^^ = ^ + 6 ^^ and ends at ^^^^ = ^ + 12 ^^. The remaining time threshold for LCHpriority rearrangement is still set to 8 ms, i.e., ^^^^^^^^^ = 8 ^^.^^(^) = 10 ^^^^^^ − ^ = 6 ^^^^^^ − ^ = 12 ^^

[0125] Since ^^^^ − ^ < ^^(^) < ^^^ ^^ − ^ (6 ms < 10 ms < 12 ms), ^^ (^) =^^^^ − ^ = 6 ^^. In this case, since ^^^(^) < ^^^^^^^^^ (6 ms < 8 ms), the LCHpriority may be increased prior to the LCP procedure.

[0126] In a third example, it is assumed that the MG with a duration of 6 ms starts at^^^^ = ^ + 3 ^^ and ends at ^^^^ = ^ + 9 ^^. Again, the remaining time threshold forLCH priority rearrangement is set to 8 ms, i.e., ^^^^^^^^^ = 8 ^^.^^(^) = 10 ^^^^^^ − ^ = 3 ^^^^^^ − ^ = 9 ^^

[0127] Since ^^(^) > ^^^ ^^ − ^ (10 ms > 9 ms), ^^ (^) = ^^(^) − [( ^^^^ − ^) −( ^^^^ − ^)] = 10 ^^ − 6 ^^ = 4^^. Also in this case, since ^^^(^) < ^^^^^^^^^ (4ms < 8 ms), the LCH priority may be increased prior to the LCP procedure.

[0128] The adjustment of the remaining time ^^(^) is described above. In someexample embodiments of the present disclosure, as mentioned, the remaining timethreshold(s) ^^^^^^^^^ may be adjusted in a similar way, but the adjustment directionis to increase the remaining time threshold(s) ^^^^^^^^^.

[0129] FIG. 3C illustrates a signaling flow 300C for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with such example embodiments. The signaling flow 300C involves theterminal device 110 and the network device 120 in FIG. 1. For purpose of illustration, thesignaling flow 300C will be described with respect to FIG. 1.

[0130] In the signaling flow 300C, similarly to the signaling flow 300A, the networkdevice 120 transmits (322) configuration information indicating at least one remainingtime threshold for determining a LCH priority for a LCH in an LCP procedure. Theterminal device 110 receives (324) the configuration information and may perform an LCP procedure based on the configuration information. In some example embodiments, theconfiguration information may further indicate applying of the overlapping time indetermining the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0131] The terminal device 110, based on a determination that a remaining time ofbuffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising atleast one measurement time period, adjusts (326) one or more of the at least one remainingtime threshold based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the timewindow. The terminal device 110 determines (328) a LCH priority for the LCH in theLCP procedure based on the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds and theremaining time.

[0132] In some example embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine anadjustment value for at least one remaining time threshold based on the overlapping time;and increase the at least one remaining time threshold by the determined adjustment value.In some example embodiments, if a plurality of remaining time thresholds are configured,the terminal device 110 may determine respective adjustment values for the plurality ofremaining time thresholds, or may determine the same adjustment value for the pluralityof remaining time thresholds.

[0133] The adjustment of the remaining time threshold(s) is similar to that of theremaining time RT as discussed above.

[0134] For a specific LCH, the terminal device 110 may determine the remaining time^^(^) of buffered data in the LCH at time ^ . The terminal device 110 may furtherdetermine how much of the remaining time ^^(^) is overlapping with the defined timewindow (for example, the immediate next measurement gap period MG and potentiallyincluding a time window ^ prior to the start of the MG). The terminal device maydetermine an updated value of the remaining time threshold ^^^^^^^^^ by increasingthe value of ^^^^^^^^^. In some example embodiments, the adjustment value for theremaining time threshold ^^^^^^^^^ may be determined as a function of theoverlapping time. In some examples, the adjustment value may be determined as the samequantity of the overlapping time. In some examples, the adjustment value may bedetermined in any other suitable way according to the overlapping time.

[0135] The terminal device 110 may calculate the overlapping time in the case of partialoverlapping or the case of the fully overlapping based on at least one of the remainingtime ^^(^), a start time ^^^^ of the at least one measurement time period, an end time^^^^of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least onemeasurement time period, and / or a predetermine time period ^ prior to a start of the atleast one measurement time period. Depending on whether the remaining time ^^(^) ispartially or fully with the defined time window, the terminal device 110 may performcalculations of the adjustment value for the remaining time threshold(s) accordingly.

