Mitigating effects of cross-link interference for coexistence of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first public land mobile network (PLMN). In one aspect, the method includes establishing a two-way communications protocol associated with a server of a second PLMN, the second PLMN associated with cross-link interference (CLI) at the first PLMN; receiving, from the server of the second PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and sending the assistance information to a radio access network (RAN) node of the PLMN.

Description

Qualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO1MITIGATING EFFECTS OF CROSS-LINK INTERFERENCE FOR COEXISTENCE OF TERRESTRIAL AND NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKSCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] The present Application for Patent claims priority to and benefit of Greek Patent Application No. 20240100599, filed September 02, 2024, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.INTRODUCTIONField of the Disclosure

[0002] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications, and more particularly, to techniques for terrestrial network to non-terrestrial network communications.Description of Related Art

[0003] Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, broadcasts, or other similar types of services. These wireless communications systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communications with multiple users by sharing available wireless communications system resources with those users.

[0004] Although wireless communications systems have made great technological advancements over many years, challenges still exist. For example, complex and dynamic environments can still attenuate or block signals between wireless transmitters and wireless receivers. Accordingly, there is a continuous desire to improve the technical performance of wireless communications systems, including, for example: improving speed and data carrying capacity of communications, improving efficiency of the use of shared communications mediums, reducing power used by transmitters and receivers while performing communications, improving reliability of wireless communications, avoiding redundant transmissions and / or receptions and related processing, improving the coverage area of wireless communications, increasing the number and types of devices that can access wireless communications systems, increasing the ability for different types of devices to intercommunicate, increasing the number and type of wireless communications mediums available for use, and the like. Consequently, there exists aD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO2 need for further improvements in wireless communications systems to overcome the aforementioned technical challenges and others.SUMMARY

[0005] One aspect provides a method for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first public land mobile network (PLMN). The method includes establishing a two-way communications protocol associated with a server of a second PLMN, the second PLMN associated with cross-link interference (CLI) at the first PLMN; receiving, from the server of the second PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and sending the assistance information to a radio access network (RAN) node of the PLMN.

[0006] Another aspect provides a method for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first PLMN. The method includes establishing a two-way communications protocol between the network entity and a server of a second PLMN, the first PLMN associated with CLI at the second PLMN; fetching, from the network entity of the first PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and sending the assistance information to a RAN node of the second PLMN.

[0007] Other aspects provide: one or more apparatuses operable, configured, or otherwise adapted to perform any portion of any method described herein (e.g., such that performance may be by only one apparatus or in a distributed fashion across multiple apparatuses); one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of one or more apparatuses, cause the one or more apparatuses to perform any portion of any method described herein (e.g., such that instructions may be included in only one computer-readable medium or in a distributed fashion across multiple computer-readable media, such that instructions may be executed by only one processor or by multiple processors in a distributed fashion, such that each apparatus of the one or more apparatuses may include one processor or multiple processors, and / or such that performance may be by only one apparatus or in a distributed fashion across multiple apparatuses); one or more computer program products embodied on one or more computer-readable storage media comprising code for performing any portion of any method described herein (e.g., such that code may be stored in only one computer-readable medium or across computer-readable media in a distributed fashion);D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO3 and / or one or more apparatuses comprising one or more means for performing any portion of any method described herein (e.g., such that performance would be by only one apparatus or by multiple apparatuses in a distributed fashion). By way of example, an apparatus may comprise a processing system, a device with a processing system, or processing systems cooperating over one or more networks. An apparatus may comprise one or more memories; and one or more processors configured to cause the apparatus to perform any portion of any method described herein. In some examples, one or more of the processors may be preconfigured to perform various functions or operations described herein without requiring configuration by software.

[0008] The following description and the appended figures set forth certain features for purposes of illustration.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] The appended figures depict certain features of the various aspects described herein and are not to be considered limiting of the scope of this disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 1 depicts an example wireless communications network.

[0011] FIG. 2 depicts an example disaggregated base station architecture.

[0012] FIG. 3 depicts aspects of an example base station and an example user equipment.

[0013] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D depict various example aspects of data structures for a wireless communications network.

[0014] FIG. 5 depicts an example architecture of a non-terrestrial network.

[0015] FIG. 6 depicts an example of cross-link interference between a terrestrial node and a non-terrestial network sharing uplink and downlink frequency bands.

[0016] FIG. 7 depicts reverse spectrum sharing of two frequency bands.

[0017] FIG. 8 depicts an example of two wireless communications networks connected via a two-way communication protocol.

[0018] FIG. 9A depicts an example sequence diagram of a protocol for sending downlink assistance information from a server to a radio access network node.

[0019] FIG. 9B depicts a sequence diagram of a protocol for sending uplink assistance information from a radio access network node to a server.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO4

[0020] FIG. 10 depicts an example of a network function that hosts two servers.

[0021] FIG. 11 depicts example protocols of an access mobility management function that serves as a router between a radio access network node and a server.

[0022] FIG. 12A depicts an example sequence diagram for establishing an access mobility management function as a router between a server and a radio access network node.

[0023] FIG. 12B depicts an example sequence diagram for establishing an access mobility management function as a router between a server and a radio access network node.

[0024] FIG. 13A depicts an example sequence diagram of a next generation application protocol for sending downlink assistance information from a server to a radio access network node.

[0025] FIG. 13B depicts an example sequence diagram of a next generation application protocol for sending uplink assistance information from the radio access network node to a server.

[0026] FIG. 14 depicts a method for wireless communications.

[0027] FIG. 15 depicts another method for wireless communications.

[0028] FIG. 16 depicts aspects of an example communications device.

[0029] FIG. 17 depicts aspects of an example communications device.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatuses, methods, processing systems, and computer-readable mediums for mitigating cross-link interference (CLI) between telecommunication nodes of two wireless communication networks created by reverse spectrum sharing of uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) frequency bands. One of the wireless communications networks may have multiple terrestrial network (TN) cells. Each TN cell may include a base station (BS) that is capable of communicating with user equipment (UE) located within a TN cell coverage area of the TN cell. The other wireless communications network may have a non-terrestrial network (NTN), including one or more NTN payloads, such as satellites, drones, and balloons, that are capable of communicating with UEs located within an NTN cell coverage area of the NTN pay load.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO5

[0031] NTN operators face technical challenges with limited availability of suitable frequency bands held by TN operators. Consider, for example, an NTN payload that passes over coverage areas of multiple TN cells. The much larger NTN cell coverage area encompasses the TN cell coverage areas. If the gNodeB (gNB) of a TN cell sends DT signals to UEs in a first frequency band and the gNB of the NTN payload also sends DE signals to UEs in the first frequency band, then same-link co-channel interference is created at the UEs. Same-link co-channel interference may also be created when the UEs send UL signals to a gNB of a TN cell and send UE signals to a gNB of an NTN payload in a second frequency band.

[0032] Same-link co-channel interference can be avoided by using reverse spectrum sharing of frequency bands. With reverse spectrum sharing, the UE and DL frequency bands used by the gNB of a TN cell and the gNB of the NTN payload are reversed. For example, the gNB of the TN cell uses the first frequency band to receive UE signals from UEs and uses the second frequency band to send DL signals to the UEs. By contrast, the gNB of the NTN pay load uses the second frequency band to receive UL signals from the UEs and uses the first frequency band to send DL signals to the UEs. As a result, samelink co-channel interference described above is avoided.

[0033] Although reverse spectrum sharing avoids same-link co-channel interference, reverse spectrum sharing creates CLI in which the UL signals of the TN interfere with the DL signals of the NTN in the first frequency band and the DL signals of the TN interfere with the UL signals of the NTN in the second frequency band. For example, when UL signals are sent from the UEs in the first frequency band to UEs and DL signals are sent from the gNB of the NTN payload to UEs in the first frequency band, CLI is created by the UL and DL signals at the UEs.

[0034] Certain aspects describe herein provide a technical solution to the technical problem of CLI between a TN UL and an NTN DL and a TN DL and an NTN UL of two wireless communication networks sharing the same frequency bands. In particular, certain aspects described herein store assistance information in a database of the TN and store assistance information in a database of the NTN. The assistance information may be used to mitigate CLI created by a particular NTN payload passing over a TN cell coverage area. In certain aspects, the assistance information stored in a database of the NTN may contain assistance information that is not contained in the database of TN. For example, the assistance information stored the database of the NTN may contain theD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO6 trajectory of the NTN pay load, antenna propagation characteristics of the NTN pay load, beam characteristics of the NTN payload, and / or transmission power of the NTN payload. The assistance information stored in the database of the TN may contain antenna characteristics, transmission power, a schedule of when the frequency band shared with the NTN is used or not used, sound reference signal configuration, or any other reference signal configuration.

[0035] In certain aspects, the wireless communications network of the NTN and the wireless communications network of the TN include respective servers that are connected by a two-way communications protocol. The communications protocol enables the server of the NTN and the server of the TN to share assistance information without being requested or polled.

[0036] In certain aspects, the server of the TN can obtain assistance information from the database of the NTN that the server of the TN can distribute the assistance information to the TN cells. The TN cells can use the assistance information to determine operations or measures for mitigating CTI created by DT signals from the gNBs of the NTN payloads with UT signals from the gNBs of the TN cells, or UT signals from the gNBs of the NTN payloads with DT signals from the gNBs of the TN cells, as the NTN payloads pass over the TN cell coverage areas.

[0037] In certain aspects, the wireless communications network of the NTN can obtain assistance information from the database of the TN that the wireless communications network of the NTN can distribute to the NTN payloads. The NTN payloads can then use the assistance information to determine operations or measures for mitigating CTI created by DT signals from the gNBs of the TN cells with UT signals from the gNBs of the NTN payloads, or UT signals from the gNBs of the TN cells with DT signals from the gNBs of the NTN payloads, as the NTN payloads pass over the TN cell coverage areas.

[0038] Thus aspects described herein provide a technical solution that accounts for the NTN payloads moving and for different NTN payloads to pass over the TN cells in different time intervals. The time intervals may range, for example, from approximately 5 to approximately 10 minutes.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO7Introduction to Wireless Communications Networks

[0039] The techniques and methods described herein may be used for various wireless communications networks. While aspects may be described herein using terminology commonly associated with 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G, and / or other generations of wireless technologies, aspects of the present disclosure may likewise be applicable to other communications systems and standards not explicitly mentioned herein.

[0040] FIG. 1 depicts an example of a wireless communications network 100, in which aspects described herein may be implemented.

[0041] Generally, wireless communications network 100 includes various network entities (alternatively, network elements or network nodes). A network entity is generally a communications device and / or a communications function performed by a communications device (e.g., a user equipment (UE), a base station (BS), a component of a BS, a server, etc.). As such communications devices are part of wireless communications network 100, and facilitate wireless communications, such communications devices may be referred to as wireless communications devices. For example, various functions of a network as well as various devices associated with and interacting with a network may be considered network entities. Further, wireless communications network 100 includes terrestrial aspects, such as ground-based network entities (e.g., BSs 102), and non-terrestrial aspects (also referred to herein as nonterrestrial network entities), such as satellite 140 and / or aerial or spaceborne platform(s), which may include network entities on-board (e.g., one or more BSs) capable of communicating with other network elements (e.g., terrestrial BSs) and UEs.

[0042] In the depicted example, wireless communications network 100 includes BSs 102, UEs 104, and one or more core networks, such as an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) 160 and 5G Core (5GC) network 190, which interoperate to provide communications services over various communications links, including wired and wireless links.

[0043] FIG. 1 depicts various example UEs 104, which may more generally include: a cellular phone, smart phone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA), satellite radio, global positioning system, multimedia device, video device, digital audio player, camera, game console, tablet, smart device, wearable device, vehicle, electric meter, gas pump, large or small kitchen appliance, healthcare device, implant, sensor / actuator, display, internet of things (loT) devices, always onD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO8(AON) devices, edge processing devices, data centers, or other similar devices. UEs 104 may also be referred to more generally as a mobile device, a wireless device, a station, a mobile station, a subscriber station, a mobile subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a remote device, an access terminal, a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, and others.

[0044] BSs 102 wirelessly communicate with (e.g., transmit signals to or receive signals from) UEs 104 via communications links 120. The communications links 120 between BSs 102 and UEs 104 may include uplink (UL) (also referred to as reverse link) transmissions from a UE 104 to a BS 102 and / or downlink (DL) (also referred to as forward link) transmissions from a BS 102 to a UE 104. The communications links 120 may use multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology, including spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and / or transmit diversity in various aspects.

[0045] BSs 102 may generally include: a NodeB, enhanced NodeB (eNB), next generation enhanced NodeB (ng-eNB), next generation NodeB (gNB or gNodeB), access point, base transceiver station, radio base station, radio transceiver, transceiver function, transmission reception point, and / or others. A NodeB (e.g., gNB) contains radio frequency transmitters and receivers that create direct communication connections with UEs. Each of BSs 102 may provide communications coverage for a respective coverage area 110, which may sometimes be referred to as a cell, and which may overlap in some cases (e.g., small cell 102’ may have a coverage area 110’ that overlaps the coverage area 110 of a macro cell). A BS may, for example, provide communications coverage for a macro cell (covering relatively large geographic area), a pico cell (covering relatively smaller geographic area, such as a sports stadium), a femto cell (relatively smaller geographic area (e.g., a home)), and / or other types of cells.

[0046] Generally, a cell may refer to a portion, partition, or segment of wireless communication coverage served by a network entity within a wireless communication network. A cell may have geographic characteristics, such as a geographic coverage area, as well as radio frequency characteristics, such as time and / or frequency resources dedicated to the cell. For example, a specific geographic coverage area may be covered by multiple cells employing different frequency resources (e.g., bandwidth parts) and / or different time resources. As another example, a specific geographic coverage area may be covered by a single cell. In some contexts (e.g., a carrier aggregation scenario and / or multi-connectivity scenario), the terms “cell” or “serving cell” may refer to or correspondD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO9 to a specific carrier frequency (e.g., a component carrier) used for wireless communications, and a “cell group” may refer to or correspond to multiple carriers used for wireless communications. As examples, in a carrier aggregation scenario, a UE may communicate on multiple component carriers corresponding to multiple (serving) cells in the same cell group, and in a multi-connectivity (e.g., dual connectivity) scenario, a UE may communicate on multiple component carriers corresponding to multiple cell groups.

[0047] While BSs 102 are depicted in various aspects as unitary communications devices, BSs 102 may be implemented in various configurations. For example, one or more components of a base station may be disaggregated, including a central unit (CU), one or more distributed units (DUs), one or more radio units (RUs), a Near-Real Time (Near-RT) RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), or a Non-Real Time (Non-RT) RIC, to name a few examples. In another example, various aspects of a base station may be virtualized. More generally, a base station (e.g., BS 102) may include components that are located at a single physical location or components located at various physical locations. In examples in which a base station includes components that are located at various physical locations, the various components may each perform functions such that, collectively, the various components achieve functionality that is similar to a base station that is located at a single physical location. In some aspects, a base station including components that are located at various physical locations may be referred to as a disaggregated radio access network architecture, such as an Open RAN (O-RAN) or Virtualized RAN (VRAN) architecture. FIG. 2 depicts and describes an example disaggregated base station architecture.

[0048] Different BSs 102 within wireless communications network 100 may also be configured to support different radio access technologies, such as 3G, 4G, and / or 5G. For example, BSs 102 configured for 4G ETE (collectively referred to as Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E- UTRAN)) may interface with the EPC 160 through first backhaul links 132 (e.g., an SI interface). BSs 102 configured for 5G (e.g., 5G NR or Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN)) may interface with 5GC 190 through second backhaul links 184. BSs 102 may communicate directly or indirectly (e.g., through the EPC 160 or 5GC network 190) with each other over third backhaul links 134 (e.g., X2 interface), which may be wired or wireless.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO10

[0049] Wireless communications network 100 may subdivide the electromagnetic spectrum into various classes, bands, channels, or other features. In some aspects, the subdivision is provided based on wavelength and frequency, where frequency may also be referred to as a carrier, a subcarrier, a frequency channel, a tone, or a subband. For example, 3GPP currently defines Frequency Range 1 (FR1) as including 410 MHz - 7125 MHz, which is often referred to (interchangeably) as “Sub-6 GHz”. Similarly, 3GPP currently defines Frequency Range 2 (FR2) as including 24,250 MHz - 71,000 MHz, which is sometimes referred to (interchangeably) as a “millimeter wave” (“mmW” or “mmWave”). In some cases, FR2 may be further defined in terms of sub-ranges, such as a first sub-range FR2-1 including 24,250 MHz - 52,600 MHz and a second sub-range FR2-2 including 52,600 MHz - 71,000 MHz. A base station configured to communicate using mmWave / near mmWave radio frequency bands (e.g., a mmWave base station such as BS 180) may utilize beamforming (e.g., 182) with a UE (e.g., 104) to improve path loss and range.

[0050] The communications links 120 between BSs 102 and, for example, UEs 104, may be through one or more carriers, which may have different bandwidths (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 100, 400, and / or other MHz), and which may be aggregated in various aspects. Carriers may or may not be adjacent to each other. Allocation of carriers may be asymmetric with respect to DL and UL (e.g., more or fewer carriers may be allocated for DL than for UL).

[0051] Communications using higher frequency bands may have higher path loss and a shorter range compared to lower frequency communications. Accordingly, certain base stations (e.g., 180 in FIG. 1) may utilize beamforming 182 with a UE 104 to improve path loss and range. For example, BS 180 and the UE 104 may each include a plurality of antennas, such as antenna elements, antenna panels, and / or antenna arrays to facilitate the beamforming. In some cases, BS 180 may transmit a beamformed signal to UE 104 in one or more transmit directions 182’. UE 104 may receive the beamformed signal from the BS 180 in one or more receive directions 182”. UE 104 may also transmit a beamformed signal to the BS 180 in one or more transmit directions 182”. BS 180 may also receive the beamformed signal from UE 104 in one or more receive directions 182’. BS 180 and UE 104 may then perform beam training to determine the best receive and transmit directions for each of BS 180 and UE 104. Notably, the transmit and receiveD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO11 directions for BS 180 may or may not be the same. Similarly, the transmit and receive directions for UE 104 may or may not be the same.

[0052] Wireless communications network 100 further includes a Wi-Fi AP 150 in communication with Wi-Fi stations (STAs) 152 via communications links 154 in, for example, a 2.4 GHz and / or 5 GHz unlicensed frequency spectrum.

[0053] Certain UEs 104 may communicate with each other using device-to-device (D2D) communications link 158. D2D communications link 158 may use one or more sidelink channels, such as a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH), a physical sidelink discovery channel (PSDCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), and / or a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH).

[0054] EPC 160 may include various functional components, including: a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 162, other MMEs 164, a Serving Gateway 166, a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Gateway 168, a Broadcast Multicast Service Center (BM-SC) 170, and / or a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway 172, such as in the depicted example. MME 162 may be in communication with a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 174. MME 162 is the control node that processes the signaling between the UEs 104 and the EPC 160. Generally, MME 162 provides bearer and connection management.

[0055] Generally, user Internet protocol (IP) packets are transferred through Serving Gateway 166, which itself is connected to PDN Gateway 172. PDN Gateway 172 provides UE IP address allocation as well as other functions. PDN Gateway 172 and the BM-SC 170 are connected to IP Services 176, which may include, for example, the Internet, an intranet, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), a Packet Switched (PS) streaming service, and / or other IP services.

[0056] BM-SC 170 may provide functions for MBMS user service provisioning and delivery. BM-SC 170 may serve as an entry point for content provider MBMS transmission, may be used to authorize and initiate MBMS Bearer Services within a public land mobile network (PLMN), and / or may be used to schedule MBMS transmissions. MBMS Gateway 168 may be used to distribute MBMS traffic to the BSs 102 belonging to a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area broadcasting a particular service, and / or may be responsible for session management (start / stop) and for collecting eMBMS related charging information.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO12

[0057] 5GC 190 may include various functional components, including: an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 192, other AMFs 193, a Session Management Function (SMF) 194, and a User Plane Function (UPF) 195. AMF 192 may be in communication with Unified Data Management (UDM) 196.

[0058] AMF 192 is a control node that processes signaling between UEs 104 and 5GC network 190. AMF 192 provides, for example, quality of service (QoS) flow and session management.

[0059] Internet protocol (IP) packets are transferred through UPF 195, which is connected to the IP Services 197, and which provides UE IP address allocation as well as other functions for 5GC 190. IP Services 197 may include, for example, the Internet, an intranet, an IMS, a PS streaming service, and / or other IP services.

[0060] In various aspects, a network entity or network node can be implemented as an aggregated base station, as a disaggregated base station, a component of a base station, an integrated access and backhaul (TAB) node, a relay node, a sidelink node, to name a few examples.

[0061] FIG. 2 depicts an example disaggregated base station 200 architecture. The disaggregated base station 200 architecture may include one or more central units (CUs) 210 that can communicate directly with a core network 220 via a backhaul link, or indirectly with the core network 220 through one or more disaggregated base station units (such as a Near-Real Time (Near-RT) RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) 225 via an E2 link, or aNon-Real Time (Non-RT) RIC 215 associated with a Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) Framework 205, or both). A CU 210 may communicate with one or more distributed units (DUs) 230 via respective midhaul links, such as an Fl interface. The DUs 230 may communicate with one or more radio units (RUs) 240 via respective fronthaul links. The RUs 240 may communicate with respective UEs 104 via one or more radio frequency (RF) access links. In some implementations, the UE 104 may be simultaneously served by multiple RUs 240.