[0136] In some example embodiments, in accordance with a determination that theremaining time partially overlaps with the time window, the terminal device 110 maydetermine the adjustment value based on a start time of the time window and a currenttime point. In some example embodiments, in accordance with a determination that theremaining time overlaps with the time window, the terminal device 110 may determinethe adjustment value based on the remaining time, an end time of the time window, and a start time of the time window.

[0137] The whole process for LCH priority rearrangement by increasing the remainingtime threshold(s) is similar to the process 500 as shown in FIG. 5A. The differences lieson blocks 516, 518, and 520 of the process 500 where the remaining time threshold^^^^^^^^^ is determined or updated based on whether the remaining time is at leastpartially overlapping with the defined time window. In some examples, the adjustmentvalue added to the remaining time threshold ^^^^^^^^^ may also be the overlappingtime, which is calculated as ( ^^^^ − ^) − ( ^^^^ − ^ − ^) in the case of fullyoverlapping or ^^(^) − ( ^^^^ − ^ − ^) in the case of partial overlapping. Then theadjusted threshold ^^^^^^^^^′ is used to compared with the remaining time ^^(^)instead of the applying the adjusted remaining time to compare with the non-adjustedthreshold as at block 522 of the process 500.

[0138] The terminal device 110 may perform LCP including potential LCH priorityrearrangement 525 based on the values of remaining time ^^(^) and the updatedremaining time threshold ^^^^^^^^^′. In some example embodiments, in accordancewith a determination that the remaining time is smaller than one of the one or moreadjusted remaining time thresholds, the terminal device 110 may update the LCH priorityfor the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0139] The terminal device 110 may determine whether the remaining time ^^(^) issmaller than one of the at least one updated remaining time threshold, e.g., if ^^(^) <^^^^^^^^^′. If ^^(^) < ^^^^^^^^^′, the terminal device 110 may perform LCHpriority rearrangement, to update the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure. Forexample, the LCH priority value may be increased to allow the buffered data in the LCHto be transmitted in time prior to the measurement time period. As in the examples of FIGS. 4A-4C, by reducing the remaining time, the LCH priority may be increased in theUL slot at t11 (in FIG. 4A or FIG. 4C) or t21 (in FIG. 4B), leaving the terminal devicemore time to transmit the buffered data prior to the measurement time period(s).

[0140] FIG. 3D illustrates a signaling flow 300D for LCH priority rearrangement inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The signaling flow300D involves the terminal device 110 and the network device 120 in FIG. 1. For purposeof illustration, the signaling flow 300D will be described with respect to FIG. 1.

[0141] In the signaling flow 300D, similarly to the signaling flow 300A, the networkdevice 120 transmits (332) configuration information indicating at least one remainingtime threshold for determining a LCH priority for a LCH in an LCP procedure. Theterminal device 110 receives (334) the configuration information and may perform an LCP procedure based on the configuration information.

[0142] The terminal device 110 determines (336) whether a discard time of buffereddata in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least onemeasurement time period. In accordance with a determination that the discard time is laterthan the start time of the time window, the terminal device 110 determines (338) a LCHpriority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and anoverlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

[0143] In some example embodiments, the calculations for determining the LCP prioritymay be relatively static and may be updated upon a change in a discard time and / or updateof the start / end time of MG / SMTC (for example, if the MG time is reached, and the nextone becomes relevant). For example, in FIGS. 4A-4C, in either partially or fullyoverlapping case, the discard timer expires after the start of the immediate next MG.

[0144] In some example embodiments, the time window may include a predeterminedtime period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period, i.e., the start ofan immediate next measurement time period. In this case, the terminal device 110 maydetermine whether the remaining time at least partially overlaps with a time windowcomprising the predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate nextmeasurement time period and the at least one next measurement time period. In someexample embodiments, the at least one measurement time period may include one or moreSMTCs or MGs following a current time point. In some example embodiments, theSMTC(s) or MG(s) under consideration may include those with scheduling restrictions.

[0145] In some example embodiments, the discard time is a remaining time of a discardtimer for the buffered data. In some example embodiments, the discard timer may be set for a data unit, e.g., a PDCP SDU and such a discard timer may also be referred to as aPDCP discard time. If the discard time is later than the start of the time window, it meansthat the remaining time of at least partially buffered data in the LCH is at least partiallyoverlapping with the time window.