[0062] Each of the units, e.g., the CUs 210, the DUs 230, the RUs 240, as well as the Near-RT RICs 225, the Non-RT RICs 215 and the SMO Framework 205, may include one or more interfaces or be coupled to one or more interfaces configured to receive or transmit signals, data, or information (collectively, signals) via a wired or wireless transmission medium. Each of the units, or an associated processor or controller providingD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO13 instructions to the communications interfaces of the units, can be configured to communicate with one or more of the other units via the transmission medium. For example, the units can include a wired interface configured to receive or transmit signals over a wired transmission medium to one or more of the other units. Additionally or alternatively, the units can include a wireless interface, which may include a receiver, a transmitter or transceiver (such as a radio frequency (RF) transceiver), configured to receive or transmit signals, or both, over a wireless transmission medium to one or more of the other units.

[0063] In some aspects, the CU 210 may host one or more higher layer control functions. Such control functions can include radio resource control (RRC), packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), service data adaptation protocol (SDAP), or the like. Each control function can be implemented with an interface configured to communicate signals with other control functions hosted by the CU 210. The CU 210 may be configured to handle user plane functionality (e.g., Central Unit - User Plane (CU-UP)), control plane functionality (e.g., Central Unit - Control Plane (CU-CP)), or a combination thereof. In some implementations, the CU 210 can be logically split into one or more CU-UP units and one or more CU-CP units. The CU-UP unit can communicate bidirectionally with the CU-CP unit via an interface, such as the El interface when implemented in an O-RAN configuration. The CU 210 can be implemented to communicate with the DU 230, as necessary, for network control and signaling.

[0064] The DU 230 may correspond to a logical unit that includes one or more base station functions to control the operation of one or more RUs 240. In some aspects, the DU 230 may host one or more of a radio link control (REC) layer, a medium access control (MAC) layer, and one or more high physical (PHY) layers (such as modules for forward error correction (FEC) encoding and decoding, scrambling, modulation and demodulation, or the like) depending, at least in part, on a functional split, such as those defined by the 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP). In some aspects, the DU 230 may further host one or more low PHY layers. Each layer (or module) can be implemented with an interface configured to communicate signals with other layers (and modules) hosted by the DU 230, or with the control functions hosted by the CU 210.

[0065] Lower-layer functionality can be implemented by one or more RUs 240. In some deployments, an RU 240, controlled by a DU 230, may correspond to a logical node that hosts RF processing functions, or low-PHY layer functions (such as performing fastD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO14Fourier transform (FFT), inverse FFT (iFFT), digital beamforming, physical random access channel (PRACH) extraction and fdtering, or the like), or both, based at least in part on the functional split, such as a lower layer functional split. In such an architecture, the RU(s) 240 can be implemented to handle over the air (OTA) communications with one or more UEs 104. In some implementations, real-time and non-real-time aspects of control and user plane communications with the RU(s) 240 can be controlled by the corresponding DU 230. In some scenarios, this configuration can enable the DU(s) 230 and the CU 210 to be implemented in a cloud-based RAN architecture, such as a vRAN architecture.

[0066] The SMO Framework 205 may be configured to support RAN deployment and provisioning of non- virtualized and virtualized network elements. For non- virtualized network elements, the SMO Framework 205 may be configured to support the deployment of dedicated physical resources for RAN coverage requirements which may be managed via an operations and maintenance interface (such as an 01 interface). For virtualized network elements, the SMO Framework 205 may be configured to interact with a cloud computing platform (such as an open cloud (O-Cloud) 290) to perform network element life cycle management (such as to instantiate virtualized network elements) via a cloud computing platform interface (such as an 02 interface). Such virtualized network elements can include, but are not limited to, CUs 210, DUs 230, RUs 240 and Near-RT RICs 225. In some implementations, the SMO Framework 205 can communicate with a hardware aspect of a 4G RAN, such as an open eNB (O-eNB) 211, via an 01 interface. Additionally, in some implementations, the SMO Framework 205 can communicate directly with one or more DUs 230 and / or one or more RUs 240 via an 01 interface. The SMO Framework 205 also may include aNon-RT RIC 215 configured to support functionality of the SMO Framework 205.

[0067] The Non-RT RIC 215 may be configured to include a logical function that enables non-real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Teaming (AI / MF) workflows including model training and updates, or policy-based guidance of applications / features in the Near-RT RIC 225. The Non-RT RIC 215 may be coupled to or communicate with (such as via an Al interface) the Near-RT RIC 225. The Near-RT RIC 225 may be configured to include a logical function that enables near-real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources via data collection and actions over an interface (such as via an E2 interface)D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO15 connecting one or more CUs 210, one or more DUs 230, or both, as well as an O-eNB, with the Near-RT RIC 225.

[0068] In some implementations, to generate AI / ML models to be deployed in the Near-RT RIC 225, the Non-RT RIC 215 may receive parameters or external enrichment information from external servers. Such information may be utilized by the Near-RT RIC 225 and may be received at the SMO Framework 205 or the Non-RT RIC 215 from nonnetwork data sources or from network functions. In some examples, the Non-RT RIC 215 or the Near-RT RIC 225 may be configured to tune RAN behavior or performance. For example, the Non-RT RIC 215 may monitor long-term trends and patterns for performance and employ AI / ML models to perform corrective actions through the SMO Framework 205 (such as reconfiguration via 01) or via creation of RAN management policies (such as Al policies).

[0069] FIG. 3 depicts aspects of an example BS 102 and a UE 104.

[0070] Generally, BS 102 includes various processors (e.g., 318, 320, 330, 338, and 340), antennas 334a-t (collectively 334), transceivers 332a-t (collectively 332), which include modulators and demodulators, and other aspects, which enable wireless transmission of data (e.g., data source 312) and wireless reception of data (e.g., data sink 314). For example, BS 102 may send and receive data between BS 102 and UE 104. BS 102 includes controller / processor 340, which may be configured to implement various functions described herein related to wireless communications. Note that the BS 102 may have a disaggregated architecture as described herein with respect to FIG. 2.

[0071] Generally, UE 104 includes various processors (e.g., 358, 364, 366, 370, and 380), antennas 352a-r (collectively 352), transceivers 354a-r (collectively 354), which include modulators and demodulators, and other aspects, which enable wireless transmission of data (e.g., retrieved from data source 362) and wireless reception of data (e.g., provided to data sink 360). UE 104 includes controller / processor 380, which may be configured to implement various functions described herein related to wireless communications.

[0072] In regards to an example downlink transmission, BS 102 includes a transmit processor 320 that may receive data from a data source 312 and control information from a controller / processor 340. The control information may be for the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH), physical hybridD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO16 automatic repeat request (HARQ) indicator channel (PHICH), physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), group common PDCCH (GC PDCCH), and / or others. The data may be for the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), in some examples.

[0073] Transmit processor 320 may process (e.g., encode and symbol map) the data and control information to obtain data symbols and control symbols, respectively. Transmit processor 320 may also generate reference symbols, such as for the primary synchronization signal (PSS), secondary synchronization signal (SSS), PBCH demodulation reference signal (DMRS), and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

[0074] Transmit (TX) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) processor 330 may perform spatial processing (e.g., precoding) on the data symbols, the control symbols, and / or the reference symbols, if applicable, and may provide output symbol streams to the modulators (MODs) in transceivers 332a-332t. Each modulator in transceivers 332a- 332t may process a respective output symbol stream to obtain an output sample stream. Each modulator may further process (e.g., convert to analog, amplify, fdter, and upconvert) the output sample stream to obtain a downlink signal. Downlink signals from the modulators in transceivers 332a-332t may be transmitted via the antennas 334a-334t, respectively.

[0075] In order to receive the downlink transmission, UE 104 includes antennas 352a- 352r that may receive the downlink signals from the BS 102 and may provide received signals to the demodulators (DEMODs) in transceivers 354a-354r, respectively. Each demodulator in transceivers 354a-354r may condition (e.g., fdter, amplify, downconvert, and digitize) a respective received signal to obtain input samples. Each demodulator may further process the input samples to obtain received symbols.

[0076] RX MIMO detector 356 may obtain received symbols from all the demodulators in transceivers 354a-354r, perform MIMO detection on the received symbols if applicable, and provide detected symbols. Receive processor 358 may process (e.g., demodulate, deinterleave, and decode) the detected symbols, provide decoded data for the UE 104 to a data sink 360, and provide decoded control information to a controller / processor 380.

[0077] In regards to an example uplink transmission, UE 104 further includes a transmit processor 364 that may receive and process data (e.g., for the PUSCH) from aD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO17 data source 362 and control information (e.g., for the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH)) from the controller / processor 380. Transmit processor 364 may also generate reference symbols for a reference signal (e.g., for the sounding reference signal (SRS)). The symbols from the transmit processor 364 may be precoded by a TX MIMO processor 366 if applicable, further processed by the modulators in transceivers 354a-354r (e.g., for SC-FDM), and transmitted to BS 102.

[0078] At BS 102, the uplink signals from UE 104 may be received by antennas 334a- t, processed by the demodulators in transceivers 332a-332t, detected by a RX MIMO detector 336 if applicable, and further processed by a receive processor 338 to obtain decoded data and control information sent by UE 104. Receive processor 338 may provide the decoded data to a data sink 314 and the decoded control information to the controller / processor 340.

[0079] Memories 342 and 382 may store data and program codes for BS 102 and UE 104, respectively.

[0080] Scheduler 344 may schedule UEs for data transmission on the downlink and / or uplink.

[0081] In various aspects, BS 102 may be described as transmitting and receiving various types of data associated with the methods described herein. In these contexts, “transmitting” may refer to various mechanisms of outputting data, such as outputting data from data source 312, scheduler 344, memory 342, transmit processor 320, controller / processor 340, TX MIMO processor 330, transceivers 332a-t, antenna 334a-t, and / or other aspects described herein. Similarly, “receiving” may refer to various mechanisms of obtaining data, such as obtaining data from antennas 334a-t, transceivers 332a-t, RX MIMO detector 336, controller / processor 340, receive processor 338, scheduler 344, memory 342, and / or other aspects described herein.

[0082] In various aspects, UE 104 may likewise be described as transmitting and receiving various types of data associated with the methods described herein. In these contexts, “transmitting” may refer to various mechanisms of outputting data, such as outputting data from data source 362, memory 382, transmit processor 364, controller / processor 380, TX MIMO processor 366, transceivers 354a-t, antenna 352a-t, and / or other aspects described herein. Similarly, “receiving” may refer to various mechanisms of obtaining data, such as obtaining data from antennas 352a-t, transceiversD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO18354a-t, RX MIMO detector 356, controller / processor 380, receive processor 358, memory 382, and / or other aspects described herein.

[0083] In some aspects, a processor may be configured to perform various operations, such as those associated with the methods described herein, and transmit (output) to or receive (obtain) data from another interface that is configured to transmit or receive, respectively, the data.

[0084] In various aspects, artificial intelligence (Al) processors 318 and 370 may perform Al processing for BS 102 and / or UE 104, respectively. The Al processor 318 may include Al accelerator hardware or circuitry such as one or more neural processing units (NPUs), one or more neural network processors, one or more tensor processors, one or more deep learning processors, etc. The Al processor 370 may likewise include Al accelerator hardware or circuitry. As an example, the Al processor 370 may perform AI- based beam management, Al-based channel state feedback (CSF), Al-based antenna tuning, and / or Al-based positioning (e.g., non-line of sight positioning prediction). In some cases, the Al processor 318 may process feedback from the UE 104 (e.g., CSF) using hardware accelerated Al inferences and / or Al training. The Al processor 318 may decode compressed CSF from the UE 104, for example, using a hardware accelerated Al inference associated with the CSF. In certain cases, the Al processor 318 may perform certain RAN-based functions including, for example, network planning, network performance management, energy-efficient network operations, etc.

[0085] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D depict aspects of data structures for a wireless communications network, such as wireless communications network 100 of FIG. 1.

[0086] In particular, FIG. 4A is a diagram 400 illustrating an example of a first subframe within a 5G (e.g., 5GNR) frame structure, FIG. 4B is a diagram 430 illustrating an example of DL channels within a 5G subframe, FIG. 4C is a diagram 450 illustrating an example of a second subframe within a 5G frame structure, and FIG. 4D is a diagram 480 illustrating an example of UL channels within a 5G subframe.

[0087] Wireless communications systems may utilize orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with a cyclic prefix (CP) on the uplink and downlink. Such systems may also support half-duplex operation using time division duplexing (TDD). OFDM and single-carrier frequency division multiplexing (SC-FDM) partition the system bandwidth (e.g., as depicted in FIGS. 4B and 4D) into multiple orthogonal subcarriers. EachD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO19 subcarrier may be modulated with data. Modulation symbols may be sent in the frequency domain with OFDM and / or in the time domain with SC-FDM.

[0088] A wireless communications frame structure may be frequency division duplex (FDD), in which, for a particular set of subcarriers, subframes within the set of subcarriers are dedicated for either DL or UL. Wireless communications frame structures may also be time division duplex (TDD), in which, for a particular set of subcarriers, subframes within the set of subcarriers are dedicated for both DL and UL.

[0089] In FIG. 4A and 4C, the wireless communications frame structure is TDD where D is DL, U is UL, and X is flexible for use between DL / UL. UEs may be configured with a slot format through a received slot format indicator (SFI) (dynamically through DL control information (DCI), or semi-statically / statically through radio resource control (RRC) signaling). In the depicted examples, a 10 ms frame is divided into 10 equally sized 1 ms subframes. Each subframe may include one or more time slots. In some examples, each slot may include 12 or 14 symbols, depending on the cyclic prefix (CP) type (e.g., 12 symbols per slot for an extended CP or 14 symbols per slot for a normal CP). Subframes may also include mini-slots, which generally have fewer symbols than an entire slot. Other wireless communications technologies may have a different frame structure and / or different channels.

[0090] In certain aspects, the number of slots within a subframe (e.g., a slot duration in a subframe) is based on a numerology, which may define a frequency domain subcarrier spacing and symbol duration as further described herein. In certain aspects, given a numerology p, there are 2gslots per subframe. Thus, numerologies (p) 0 to 6 may allow for 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 slots, respectively, per subframe. In some cases, the extended CP (e.g., 12 symbols per slot) may be used with a specific numerology, e.g., numerology 2 allowing for 4 slots per subframe. The subcarrier spacing and symbol length / duration are a function of the numerology. The subcarrier spacing may be equal to 211x 15 kHz, where p is the numerology 0 to 6. As an example, the numerology p = 0 corresponds to a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz, and the numerology p = 6 corresponds to a subcarrier spacing of 960 kHz. The symbol length / duration is inversely related to the subcarrier spacing. FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D provide an example of a slot format having 14 symbols per slot (e.g., a normal CP) and a numerology p = 2 with 4 slots per subframe. In such a case, the slot duration is 0.25 ms, the subcarrier spacing is 60 kHz, and the symbol duration is approximately 16.67 ps.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO20

[0091] As depicted in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D, a resource grid may be used to represent the frame structure. Each time slot includes a resource block (RB) (also referred to as physical RBs (PRBs)) that extends, for example, 12 consecutive subcarriers. The resource grid is divided into multiple resource elements (REs). The number of bits carried by each RE depends on the modulation scheme including, for example, quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).

[0092] As illustrated in FIG. 4A, some of the REs carry reference (pilot) signals (RS) for a UE (e.g., UE 104 of FIGS. 1 and 3). The RS may include demodulation RS (DMRS) and / or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) for channel estimation at the UE. The RS may also include beam measurement RS (BRS), beam refinement RS (BRRS), and / or phase tracking RS (PT-RS).

[0093] FIG. 4B illustrates an example of various DE channels within a subframe of a frame. The physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) carries DCI within one or more control channel elements (CCEs), each CCE including, for example, nine RE groups (REGs), each REG including, for example, four consecutive REs in an OFDM symbol.

[0094] A primary synchronization signal (PSS) may be within symbol 2 of particular subframes of a frame. The PSS is used by a UE (e.g., 104 of FIGS. 1 and 3) to determine subframe / symbol timing and a physical layer identity.

[0095] A secondary synchronization signal (SSS) may be within symbol 4 of particular subframes of a frame. The SSS is used by a UE to determine a physical layer cell identity group number and radio frame timing.

[0096] Based on the physical layer identity and the physical layer cell identity group number, the UE can determine a physical cell identifier (PCI). Based on the PCI, the UE can determine the locations of the aforementioned DMRS. The physical broadcast channel (PBCH), which carries a master information block (MIB), may be logically grouped with the PSS and SSS to form a synchronization signal (SS) / PBCH block (SSB), and in some cases, referred to as a synchronization signal block (SSB). The MIB provides a number of RBs in the system bandwidth and a system frame number (SFN). The physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) carries user data, broadcast system information not transmitted through the PBCH such as system information blocks (SIBs), and / or paging messages.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO21

[0097] As illustrated in FIG. 4C, some of the REs carry DMRS (indicated as R for one particular configuration, but other DMRS configurations are possible) for channel estimation at the base station. The UE may transmit DMRS for the PUCCH and DMRS for the PUS CH. The PUS CH DMRS may be transmitted, for example, in the first one or two symbols of the PUSCH. The PUCCH DMRS may be transmitted in different configurations depending on whether short or long PUCCHs are transmitted and depending on the particular PUCCH format used. UE 104 may transmit sounding reference signals (SRS). The SRS may be transmitted, for example, in the last symbol of a subframe. The SRS may have a comb structure, and a UE may transmit SRS on one of the combs. The SRS may be used by a base station for channel quality estimation to enable frequency-dependent scheduling on the UE.

[0098] FIG. 4D illustrates an example of various UE channels within a subframe of a frame. The PUCCH may be located as indicated in one configuration. The PUCCH carries uplink control information (UCI), such as scheduling requests, a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a rank indicator (RI), and HARQ ACK / NACK feedback. The PUSCH carries data, and may additionally be used to carry a buffer status report (BSR), a power headroom report (PHR), and / or UCI.Aspects Related to an Architecture of a Non-terrestrial Network (NTN)

[0099] FIG. 5 depicts an example architecture of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) 500 of a PEMN. In this example, the NTN 500 includes a core network (CN) 502 (e.g., a 5GC network 190 of FIG. 1). The NTN 500 further includes an NTN gateway 504. The NTN gateway 504 may communicate with the CN 502 via one or more interfaces, such as a next generation (NG) interface, over a wired and / or wireless connection. The NTN 500 further includes an NTN payload 506, shown in the example as a satellite. The radio link between the NTN gateway 504 and the NTN pay load 506 may be referred to as a feeder link 508. Accordingly, the NTN payload 506 and NTN gateway 504 may communicate wirelessly with each other over the feeder link. The NTN 500 further includes a UE 510 (e.g., UE 104 of FIG. 1). NTN payload 524 may communicate with the UE 510 via a wireless communication link referred to as the service link 512. Accordingly, NTN 500 provides a communication path between the CN 502 and the UE 510 via the NTN gateway 504 and the NTN payload 506.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO22

[0100] In certain aspects, the NTN gateway 504 may serve one or more NTN payloads 506 (e.g., network entities or NTN entities).

[0101] In certain aspects, the NTN payload 506 may be or include one or more airborne platforms (e.g., a drone or balloon) and / or one or more space borne platforms (e.g., the satellite 140 as depicted in FIG. 1). The NTN payload 506 may be served by one or more NTN gateways 504.

[0102] In certain aspects, the NTN payload 506 may include any of various NTN entities and / or platforms that provide radio access through Geosynchronous orbits (GSO) (e.g., which includes GEO), Non-Geosynchronous Orbit (NGSO), which includes Tow- Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), or High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS).

[0103] In certain aspects, the service link 512 may include an Earth- fixed service link, a quasi-Earth-fixed service link, and / or an Earth-moving service link. An Earth-fixed service link may be implemented by beam(s) continuously covering the same geographical area(s) all the time (e.g., the case of GSO satellites). A quasi-Earth-fixed service link may be provisioned by beam(s) covering one geographic area for a limited period and a different geographic area during another period (e.g., the case of NGSO satellites generating steerable beams). An Earth-moving service link may be provisioned by beam(s) with a coverage area that slides over the Earth surface (e.g., the case of NGSO satellites generating fixed or non- steerable beams).Aspects Related to Interference between a TN and an NTN

[0104] To expand coverage and connectivity in remote and underserved areas, such as rural regions, maritime environments, and disaster-stricken locations, NTNs are expected to be an integral part of 6G PLMNs. To extend coverage to subscribers of a terrestrial service provider (TSP) into remote areas, a NTN operator can be added as a colicensee with the TSP that is a license holder of the channel licenses in a geographically independent area (GIA). However, NTN operators face technical challenges with limited availability of suitable frequency bands held by TSPs for TNs. As a result, NTNs and TNs are forced to share frequency bands for service links, such as ULs and DLs, which causes interference between both networks as described below with reference to FIG 6. Interference may occur when a gNB of a TN DL (UL) and a gNB of an NTN DL (UL) share the same frequency bands for DL and UL communications.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO23

[0105] In the following discussion, the PLMN of the TN is different from the PLMN of the NTN. Different PLMNs have different CNs. The PTMN of the NTN has a RAN that provides coverage using the NTN payloads. On the other hand, the PTMN of the TN has a RAN that provides coverage using the TN cells. For both PFMNs, the gNBs, or at least the CUs of the gNBs, are located at the ground level. In particular, for the PTMN of the NTN, part of the gNBs, such as the RUs, are located in the NTN payloads.