[0146] In some cases, as a discard timer is configured for a data unit (e.g., PDCP SDU),and a LCH may be associated with a plurality of discard timers. The terminal device 110may determine the discard time (represented as ^^^^^^^) used to compare with the startof the time window in various suitable ways based on the discard timers.

[0147] In some example embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine thediscard time ^^^^^^^ based on a remaining time of a discard timer corresponding to abuffered data unit on top of a data unit queue for the LCH. For example, the terminaldevice 110 may determine the buffered data unit on top of the queue (assuming it is afirst-in-first-out, FIFO, queue) as the top data unit may be the first one to be fetch out fortransmission, and apply the discard timer corresponding to this data unit as the remainingtime of this discard timer may be the smallest one.

[0148] In some example embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine thediscard time ^^^^^^^ based on an aggregated value of remaining times of a plurality ofdiscard timers corresponding to a plurality of buffered data units in the data unit queuefor the LCH. For example, the terminal device 110 may determine the used discard timebased on a minimum value, a mean value, a middle value or any other aggregated valueof the remaining time of the discard timers.

[0149] In some example embodiments, if it is determined that the discard time ofbuffered data in the LCH is later than a start time of the time window, the terminal device110 may determine the overlapping time between the discard time and the time windowbased on at least one of the discard time for the buffered data in the LCH, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, or an end time of the at least one measurement time period.

[0150] The overlapping time between the discard time and the time window may becalculated to be a different value than the overlapping time between the minimumremaining time and the time window. As indicated above, the minimum remaining time(or remaining time for short) for the buffered data in the LCH is determined per LCH, andmay be determined to indicate a minimum remaining value of a running discard timeramong PDCP SDUs for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a PDU and have notbeen reported as a data volume in a DSR.

[0151] In some example embodiments, the terminal device 110 may adjust, based atleast in part on the determined overlapping time, at least one of a plurality of parameters that are configured to determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure. Insome example embodiments, the plurality of parameters may include the remaining timeand the at least one remaining time threshold. The terminal device 110 may determine theLCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the at least one adjusted parameter and the configuration information.

[0152] In the case that the discard time is later than the start of the time window, theterminal device 110 may reduce the value of the RT used for determining a potential rearrangement of the LCH(s) priority, if the terminal device 110 estimates that the minimum remaining time (i.e. the time available for scheduling prior to PDCP discard timer expires) at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least anupcoming MG / SMTC. In some example embodiments, the RT may be reduced by theamount of time the RT overlaps with such time window, so that the rearrangement of LCH(s) priority happens early enough prior the start of the MG / SMTC.

[0153] As an alternative to reducing the value of the minimum remaining time used forLCH priority rearrangement, the terminal device 110 may increase, by the same amount, the value of the one or more (remaining time) thresholds the minimum remaining time RTis compared with when determining the LCH priority prior to LCP. More details about the implementation are provided.

[0154] FIG. 5B illustrates a flowchart of a process 502 for LCH priority rearrangementin accordance with some example embodiments. In the process 502, the remaining time^^(^) is determined or updated based on the overlapping time.

[0155] At block 530, for a specific LCH, the terminal device 110 determines the discardtime ^^^^^^^, the start and end time of the defined time window ^^^^, ^^^^. At block530, the terminal device 110 determines whether the discard time is later than the start ofthe time window, e.g., if ^^^^^^^ − ^^^^ > 0. If the discard time is later than the startof the time window, e.g., the discard time at least partially overlaps with the time window,then at block 534, the terminal device 110 may determine an adjustment value based onthe overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

[0156] In some example embodiments, the adjustment value (represented as^^^^^^^^^^^^if it is applied to the remaining time) may be determined based on adifference between the discard time ^^^^^^^ and the start of the time window ^^^^(assuming that no predetermined time period X is set prior to the measurement period(s)).If the discard time is partially overlapping with the time window, e.g., the discard timefalls within the time window, a difference between the discard time ^^^^^^^ and the endof the time window ^^^^ may be subtracted from the difference of “^^^^^^^ − ^^^^”.The calculation of the adjustment value may be determined as ^^^^^^^^^^^^ = ^^^^^^^ −^^^^ − ^^^ ((^^^^^^^ − ^^^^), 0), as shown in FIG. 5B.