[0106] Because the TN and NTN belong to different PFMNs, the interference between the gNB of a TN DF and the gNB of an NTN DF, or between the gNB of a TN UF and the gNB of an NTN DF UF, is referred to as “same-link co-channel interference.” For example, the TN gNB may belong to a first PTMN and the NTN gNB may belong to a second PTMN.

[0107] FIG. 6 depicts an example of same-link co-channel interference between a TN entity and an NTN entity sharing UF and DF frequency bands. The TN entity, also called a TN cell, includes a BS 602 and / or a gNB of the BS 602 that serves UEs, such as UE 604, located within a TN cell coverage area represented by a circle 606. The TN cell can be part of a larger RAN (e.g., anNG-RAN) composed of multiple TN cells (e.g., hundreds or thousands of TN cells) not shown in FIG. 6 for the sake of convenience. The RAN links UEs over a fiber or wireless backhaul connection to a CN as described above with reference to FIG. 2. Each TN cell contains a separate BS in this example. The NTN entity includes the NTN payload 608 and / or a gNB of the NTN payload 608.

[0108] FIG. 6 depicts a snapshot of an NTN payload 608 that passes over the RAN and provides a large NTN cell coverage area 610. Note that although NTN cell coverage area is shown as encompassing a single TN cell, in real life the diameter of a typical NTN cell can extend for more than one hundred miles and encompass multiple TN cell coverage areas and provide services to UEs, such as UE 612, that are located outside or between TN cell coverage areas.

[0109] In certain aspects, the NTN cell coverage area typically does not change over time because the NTN payloads may have a moving beam architecture that may be used to maintain coverage over the same area as the NTN payloads pass overhead. In certain aspects, the NTN payloads may have fixed beam a beam architecture. A NTN payload passes over approximately the same NTN cell coverage area to serve UEs for a period of time (e.g., every 5 to 10 minutes) before a next NTN payload passes over approximatelyD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO24 the same NTN cell coverage area to provide uninterrupted service to the UEs in the NTN cell coverage area. The NTN payloads passing over the NTN cell coverage area may travel in GEOs or NGSOs. Although the NTN cell coverage area does not change appreciably over time, the types of NTN pay loads that serve the NTN cell coverage area can change over time and may create interference between TN gNBs and NTN gNBs that are sharing UE and DL frequency bands.

[0110] FIG. 6 includes a plot 614 that represent the UL and DL frequency bands shared by the TN gNB and the NTN gNB. In this example, the gNB of the TN cell and the gNB of the NTN payload 608 share the same frequency band fl for DLs represented by bars 616 and 618 and share the same frequency band f2 for ULs represented by bars 620 and 622. Sharing the same UL frequency band and DL frequency band creates the possibility of same-link co-channel interference between the TN cells and the NTN payload.

[0111] In FIG. 6, the gNB (not shown) of the TN cell creates connections with the UE 604 and the UE 612 and the gNB (not shown) of the NTN pay load 608 creates connections with the UE 604 and the UE 612. The UE 604 receives DL signals 624 from the TN cell and sends UL signals 626 to the TN cell. As the NTN payload 608 passes over the TN cell, the DL signal 628 output from the NTN payload 608 creates co-channel interference with the DL signal 624 at the UE 604 because these DL signals are in the same frequency band fl. The UL signal 630 output from the UE 604 creates co-channel interference with the UL signal 626 because these UL signals are in the same frequency band 12. A similar UL and DL co-channel interference occurs with the UE 612 located outside the TN cell because, in this example, the UE 612 is close enough in proximity to receive interfering UL and DL signals from the TN cell. The UE 612 receives DL signals 632 from the NTN payload 608 and sends UL signals 634 to the NTN payload 608. Cochannel interference occurs with the DL signal 632 when the UE 612 receives DL signal 636 from the TN cell in the frequency band fl. Co-channel interference occurs with the UL signal 634 when the UE 612 sends UL signal 638 to the TN cell in the frequency band f2.

[0112] In the following discussion, the term “aggressor” refers to the gNB of the TN (NTN) that creates interference at the gNB of the NTN (TN) and the gNB of the NTN that creates interference at the gNB of the TN. The term “victim” refers to the gNB of the TN (NTN) that experiences interference created by the signal generated by aggressorD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO25 gNB. For example, the gNB of the NTN payload 608 is an aggressor by transmitting the DL signal 628 that interferes with the DL signals 624 sent from the gNB of the TN cell to the UE 604. In this case, the gNB of the TN cell is the victim. On the other hand, the gNB of the TN cell is an aggressor by transmitting the DE signal 636 that interferes with the DL signal 632 sent from the gNB of the NTN payload 608 to the UE 612. In this case, the gNB of the NTN payload 608 is the victim.

[0113] One solution to the aggressor / victim problems created by UL-to-UL and DL- to-DL co-channel interference described above is reverse spectrum sharing of the frequency bands. The PLMN of the TN cells and the PLMN of the NTN pay loads can agree to send signals using reverse spectrum sharing.

[0114] FIG. 7 depicts reverse spectrum sharing of two frequency bands in plot 702. In this example, the UL and DL frequency bands used by the gNB of the TN cell and the gNB of the NTN payload 608 are reversed. For example, the gNB of the TN uses the frequency band fl to establish a UL and uses the frequency band 12 to establish a DL. By contrast, the gNB of the NTN payload 608 uses the frequency band 12 to establish a UL and uses the frequency band fl to establish a DL.

[0115] Because the DL signal 712 from the NTN pay load 608 is in the frequency band fl and the DL signal 714 is in the frequency band 12, the DL signal 712 does not interfere with the DL signal 714 at the UE 604. The UL signal 716 does not interfere with the UL signal 718 because the UL signal 716 from the TN cell to the NTN pay load 608 is in the frequency band fl and the UL signal 718 is in the frequency band 12. The UE 612 is able to establish a DL signal 720 and a UL signal 722 with the NTN pay load 608 without co-channel interference because the UL and DL signals of the TN cell are in different frequency bands than the DL signal 720 and the UL signal 722.

[0116] Although reverse spectrum sharing agreements between different PLMNs effectively corrects the problems created by UL-to-UL and DL-to-DL co-channel sharing described above with reference to FIG. 6, the plot 702 reveals that reverse spectrum sharing creates cross-link interference (CLI) in which the TN UL and NTN DL signals in the frequency range fl interfere and TN DL and NTN UL signals in the frequency range 12 interfere.

[0117] Table 724 demonstrates CLI created by reverse spectrum sharing of frequency bands depicted in plot 702. Column 726 lists sources of CLI with ULs and DLs that shareD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO26 the same frequency bands in plot 702. Column 728 identifies which gNB is the aggressor. Column 730 identifies which gNB is the victim. Column 732 identifies the type of CLI interference as inter-gNB because the TN and NTN belong to different PLMNs. For example, the first row of the table 724 indicates a CLI source is the NTN DL to TN UL with the NTN gNB the aggressor and the TN gNB the victim. The second row of the table 724 indicates a CLI source is the TN DL to NTN UL with the TN gNB the aggressor and the NTN gNB the victim.Aspects Related to Mitigating Inter-gNB Cross-link Interference between a TN and an NTN

[0118] Certain aspects described herein may provide a technical solution to the technical problem of inter-gNB CLI for the NTN DL to TN UL and for the TN DL to NTN UL where the gNBs of the NTN and the TN belong to different PLMNs as described above with reference to FIG. 7.

[0119] In particular, aspects described herein account for the NTN payload moving and different NTN payloads passing over a given TN in different time intervals that may range, for example, from approximately 5 to approximately 10 minutes. Certain aspects allow for CN signaling because the gNBs of the TN and the gNBs of the NTN may be connected to different CNs. Because of the NTN payload may change approximately every 5 to 10 minutes as a different NTN pay load passes over the TN cell coverage areas, certain aspects include the victim TN gNBs establishing a session with a logical NR cell fixed on the ground.

[0120] In certain aspects, a victim gNB can send assistance information for CLI measurements to other gNBs that have established active sessions with the NTN payload or subscribed to obtain such assistance information. The assistance information includes, for example, the trajectory of the NTN pay load that is currently serving the NTN cell coverage area, antenna propagation characteristics of the NTN payload, beam characteristics of the NTN payload, transmission power of the NTN payload, frequency band information, a discontinuous transmission (DTX) schedule, SSB pattern, DL reference signal configuration, and CLI SRS configuration.

[0121] In certain aspects, the assistance information contains information the victim gNBs may use to mitigate CLI for the particular NTN payload that passes over the NTN cell coverage area. For example, the victim gNBs may determine the direction of the CLI,D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO27 determine a frequency band of the CLI, determine the interference-to-noise ratio, and execute beam forming measures to mitigate CLI between an aggressor gNB and a victim gNB based on the assistance information.

[0122] In certain aspects, a victim PLMN (e.g., TN) hosts a first database of assistance information indexed by gNB identification (gNB-ids) and a second PLMN (e.g., NTN) hosts a second database of assistance information indexed by gNB-ids. Each database may contain assistance information of gNB-ids that do not belong to the other PLMN. The assistance information can be fetched from a database by (1) establishing a server-client relationship between servers of the victim and aggressor PLMNs over a two- way communication protocol (e.g., WebSocket API) or (2) updating the assistance information in each database by fetching assistance information from the respective databases.

[0123] In certain aspects, the database at the server node may contain a list of assistance information indexed by gNB-ids and tracking area (TA-ids). In certain aspects, a client server can send a request (or subscribe) to the database of another PLMN to receive (or get notified) regarding the assistance information based on any of one or more filters, such as (1) an explicit list of gNB-ids, (2) gNB-ids belonging to an indicated tracking area id, (3) frequency band, and (4) time interval.Protocols for Servers Located in corresponding Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMFs)

[0124] In the following discussion, the terms “aggressor” and “victim” are used to distinguish components of different PLMNs that experience inter-gNB CLI for the NTN DL to TN UL and for the TN DL to NTN UL described above with reference to FIG. 7.

[0125] FIG. 8 depicts an example victim PLMN 802 and aggressor PLMN 804 connected via a two-way communication protocol (e.g., a WebSocket API) 806. The PLMN 802 includes network entities, such as a victim server 808 that is located and executed within a victim AMF 810. The server 808 is connected to a victim RAN node (e.g., a NG-RAN node) 812 which is connected to an assistance information database 814. The aggressor PLMN 804 includes network entities, such as an aggressor server 816 that is located and executed within an aggressor AMF 818. The server 816 is connected to an aggressor RAN node (e.g., aNG-RAN node) 820 which is connected to an assistance information database 822.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO28

[0126] The assistance information contained in the assistance information databases 814 and 822 are represented by tables 824 and 826, respectively.

[0127] In certain aspects, the databases 814 and 822 can be hosted in respective CNs (not shown) of the PLMNs 802 and 804. In certain aspects, the database 814 can be hosted in the RAN node 812 and the database 822 can be hosted in the RAN node 820.

[0128] In certain aspects, the two-way communication protocol 806 can be established based on a preconfigured neighbor list of static IP address, or domain names, and port configurations of the servers 808 and 816. The static IP address, or domain names, and port configurations are available based on agreements between the operator of the PT MN 802 and the operator of the PT MN 804 to establish the two-way connection between the server 808 and the server 816.

[0129] In certain aspects, the two-way communication protocol 806 is a protocol for bi-directional, real-time communication between the server 808 and the server 816. In certain aspects, the two-way communication protocol 806 can be a WebSocket API that enables assistance information to be sent between the server 808 and the server 816 without being explicitly requested, polled, or otherwise interrupted. The protocol 806 establishes the two-way communication between the server 808 and the server 816. In other words, whenever the gNB associates with a different NTN payload, the database of the NTN is updated, which pushes an automatic update to the client that is listening to the gNB of the NTN. For example, in FIG. 8, suppose the NTN payload has a gNB-id denoted by “gNB-id4” and corresponding assistance information denoted by “Assist- info4.” The two-way communication protocol 806 enables the victim server 808 to request (or subscribe) to the database 822 to fetch the assistance information “Assist- info4” about the NTN payload identified as “gNB-id4” without having to first establish a separate connection between the server 808 and the server 816. As a result, the gNBs of the victim TN can use the assistance information “Assist-info4” of NTN payload to execute operations and / or remedial measures that mitigate the CFI caused by the NTN payload.

[0130] In certain aspects, as shown in FIG. 8, the server 808 is located within the AMF 810 and executes a next generation application protocol (NGAP) that enables the server 808 to send the assistance information obtained from the assistance information database 822 over the two-way communications protocol 806 to the RAN node 812.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO29

[0131] FIG. 9A depicts an example sequence diagram of an NGAP for sending DL assistance information from the server 808 to the RAN node 812. In the following discussion, the term DL denotes messages sent from the victim server 808 to the victim RAN node 812 and the term UL denotes messages sent from the aggressor RAN node 820 to the aggressor server 816. In step 902, the server 808 may broadcast the availability of assistance information to RAN nodes inside a tracking area. The RAN node 812 receives the broadcast notification of assistance information and determines whether to listen to a part of the assistance information. In step 904, the RAN node 812 sends a request to establish an assistance information session with the server 808. The server 808 fetches the DL assistance information from the assistance information database 814 and fetches the DL assistance information to the RAN node 812. In step 906, the server 808 sends a response establishing the assistance information session with the RAN node 812, the response confirms establishment of the session. In step 908, the server 808 sends DL assistance information to the RAN node 812. In certain aspects, the gNB of the victim can send the DL assistance information to a corresponding RU, which can use the DL assistance information for beam forming / interference mitigation. In certain aspects, the gNB of the victim can send the DL assistance information to other gNBs in the same network. In step 910, after receiving the DL assistance information, the RAN node 812 sends a request to terminate assistance information to the server 808. The server 808 terminates the session after receiving the request. In step 912, the server 808 sends an assistance information session termination response.

[0132] FIG. 9B depicts a sequence diagram of an NGAP for sending UL assistance information from the RAN node 820 to the server 816. In step 920, the RAN node 820 sends UL assistance information to the server 816. In step 922, the server 816 sends an UL assistance information acknowledgement to the RAN node 820 confirming receipt of the UL assistance information. The server 816 sends the UL assistance information to the server 808 via the two-way communications protocol 806 as described above with reference to FIG. 8.Protocols for Servers Located in a Network function (NF)

[0133] In certain aspects, the servers of the victim and aggressor PLMNs can be located in a separate network function (NF). The NF can be a standalone node, located in the core network of the victim PLMN, or located in the aggressor PLMN. The networkD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO30 function can be a function within a core network, such as the 5G core network or 6G core network. The core network has a service-based architecture composed of a list of network functions, such as AMF and SMF.

[0134] FIG. 10 depicts an example of a network function (NF) 1002 that hosts a victim server 1004 of a victim PLMN 1006 and hosts an aggressor server 1008 of an aggressor PLMN 1010. The server 1004 is a network entity of the PLMN 1006. The server 1008 is a network entity of the PLMN 1010. A two-way communication protocol (e.g., WebSocket API) 1012 connects the server 1004 and the server 1008 as described above with reference to FIG. 8.

[0135] As shown in the example of FIG. 10, the victim PLMN 1006 includes a victim AMF 1014 connected to a victim RAN (e.g., NG-RAN) node 1016 which is connected to an assistance information DB 1018. The aggressor PLMN 1010 includes an aggressor AMF 1020 connected to an aggressor RAN (e.g., NG-RAN) node 1022 which is connected to an assistance information DB 1024. The AMF 1014 is connected of the server 1004 via a wireless or optical link 1026. The AMF 1020 is connected to the server 1008 via a wireless or optical link 1028.

[0136] In certain aspects, the NF 1002 can be located in the core network of the PLMN 1006. In certain aspects, the NF 1002 can be located in the PLMN 1010. In certain aspects, the NF 1002 can be a standalone node that is not located in the PLMN 1006 or the PLMN 1010.

[0137] In certain aspects, signals sent between the victim (aggressor) RAN node of a PLMN and the victim (aggressor) server of the NF is performed using a protocol in which the victim (aggressor) AMF is transparent to the victim (aggressor) RAN node of a PLMN and the victim (aggressor) server of the NF. The victim (aggressor) AMF serves as router by transporing protocol data units (PDUs) between the victim (aggressor) RAN node and the victim (aggressor) server over an NG interface. The victim (aggressor) AMF transmits the PDUs over the NG interface in a non-UE associated mode. An NG interface is located between the RAN node and the AMF in each of the PLMNs 1006 and 1010. For example in FIG. 10, an NG interface is located between RAN node 1016 and AMF 1014 and another NG interface is located between the AMF 1020 and the RAN node 1022.

[0138] FIG. 11 depicts an example of protocols of an AMF that serves as a router between a RAN node and a server. The RAN node, AMF, and server can represent theD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO31RAN node 1016, the AMF 1014, and the victim Server 1004, respectively. Alternatively, the RAN node, AMF, and server can represent the RAN node 1022, the AMF 1020, and the server 1008, respectively. The RAN node, AMF, and server are executed on LI physical network layers, L2 data link layers, NS IP (internet protocol) layers connected by links, such as links 1108, 1110, and 1112. The RAN node and the AMF include a stream control transmission protocol (SCTP) and an NGAP connected by links 1114 and 1116, respectively. The relay 1104 executed by the AMF connects the SCTP to a transport layer security (TLS) and a transmission control protocol (TCP) and connects the NGAP to an HTTP / 2 network protocol. The TCP and TLS of the AMF are connected by links 1118 and 1120 to the TCP and TLS of the server. The HTTP / 2 of the AMF is connected by a link 1122 to the HTTP / 2 the server.

[0139] In FIG. 11, the protocol is defined between a RAN node and the server which is a network function. The PDU is transformed over the NGAP. In other words, the RAN node sends the PDU to a lower layer NGAP. The PDU is encapsulated in the NGAP message. When the AMF observes the NGAP message, the AMF does not consume the message. The AMF instead routes the message to the server (network function) via the NLX interface. Alternatively, for messages sent from server to the RAN node, the server sends a message to RAN node using the same protocol. The message is first routed to the AMF over the NLX interface. The AMF then encapsulates the PDU in an NGAP message and sends the message to the RAN node.

[0140] FIG. 12A depicts an example sequence diagram for establishing the AMF 1014 as a router between the server 1004 and the RAN node 1016 of FIG. 10. In this example, the AMF 1014 is established as a router for sending PDUs from the server 1004 to the RAN node 1016 according to a protocol for sending PDUs described below with reference to FIG. 13A. In step 1202, the server 1004 executes a Namf communication non-UEN2 message transfer for sending PDUs to the AMF 1014. The Namf communication non-UEN2 message transfer is a message in the NGAP interface to transport any PDU for non-UE associated signaling, such as the PDU. The AMF 1014 retrieves routing IDs of the server 1004 and the RAN node 1016 from the Namf communication non-UEN2 message transfer. In step 1204, the AMF 1014 executes an NGAP DL non-UE associated transport to forward PDUs to the RAN node 1016. At the end of step 1204, the AMF 1014 has obtained the routing IDs of the server 1004 and theD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO32RAN node 1016 and can serve as a router for sending PDUs from the server 1004 to theRAN node 1016.

[0141] FIG. 12B depicts an example for establishing the AMF 1020 as a router between the server 1008 and the RAN node 1022 of FIG. 10. In this example, the AMF 1020 is established as a router for sending PDUs from the RAN node 1022 to the server 1008 according to a protocol for sending PDUs described below with reference to FIG. 13B. Initially, in step 1206, the RAN node 1022 executes NGAP UL non-UE associated transport for sending PDUs to the AMF 1020. The AMF 1020 retrieves routing IDs of the server 1008 and the RAN node 1022 from the NGAP UL non-UE associated transport. In step 1208, the AMF 1020 executes a Namf communication non-UEN2 information notification to the server 1008. At the end of step 1208, the AMF 1022 has obtained the routing IDs of the server 1008 and the RAN node 1022 and can serve as a router for sending PDUs from the server 1004 to the RAN node 1016.

[0142] In certain aspects, once the AMF 1014 of the PLMN 1006 has been established as a router between RAN node 1016 and the server 1004, the server 1004 and the RAN node 1016 transfer assistance information according to an NGAP that enables the server 1004 to send DL assistance information to the RAN node 1016.

[0143] FIG. 13A depicts an example sequence diagram of an NGAP for sending DL assistance information from the server 1004 to the RAN node 1016 with the AMF 1014 serving as a router. In step 1306, the server 1004 broadcast the availability of assistance information to RAN nodes inside a tracking area. The server 1004 broadcasts to the RAN nodes in the PLMN.