[0157] Then at block 538, the terminal device 110 may update the remaining time ^^(^)by decreasing the determined adjustment value from the remaining time ^^(^). Theupdated remaining time may be represented as ^^^(^) = ^^(^) − ^^^^^^^^^^^^. In someexample embodiments, if it is determined that the discard time is not later than the startof the time window, e.g., ^^^^^^^ − ^^^^ ≤ 0 , then the terminal device 110 may applyno change to the remaining time ^^(^) i.e., ^^^(^) = ^^(^).

[0158] The terminal device 110 may perform LCP including potential LCH priorityrearrangement 545 based on the updated values of remaining time ^^^(^) and theremaining time threshold ^^^^^^^^^. At block 540, the terminal device 110 maydetermine whether the updated remaining time ^^^(^) is smaller than one of the at leastone remaining time threshold, e.g., if ^^^(^) < ^^^^^^^^^ . If ^^^(^) <^^^^^^^^^, the terminal device 110 may perform LCH priority rearrangement at block542, to update the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure. For example, the LCHpriority value may be increased to allow the buffered data in the LCH to be transmitted in time prior to the measurement time period. As in the examples of FIGS. 4A-4C, by reducing the remaining time, the LCH priority may be increased in the UL slot at t11 (inFIG. 4A or FIG. 4C) or t21 (in FIG. 4B), leaving the terminal device more time to transmitthe buffered data prior to the measurement time period(s).

[0159] In some example embodiments, in the process described above, the values of^^^^ and ^^^^ are the start and end time of the upcoming MG / SMTC (e.g., theimmediate next MG / SMTC). As such, their values need to be updated to the values of the start and end of MG / SMTC occasion #N+1 when entering MG occasion #N. In other words,at time ^ = ^^^^ the values of ^^^^ and ^^^^ are increased by the MGperiodicity / SMTC period. It can be noticed that the value of the remaining time to be usedfor LCH priority rearrangement is only changed when the remaining time is overlapping with a predefined time window which corresponds to the duration of the upcomingMG / SMTC plus a time window ^ preceding the start of the upcoming MG / SMTC.

[0160] In some example embodiments, the adjustment value ^^^^^^^^^^^^ may beapplied to update the remaining time threshold(s) ^^^^^^^^^ . For example, aremaining time threshold may be increased by the same quantity of adjustment value^^^^^^^^^^^^. The update of the remaining time threshold may be similar to that describedwith reference to FIG. 3C, except that the trigger of the adjustment and the calculation ofthe adjustment value is different.

[0161] Although it is described above that either the remaining time ^^(^)or theremaining time threshold ^^^^^^^^^ is updated, it would be appreciated in some otherexamples, both of the two parameters may be adjusted if the corresponding conditions aresatisfied.

[0162] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of an example method 600 implemented at a firstapparatus in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the method 600 will be described from the perspective of the first apparatus. In some example embodiments, the first apparatus may be or may be comprised in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0163] At block 610, the first apparatus receives, from a second apparatus,configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure.

[0164] At block 620, based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered datain the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, the first apparatus determines an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window.

[0165] At block 630, the first apparatus determines a LCH priority for the LCH in theLCP procedure based on the configuration information and the overlapping time.

[0166] In some example embodiments, the method 600 further comprises: determiningthe overlapping time based on at least one of the remaining time, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, an end time of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least one measurement time period, or a predetermined time period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period.

[0167] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at leastcomprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0168] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus determines a LCH priorityfor the LCH in the LCP procedure by: adjusting, based at least in part on the overlapping time, at least one of a plurality of parameters that are configured to determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure; and determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the at least one adjusted parameter and the configuration information.

[0169] In some example embodiments, the plurality of parameters comprises theremaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold. The first apparatus adjusts the at least one parameter by at least one of the following: decreasing the remaining time by a value determined based at least in part on the overlapping time; or increasing one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold by one or more values determined based at least in part on the overlapping time, respectively.

[0170] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time periodcomprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB)measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further includes a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0171] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicatesapplying of the overlapping time in determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0172] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate aminimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not been reported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0173] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in aterminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0174] In some example embodiments, a first apparatus capable of performing any ofthe method 600 (for example, the terminal device 110 in FIG.1) may comprise means for performing the respective operations of the method 600. The means may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the means may be implemented in a circuitry or software module. The first apparatus may be implemented as or included in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0175] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus comprises: means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, determining an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and means for determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the configuration information and the overlapping time.