[0144] In certain aspects, the assistance information availability broadcast may include a routing ID of the server 1004, tracking area ID, frequency band information, and gNB ID of the aggressor. The RAN node 1016 receives the assistance information and listen to a part of the assistance information to detect a change in the server 1004. Based on the information, in step 1310 the RAN node 1016 may send a request to establish an assistance information session with the server 1004. For example, the RAN node 1016 may detect assistance data available for a relevant tracking area identifier and a frequency band. As a result, the RAN node 1016 listens to the remainder of the assistance information.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO33

[0145] In step 1310, the server 1004 sends a response establishing the assistance information session with the RAN node 1016, the response confirming establishment of the session. In the following discussion, the term DL denotes messages sent from the victim server 1004 to the victim RAN node 1016 and the term UL denotes messages sent from the aggressor RAN node 1022 to the aggressor server 1008. In steps 1312, the server 1004 sends DL assistance information to the RAN node 1016. In step 1314, after receiving the DL assistance information, the RAN node 1016 sends a request to terminate the assistance information session with the Server 1004. The server 1004 terminates the session. In step 1316, the server 1004 sends a response confirming termination of the assistance information session to the RAN node 1016.

[0146] FIG. 13B depicts an example sequence diagram of an NGAP for sending UL assistance information from the RAN node 1016 to server 1008 with the AMF 1020 serving as a router. In step 1326, the server 1008 broadcasts a query for availability of UL assistance information and the server 1008 routing ID. In step 1328, the RAN node 1022 sends UL assistance information transfer to the server 1008 obtained from the assistance information database 1024. In step 1330, the server 1324 sends a response confirming receipt of UL assistance information to the RAN node 1022. The server 1008 sends the assistance information to the server 1004 as described above with reference to FIG. 10.Example Operations

[0147] FIG. 14 shows a method 1400 for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first PLMN, such as BS 102 of FIGS. 1 and 3, or a disaggregated base station as discussed with respect to FIG. 2.

[0148] Method 1400 begins at block 1405 with establishing a two-way communications protocol associated with a server of a second PLMN, the second PLMN associated with CLI at the first PLMN as described above with reference to FIG. 8.

[0149] Method 1400 then proceeds to block 1410 with receiving, from the server of the second PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol as described above with reference to FIGS. 8 and 10.

[0150] Method 1400 then proceeds to block 1415 with sending the assistance information to a RAN node of the PLMN as described above with reference to FIGS. 9A and 13A.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO34

[0151] In one aspect, the first PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the second PT MN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads associated with an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in time intervals.

[0152] In one aspect, the second PT MN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the first PT MN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

[0153] In one aspect, block 1415 includes: sending a notification to the RAN node that the assistance information obtained from the second PT MN is available; receiving a request from the RAN node to establish an assistance information session after the RAN node receives the notification; after receiving the request to establish the assistance information session, sending a response to establish the assistance information session with the RAN node; sending DT assistance information from the network entity to the RAN node via the assistance information session; receiving a request from the RAN node to terminate the assistance information session; and sending a response to terminate the assistance information session with the RAN node as described above with reference to FIGS. 9A and 13A.

[0154] In one aspect, the network entity is associated with an AMF and is configured to send the assistance information to the RAN node from the AMF.

[0155] In one aspect, the network entity is associated with a NF and is configured to send the assistance information to the RAN node via an AMF, wherein the AMF is configured to be transparent to the assistance information.

[0156] In certain aspects, method 1400 further includes mitigating CFI based on the assistance information.

[0157] In one aspect, method 1400, or any aspect related to it, may be performed by an apparatus, such as communications device 1600 of FIG. 16, which includes various components operable, configured, or adapted to perform the method 1400. Communications device 1600 is described below in further detail.

[0158] Note that FIG. 14 is just one example of a method, and other methods including fewer, additional, or alternative operations are possible consistent with this disclosure.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO35

[0159] FIG. 15 shows a method 1500 for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first PLMN, such as BS 102 of FIGS. 1 and 3, or a disaggregated base station as discussed with respect to FIG. 2.

[0160] Method 1500 begins at block 1505 with establishing a two-way communications protocol between the network entity and a server of a second PLMN, the first PLMN associated with CLI at the second PLMN as described above with reference to FIG. 8.

[0161] Method 1500 then proceeds to block 1510 with fetching, from the network entity of the first PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol as described above with reference to FIGS. 8 and 10.

[0162] Method 1500 then proceeds to block 1515 with sending the assistance information to a RAN node of the second PLMN as described above with reference to FIGS. 9B and 13B.

[0163] In one aspect, the first PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the second PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

[0164] In one aspect, the second PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the first PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

[0165] In one aspect, block 1510 includes: sending a query to a RAN node of the first PLMN for available UL assistance information; receiving the UL assistance information from the RAN node after sending the query; and sending a UL assistance information response from the network entity to the RAN node confirming receipt of the UL assistance information as described above with reference to FIGS. 9B and 13B.

[0166] In one aspect, the network entity is associated with an AMF and is configured to receive the assistance information from the RAN node via the AMF.

[0167] In one aspect, the network entity is associated with a network function and is configured to receive the assistance information from the RAN node via an AMF, wherein the AMF is configured to be transparent to the assistance information.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO36

[0168] In one aspect, method 1500, or any aspect related to it, may be performed by an apparatus, such as communications device 1700 of FIG. 17, which includes various components operable, configured, or adapted to perform the method 1500. Communications device 1700 is described below in further detail.

[0169] Note that FIG. 15 is just one example of a method, and other methods including fewer, additional, or alternative operations are possible consistent with this disclosure.Example Communications Devices

[0170] FIG. 16 depicts aspects of an example communications device 1600. In some aspects, communications device 1600 is a network entity, such as BS 102 of FIGS. 1 and 3, or a disaggregated base station as discussed with respect to FIG. 2.

[0171] The communications device 1600 includes a processing system 1605 coupled to a transceiver 1665 (e.g., a transmitter and / or a receiver) and / or a network interface 1675. The transceiver 1665 is configured to transmit and receive signals for the communications device 1600 via an antenna 1670, such as the various signals as described herein. The network interface 1675 is configured to obtain and send signals for the communications device 1600 via communications link(s), such as a backhaul link, midhaul link, and / or fronthaul link as described herein, such as with respect to FIG. 2. The processing system 1605 may be configured to perform processing functions for the communications device 1600, including processing signals received and / or to be transmitted by the communications device 1600.

[0172] The processing system 1605 includes one or more processors 1610. In various aspects, one or more processors 1610 may be representative of one or more of receive processor 338, transmit processor 320, TX MIMO processor 330, and / or controller / processor 340, as described with respect to FIG. 3. The one or more processors 1610 are coupled to a computer-readable medium / memory 1635 via a bus 1660. In certain aspects, the computer-readable medium / memory 1635 is configured to store instructions (e.g., computer-executable code), including code 1640-1655, that when executed by the one or more processors 1610, enable and cause the one or more processors 1610 to perform the method 1400 described with respect to FIG. 14, or any aspect related to it, including any operations described in relation to FIG. 14. Note that reference to a processor of communications device 1600 performing a function may include one or moreD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO37 processors of communications device 1600 performing that function, such as in a distributed fashion.

[0173] In the depicted example, the computer-readable medium / memory 1635 stores code for establishing 1640, code for receiving 1645, code for sending 1650, and code for mitigating 1655. Processing of the code 1640-1655 may enable and cause the communications device 1600 to perform the method 1400 described with respect to FIG. 14, or any aspect related to it.

[0174] The one or more processors 1610 include circuitry configured to implement (e.g., execute) the code (e.g., executable instructions) stored in the computer-readable medium / memory 1635, including circuitry for establishing 1615, circuitry for receiving 1620, circuitry for sending 1625, and circuitry for mitigating 1630. Processing with circuitry 1615-1630 may enable and cause the communications device 1600 to perform the method 1400 described with respect to FIG. 14, or any aspect related to it.

[0175] Various components of the communications device 1600 may provide means for performing the method 1400 described with respect to FIG. 14, or any aspect related to it. Means for communicating, transmitting, sending or outputting for transmission may include the transceivers 332, antenna(s) 334, transmit processor 320, TX MIMO processor 330, Al processor 318, and / or controller / processor 340 of the BS 102 illustrated in FIG. 3, transceiver 1665, antenna 1670, and / or network interface 1675 of the communications device 1600 in FIG. 16, and / or one or more processors 1610 of the communications device 1600 in FIG. 16. Means for communicating, receiving or obtaining may include the transceivers 332, antenna(s) 334, receive processor 338, Al processor 318, and / or controller / processor 340 of the BS 102 illustrated in FIG. 3, transceiver 1665, antenna 1670, and / or network interface 1675 of the communications device 1600 in FIG. 16, and / or one or more processors 1610 of the communications device 1600 in FIG. 16.

[0176] FIG. 17 depicts aspects of an example communications device 1700. In some aspects, communications device 1700 is a network entity, such as BS 102 of FIGS. 1 and 3, or a disaggregated base station as discussed with respect to FIG. 2.

[0177] The communications device 1700 includes a processing system 1705 coupled to a transceiver 1765 (e.g., a transmitter and / or a receiver) and / or a network interface 1775. The transceiver 1765 is configured to transmit and receive signals for theD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO38 communications device 1700 via an antenna 1770, such as the various signals as described herein. The network interface 1775 is configured to obtain and send signals for the communications device 1700 via communications link(s), such as a backhaul link, midhaul link, and / or fronthaul link as described herein, such as with respect to FIG. 2. The processing system 1705 may be configured to perform processing functions for the communications device 1700, including processing signals received and / or to be transmitted by the communications device 1700.

[0178] The processing system 1705 includes one or more processors 1710. In various aspects, one or more processors 1710 may be representative of one or more of receive processor 338, transmit processor 320, TX MIMO processor 330, and / or controller / processor 340, as described with respect to FIG. 3. The one or more processors 1710 are coupled to a computer-readable medium / memory 1735 via a bus 1760. In certain aspects, the computer-readable medium / memory 1735 is configured to store instructions (e.g., computer-executable code), including code 1740-1755, that when executed by the one or more processors 1710, enable and cause the one or more processors 1710 to perform the method 1500 described with respect to FIG. 15, or any aspect related to it, including any operations described in relation to FIG. 15. Note that reference to a processor of communications device 1700 performing a function may include one or more processors of communications device 1700 performing that function, such as in a distributed fashion.

[0179] In the depicted example, the computer-readable medium / memory 1735 stores code for establishing 1740, code for fetching 1745, code for sending 1750, and code for receiving 1755. Processing of the code 1740-1755 may enable and cause the communications device 1700 to perform the method 1500 described with respect to FIG. 15, or any aspect related to it.