[0176] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for determining the overlapping time based on at least one of the remaining time, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, an end time of the at least one measurementtime period, a duration of the at least one measurement time period, or a predetermined time period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period.

[0177] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at least comprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0178] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises means for determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure by: adjusting, based at least in part on the overlapping time, at least one of a plurality of parameters that are configured to determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure; and determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the at least one adjusted parameter and the configuration information.

[0179] In some example embodiments, the plurality of parameters comprises the remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold. Moreover, the first apparatus further comprises means for adjusting the at least one parameter by at least one of the following: decreasing the remaining time by a value determined based at least in part on the overlapping time; or increasing one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold by one or more values determined based at least in part on the overlapping time, respectively.

[0180] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period comprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further includes a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0181] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicates applying of the overlapping time in determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0182] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate a minimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not beenreported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0183] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in aterminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0184] FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of an example method 700 implemented at a firstapparatus in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the method 700 will be described from the perspective of the first apparatus. In some example embodiments, the first apparatus may be or may be comprised in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0185] At block 710, the first apparatus receives, from a second apparatus,configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure.

[0186] At block 720, based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered datain the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, the first apparatus adjusts the remaining time based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window.

[0187] At block 730, the first apparatus determines a LCH priority for the LCH in theLCP procedure based on the adjusted remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold.

[0188] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus adjusts the remaining time by:determining an adjustment value for the remaining time based on the overlapping time; and decreasing the remaining time by the determined adjustment value.

[0189] In some example embodiments, the method 700 further comprises: in accordancewith a determination that the remaining time partially overlaps with the time window, determining the adjustment value based on a start time of the time window and a current time point; and in accordance with a determination that the remaining time overlaps with the time window, determining the adjustment value based on the remaining time, an end time of the time window, and a start time of the time window.

[0190] In some example embodiments, the method 700 further comprises: determiningthe overlapping time based on at least one of the remaining time, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, an end time of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least one measurement time period, or a predetermined time period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period.

[0191] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at leastcomprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0192] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time periodcomprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further include a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0193] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicatesapplying of the overlapping time in determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0194] In some example embodiments, the method 700 further comprises: in accordancewith a determination that the adjusted remaining time is smaller than one of the at least one remaining time threshold, updating the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0195] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate aminimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not been reported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0196] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in aterminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0197] In some example embodiments, a first apparatus capable of performing any ofthe method 700 (for example, the terminal device 110 in FIG.1) may comprise means for performing the respective operations of the method 700. The means may be implementedin any suitable form. For example, the means may be implemented in a circuitry orsoftware module. The first apparatus may be implemented as or included in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0198] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus comprises: means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time windowcomprising at least one measurement time period, adjusting the remaining time based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and means for determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the adjusted remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold.

[0199] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises means for adjusting the remaining time by: determining an adjustment value for the remaining time based on the overlapping time; and decreasing the remaining time by the determined adjustment value.

[0200] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for in accordance with a determination that the remaining time partially overlaps with the time window, determining the adjustment value based on a start time of the time window and a current time point; and means for in accordance with a determination that the remaining time overlaps with the time window, determining the adjustment value based on the remaining time, an end time of the time window, and a start time of the time window.

[0201] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for determining the overlapping time based on at least one of the remaining time, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, an end time of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least one measurement time period, or a predetermined time period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period.

[0202] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at least comprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0203] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period comprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further include a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0204] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicates applying of the overlapping time in determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0205] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for in accordance with a determination that the adjusted remaining time is smaller than one ofthe at least one remaining time threshold, updating the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0206] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate a minimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not been reported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0207] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in a terminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0208] FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of an example method 800 implemented at a firstapparatus in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the method 800 will be described from the perspective of the first apparatus. In some example embodiments, the first apparatus may be or may be comprised in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0209] At block 810, the first apparatus receives, from a second apparatus,configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure.

[0210] At block 820, based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered datain the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, the first apparatus adjusts one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window.

[0211] At block 830, the first apparatus determines a LCH priority for the LCH in theLCP procedure based on the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds and the remaining time.

[0212] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus adjusts one or more of the atleast one remaining time threshold by: determining an adjustment value for at least one remaining time threshold based on the overlapping time; and increasing the at least one remaining time threshold by the determined adjustment value.

[0213] In some example embodiments, the method 800 further comprises: in accordancewith a determination that the remaining time partially overlaps with the time window,determining the adjustment value based on a start time of the time window and a current time point; and in accordance with a determination that the remaining time overlaps with the time window, determining the adjustment value based on the remaining time, an end time of the time window, and a start time of the time window.

[0214] In some example embodiments, the method 800 further comprises: determiningthe overlapping time based on at least one of the remaining time, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, an end time of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least one measurement time period, or a predetermined time period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period.

[0215] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at leastcomprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0216] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time periodcomprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further include a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0217] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicatesapplying of the overlapping time in determining a LCH priority for the LCH.

[0218] In some example embodiments, the method 800 further comprises: in accordancewith a determination that the remaining time is smaller than one of the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds, updating the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0219] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate aminimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not been reported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0220] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in aterminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0221] In some example embodiments, a first apparatus capable of performing any ofthe method 800 (for example, the terminal device 110 in FIG.1) may comprise means forperforming the respective operations of the method 800. The means may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the means may be implemented in a circuitry or software module. The first apparatus may be implemented as or included in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0222] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus comprises: means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for a LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for based on a determination that a remaining time of buffered data in the LCH at least partially overlaps with a time window comprising at least one measurement time period, adjusting one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold based on an overlapping time between the remaining time and the time window; and means for determining a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds and the remaining time.

[0223] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus comprise: means for adjusting one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold by: determining an adjustment value for at least one remaining time threshold based on the overlapping time; and increasing the at least one remaining time threshold by the determined adjustment value.

[0224] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for in accordance with a determination that the remaining time partially overlaps with the time window, determining the adjustment value based on a start time of the time window and a current time point; and means for in accordance with a determination that the remaining time overlaps with the time window, determining the adjustment value based on the remaining time, an end time of the time window, and a start time of the time window.

[0225] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for determining the overlapping time based on at least one of the remaining time, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, an end time of the at least one measurement time period, a duration of the at least one measurement time period, or a predetermined time period prior to a start of the at least one measurement time period.

[0226] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at least comprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0227] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period comprisesat least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further include a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0228] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicates applying of the overlapping time in determining a LCH priority for the LCH.

[0229] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for in accordance with a determination that the remaining time is smaller than one of the one or more adjusted remaining time thresholds, updating the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure.

[0230] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate a minimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not beenreported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0231] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in a terminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0232] FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of an example method 900 implemented at a firstapparatus in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the method 900 will be described from the perspective of the first apparatus. In some example embodiments, the first apparatus may be or may be comprised in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0233] At block 910, the first apparatus receives, from a second apparatus,configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure.

[0234] At block 920, the first apparatus determines whether a discard time of buffereddata in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period.

[0235] At block 930, in accordance with a determination that the discard time is laterthan the start time of the time window, the first apparatus determines a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and an overlappingtime between the discard time and the time window.

[0236] In some example embodiments, the method 900 further comprises: determiningthe discard time based on a remaining time of a discard timer corresponding to a buffered data unit on top of a data unit queue for the LCH; or determining the discard time basedon an aggregated value of remaining times of a plurality of discard timers correspondingto a plurality of buffered data units in the data unit queue for the LCH.

[0237] In some example embodiments, the method 900 further comprises: determiningthe overlapping time based on at least one of the discard time for the buffered data in the LCH, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, or an end time of the at least one measurement time period.

[0238] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at leastcomprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0239] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus determines the LCH priorityfor the LCH by: adjusting, based at least in part on the overlapping time, at least one of aplurality of parameters that are configured to determine a LCH priority for the LCH in theLCP procedure; and determining the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the at least one adjusted parameter and the configuration information.

[0240] In some example embodiments, the plurality of parameters comprises theremaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold. Moreover, the first apparatus adjusts the at least one parameter by at least one of the following: decreasing the remaining time by a value determined based at least in part on the overlapping time; or increasing one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold by one or more values determined based at least in part on the overlapping time, respectively.

[0241] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time periodcomprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further include a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0242] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicatesapplying of the overlapping time in determining the LCH priority for the LCH.

[0243] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate aminimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not beenreported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0244] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in aterminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0245] In some example embodiments, a first apparatus capable of performing any ofthe method 900 (for example, the terminal device 110 in FIG.1) may comprise means for performing the respective operations of the method 900. The means may be implementedin any suitable form. For example, the means may be implemented in a circuitry orsoftware module. The first apparatus may be implemented as or included in the terminal device 110 in FIG. 1.

[0246] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus comprises: means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure; means for determining whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; and means for in accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the start time of the time window, determining a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and an overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

[0247] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for determining the discard time based on a remaining time of a discard timer corresponding to a buffered data unit on top of a data unit queue for the LCH; or means for determining the discard time based on an aggregated value of remaining times of a plurality of discard timers corresponding to a plurality of buffered data units in the data unit queue for the LCH.

[0248] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus further comprises: means for determining the overlapping time based on at least one of the discard time for the buffered data in the LCH, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, or an end time of the at least one measurement time period.

[0249] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period at least comprises an immediate next measurement period.

[0250] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus comprises means for determining the LCH priority for the LCH by: adjusting, based at least in part on the overlapping time, at least one of a plurality of parameters that are configured to determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure; and determining the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the at least one adjusted parameter and the configuration information.

[0251] In some example embodiments, the plurality of parameters comprises the remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold. Moreover, the first apparatus comprises means for adjusting the at least one parameter by at least one of the following: decreasing the remaining time by a value determined based at least in part on the overlapping time; or increasing one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold by one or more values determined based at least in part on the overlapping time, respectively.

[0252] In some example embodiments, the at least one measurement time period comprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap (MG) following a current time point, and / or wherein the time window further include a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

[0253] In some example embodiments, the configuration information further indicates applying of the overlapping time in determining the LCH priority for the LCH.

[0254] In some example embodiments, the remaining time is determined to indicate a minimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units (SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have not been reported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

[0255] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus is or is comprised in aterminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

[0256] FIG. 10 is a simplified block diagram of a device 1000 that is suitable forimplementing example embodiments of the present disclosure. The device 1000 may be provided to implement a communication device, for example, the terminal device 110 orthe network device 120 as shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the device 1000 includes one or more processors 1010, one or more memories 1020 coupled to the processor 1010, and one or more communication modules 1040 coupled to the processor 1010.

[0257] The communication module 1040 is for bidirectional communications. Thecommunication module 1040 has one or more communication interfaces to facilitate communication with one or more other modules or devices. The communication interfaces may represent any interface that is necessary for communication with other network elements. In some example embodiments, the communication module 1040 may include at least one antenna.

[0258] The processor 1010 may be of any type suitable to the local technical networkand may include one or more of the following: general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and processors based on multicore processor architecture, as non-limiting examples. The device 1000 may have multiple processors, such as an application specific integrated circuit chip that is slaved in time to a clock which synchronizes the main processor.

[0259] The memory 1020 may include one or more non-volatile memories and one ormore volatile memories. Examples of the non-volatile memories include, but are not limited to, a Read Only Memory (ROM) 1024, an electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, a hard disk, a compact disc (CD), a digital video disk (DVD), an optical disk, a laser disk, and other magnetic storage and / or optical storage. Examples of the volatile memories include, but are not limited to, a random-access memory (RAM) 1022 and other volatile memories that will not last in the power-down duration.

[0260] A computer program 1030 includes computer executable instructions that areexecuted by the associated processor 1010. The instructions of the program 1030 may include instructions for performing operations / acts of some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The program 1030 may be stored in the memory, e.g., the ROM 1024. The processor 1010 may perform any suitable actions and processing by loading the program 1030 into the RAM 1022.

[0261] The example embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented bymeans of the program 1030 so that the device 1000 may perform any process of thedisclosure as discussed with reference to FIG. 3A to FIG. 9. The example embodimentsof the present disclosure may also be implemented by hardware or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0262] In some example embodiments, the program 1030 may be tangibly contained ina computer readable medium which may be included in the device 1000 (such as in the memory 1020) or other storage devices that are accessible by the device 1000. The device 1000 may load the program 1030 from the computer readable medium to the RAM 1022 for execution. In some example embodiments, the computer readable medium may include any types of non-transitory storage medium, such as ROM, EPROM, a flash memory, a hard disk, CD, DVD, and the like. The term “non-transitory,” as used herein, is a limitation of the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not a signal) as opposed to a limitation on data storage persistency (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

[0263] FIG. 11 shows an example of the computer readable medium 1100 which maybe in form of CD, DVD or other optical storage disk. The computer readable medium 1100 has the program 1030 stored thereon.

[0264] Generally, various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implementedin hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. Some aspects may be implemented in hardware, and other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device. Although various aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other pictorial representations, it is to be understood that the block, apparatus, system, technique or method described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0265] Some example embodiments of the present disclosure also provide at least onecomputer program product tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, such as a non- transitory computer readable medium. The computer program product includes computer- executable instructions, such as those included in program modules, being executed in a device on a target physical or virtual processor, to carry out any of the methods as described above. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, or the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The functionality of the program modules maybe combined or split between program modules as desired in various embodiments. Machine-executable instructions for program modules may be executed within a local or distributed device. In a distributed device, program modules may be located in both local and remote storage media.

[0266] Program code for carrying out methods of the present disclosure may be writtenin any combination of one or more programming languages. The program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that the program code, when executed by the processor or controller, cause the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may execute entirely on a machine, partly on the machine, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the machine and partly on a remote machine or entirely on the remote machine or server.

[0267] In the context of the present disclosure, the computer program code or relateddata may be carried by any suitable carrier to enable the device, apparatus or processor to perform various processes and operations as described above. Examples of the carrier include a signal, computer readable medium, and the like.

[0268] The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium ora computer readable storage medium. A computer readable medium may include but not limited to an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of the computer readable storage medium would include an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0269] Further, although operations are depicted in a particular order, this should notbe understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Likewise, although several specific implementation details are contained in the above discussions, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of thepresent disclosure, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments. Unless explicitly stated, certain features that are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, unless explicitly stated, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in a plurality of embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

[0270] Although the present disclosure has been described in languages specific tostructural features and / or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the present disclosure defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A first apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for theLCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure;determine whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later than a start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; andin accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the starttime of the time window, determine a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on the configuration information, and an overlapping time between the discardtime and the time window.

2. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first apparatus is caused to: determine the discard time based on a remaining time of a discard timer correspondingto a buffered data unit on top of a data unit queue for the LCH; ordetermine the discard time based on an aggregated value of remaining times of aplurality of discard timers corresponding to a plurality of buffered data units in the data unitqueue for the LCH.

3. The first apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first apparatus is caused to: determine the overlapping time based on at least one of the discard time for the buffereddata in the LCH, a start time of the at least one measurement time period, or an end time of theat least one measurement time period.

4. The first apparatus of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one measurement timeperiod at least comprises an immediate next measurement period.

5. The first apparatus of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first apparatus is caused to determine the LCH priority for the LCH by:adjusting, based at least in part on the overlapping time, at least one of a plurality ofparameters that are configured to determine a LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure;and determining the LCH priority for the LCH in the LCP procedure based on the at leastone adjusted parameter and the configuration information.

6. The first apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of parameters comprises the remaining time and the at least one remaining time threshold, and wherein the first apparatus iscaused to adjust the at least one parameter by at least one of the following:decreasing the remaining time by a value determined based at least in part on theoverlapping time; or increasing one or more of the at least one remaining time threshold by one or morevalues determined based at least in part on the overlapping time, respectively.

7. The first apparatus of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one measurement time period comprises at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement time configuration (SMTC) following a current time point, or a measurement gap(MG) following a current time point, and / orwherein the time window further include a predetermined time period prior to a start of an immediate next measurement time period.

8. The first apparatus of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the configuration informationfurther indicates applying of the overlapping time in determining the LCH priority for the LCH.

9. The first apparatus of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the remaining time is determinedto indicate a minimum remaining value of a running discard timer among service data units(SDUs) for the LCH that have not been transmitted in a packet data unit (PDU) and have notbeen reported as a data volume in a delay status report (DSR).

10. The first apparatus of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first apparatus is or iscomprised in a terminal device, and wherein the second apparatus is or is comprised in a network device.

11. A method comprising: receiving, by a first apparatus and from a second apparatus, configuration informationindicating at least one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure ; determining whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later than a start timeof a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; and in accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the start time ofthe time window, determining a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure based on theconfiguration information, and an overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

12. A first apparatus comprising: means for receiving, from a second apparatus, configuration information indicating atleast one remaining time threshold for determining a logical channel (LCH) priority for the LCH in a logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure ; means for determining whether a discard time of buffered data in the LCH is later thana start time of a time window comprising at least one measurement time period; and means for, in accordance with a determination that the discard time is later than the starttime of the time window, determining a LCH priority for the LCH the LCP procedure basedon the configuration information, and an overlapping time between the discard time and the time window.

13. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon for causing an apparatus at least to perform the method of claim 11.

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