[0180] The one or more processors 1710 include circuitry configured to implement (e.g., execute) the code (e.g., executable instructions) stored in the computer-readable medium / memory 1735, including circuitry for establishing 1715, circuitry for fetching 1720, circuitry for sending 1725, and circuitry for receiving 1730. Processing with circuitry 1715-1730 may enable and cause the communications device 1700 to perform the method 1500 described with respect to FIG. 15, or any aspect related to it.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO39

[0181] Various components of the communications device 1700 may provide means for performing the method 1500 described with respect to FIG. 15, or any aspect related to it. Means for communicating, transmitting, sending or outputting for transmission may include the transceivers 332, antenna(s) 334, transmit processor 320, TX MIMO processor 330, Al processor 318, and / or controller / processor 340 of the BS 102 illustrated in FIG. 3, transceiver 1765, antenna 1770, and / or network interface 1775 of the communications device 1700 in FIG. 17, and / or one or more processors 1710 of the communications device 1700 in FIG. 17. Means for communicating, receiving or obtaining may include the transceivers 332, antenna(s) 334, receive processor 338, Al processor 318, and / or controller / processor 340 of the BS 102 illustrated in FIG. 3, transceiver 1765, antenna 1770, and / or network interface 1775 of the communications device 1700 in FIG. 17, and / or one or more processors 1710 of the communications device 1700 in FIG. 17.Example Clauses

[0182] Implementation examples are described in the following numbered clauses:

[0183] Clause 1 : A method for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first PLMN, comprising: establishing a two-way communications protocol associated with a server of a second PLMN, the second PLMN associated with CLI at the first PLMN; receiving, from the server of the second PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and sending the assistance information to a RAN node of the PLMN.

[0184] Clause 2: The method of Clause 1, wherein the first PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the second PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads associated with an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in time intervals.

[0185] Clause 3: The method of any one of Clauses 1-2, wherein the second PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the first PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO40

[0186] Clause 4: The method of any one of Clauses 1-3, wherein sending the assistance information to the RAN node comprises: sending a notification to the RAN node that the assistance information obtained from the second PLMN is available; receiving a request from the RAN node to establish an assistance information session after the RAN node receives the notification; after receiving the request to establish the assistance information session, sending a response to establish the assistance information session with the RAN node; sending DL assistance information from the network entity to the RAN node via the assistance information session; receiving a request from the RAN node to terminate the assistance information session; and sending a response to terminate the assistance information session with the RAN node.

[0187] Clause 5: The method of any one of Clauses 1-4, wherein the network entity is associated with an AMF and is configured to send the assistance information to the RAN node from the AMF.

[0188] Clause 6: The method of any one of Clauses 1-5, wherein the network entity is associated with a NF and is configured to send the assistance information to the RAN node via an AMF, wherein the AMF is configured to be transparent to the assistance information.

[0189] Clause 7 : The method of any one of Clauses 1 -6, further comprising mitigatingCFI based on the assistance information.

[0190] Clause 8: A method for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first PFMN, comprising: establishing a two-way communications protocol between the network entity and a server of a second PFMN, the first PLMN associated with CLI at the second PLMN; fetching, from the network entity of the first PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and sending the assistance information to a RAN node of the second PLMN.

[0191] Clause 9: The method of Clause 8, wherein the first PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the second PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

[0192] Clause 10: The method of any one of Clauses 8-9, wherein the second PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the first PLMN is a NTN comprising oneD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO41 or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

[0193] Clause 11: The method of any one of Clauses 8-10, wherein fetching assistance information comprises: sending a query to a RAN node of the first PLMN for available UL assistance information; receiving the UL assistance information from the RAN node after sending the query; and sending a UL assistance information response from the network entity to the RAN node confirming receipt of the UL assistance information.

[0194] Clause 12: The method of any one of Clauses 8-11, wherein the network entity is associated with an AMF and is configured to receive the assistance information from the RAN node via the AMF.

[0195] Clause 13: The method of any one of Clauses 8-12, wherein the network entity is associated with a network function and is configured to receive the assistance information from the RAN node via an AMF, wherein the AMF is configured to be transparent to the assistance information.

[0196] Clause 14: One or more apparatuses, comprising: one or more memories comprising executable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the executable instructions and cause the one or more apparatuses to perform a method in accordance with any one of Clauses 1-13.

[0197] Clause 15: One or more apparatuses, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to cause the one or more apparatuses to perform a method in accordance with any one of Clauses 1- 13.

[0198] Clause 16: One or more apparatuses, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to perform a method in accordance with any one of Clauses 1-13.

[0199] Clause 17: One or more apparatuses, comprising means for performing a method in accordance with any one of Clauses 1-13.

[0200] Clause 18: One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of one or moreD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO42 apparatuses, cause the one or more apparatuses to perform a method in accordance with any one of Clauses 1-13.

[0201] Clause 19: One or more computer program products embodied on one or more computer-readable storage media comprising code for performing a method in accordance with any one of Clauses 1-13.Additional Considerations

[0202] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. The examples discussed herein are not limiting of the scope, applicability, or aspects set forth in the claims. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. For example, changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Various examples may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, the methods described may be performed in an order different from that described, and various actions may be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to some examples may be combined in some other examples. For example, an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth herein. In addition, the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover such an apparatus or method that is practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to, or other than, the various aspects of the disclosure set forth herein. It should be understood that any aspect of the disclosure disclosed herein may be embodied by one or more elements of a claim.

[0203] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the present disclosure may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, an Al processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device (PLD), discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any commercially available processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and aD&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO43 microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, a system on a chip (SoC), or any other such configuration.

[0204] As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of’ a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiples of the same element (e.g., a-a, a-a-a, a-a-b, a-a-c, a-b-b, a-c-c, b-b, b-b-b, b-b-c, c-c, and c-c-c or any other ordering of a, b, and c).

[0205] As used herein, the term “determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions. For example, “determining” may include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database or another data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining” may include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, “determining” may include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing and the like.

[0206] As used herein, “coupled to” and “coupled with” generally encompass direct coupling and indirect coupling (e.g., including intermediary coupled aspects) unless stated otherwise. For example, stating that a processor is coupled to a memory allows for a direct coupling or a coupling via an intermediary aspect, such as a bus.

[0207] The methods disclosed herein comprise one or more actions for achieving the methods. The method actions may be interchanged with one another without departing from the scope of the claims. In other words, unless a specific order of actions is specified, the order and / or use of specific actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims. Further, the various operations of methods described above may be performed by any suitable means capable of performing the corresponding functions. The means may include various hardware and / or software component(s) and / or module(s), including, but not limited to a circuit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or processor.

[0208] The following claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims. Reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean only one unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” The subsequent use of a definite article (e.g., “the” or “said”) with an element (e.g., “the processor”) is not intended to invoke a singular meaning (e.g., “only one”) on the element unless otherwise specifically stated.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO44For example, reference to an element (e.g., “a processor,” “a controller,” “a memory,” “a transceiver,” “an antenna,” “the processor,” “the controller,” “the memory,” “the transceiver,” “the antenna,” etc.), unless otherwise specifically stated, should be understood to refer to one or more elements (e.g., “one or more processors,” “one or more controllers,” “one or more memories,” “one more transceivers,” etc.). The terms “set” and “group” are intended to include one or more elements, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where reference is made to one or more elements performing functions (e.g., steps of a method), one element may perform all functions, or more than one element may collectively perform the functions. When more than one element collectively performs the functions, each function need not be performed by each of those elements (e.g., different functions may be performed by different elements) and / or each function need not be performed in whole by only one element (e.g., different elements may perform different sub-functions of a function). Similarly, where reference is made to one or more elements configured to cause another element (e.g., an apparatus) to perform functions, one element may be configured to cause the other element to perform all functions, or more than one element may collectively be configured to cause the other element to perform the functions. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WO

Claims

Qualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO45CLAIMS1. A network entity for wireless communications associated with a first public land mobile network (PLMN), comprising: one or more memories comprising processor-executable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the network entity to: establish a two-way communications protocol associated with a server of a second PLMN, the second PLMN associated with cross-link interference (CLI) at the first PLMN; receive, from the server of the second PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and send the assistance information to a radio access network (RAN) node of the PLMN.

2. The network entity of claim 1, wherein the first PLMN is a terrestrial network (TN) comprising one or more TN cells and the second PLMN is a non-terrestrial network (NTN) comprising one or more NTN payloads associated with an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in time intervals.

3. The network entity of claim 1, wherein the second PLMN is a terrestrial network (TN) comprising one or more TN cells and the first PLMN is a non-terrestrial network (NTN) comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

4. The network entity of claim 1, wherein, to send the assistance information to the RAN node, the one or more processors are configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the network entity to: send a notification to the RAN node that the assistance information obtained from the second PLMN is available; receive a request from the RAN node to establish an assistance information session after the RAN node receives the notification;D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO46 after receiving the request to establish the assistance information session, send a response to establish the assistance information session with the RAN node; send assistance information from the network entity to the RAN node via the assistance information session; receive a request from the RAN node to terminate the assistance information session; and send a response to terminate the assistance information session with the RAN node.

5. The network entity of claim 1, wherein the network entity is associated with an access mobility management function (AMF) and is configured to send the assistance information to the RAN node from the AMF.

6. The network entity of claim 1, wherein the network entity is associated with a network function (NF) and is configured to send the assistance information to the RAN node via an AMF, wherein the AMF is configured to be transparent to the assistance information.

7. The network entity of claim 1 further comprising the one or more processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the network entity to mitigate CFI based on the assistance information.

8. A network entity configured for wireless communications associated with a first public land mobile network (PFMN), comprising: one or more memories comprising processor-executable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the network entity to: establish a two-way communications protocol between the network entity and a server of a second PFMN, the first PLMN associated with cross-link interference (CFI) at the second PFMN; fetch, from the network entity of the first PFMN, assistance information regarding the CFI using the two-way communication protocol; and send the assistance information to a radio access network (RAN) node of the second PFMN.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO479. The network entity of claim 8, wherein the first PLMN is a terrestrial network (TN) comprising one or more TN cells and the second PTMN is a non-terrestrial network (NTN) comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

10. The network entity of claim 8, wherein the second PTMN is a terrestrial network (TN) comprising one or more TN cells and the first PTMN is a non-terrestrial network (NTN) comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

11. The network entity of claim 8, wherein, to fetch the assistance information, the one or more processors are configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the network entity to: send a query to a radio access network (RAN) node of the first PTMN for available assistance information; receive assistance information from the RAN node after sending the query; and send a assistance information response from the network entity to the RAN node confirming receipt of the assistance information.

12. The network entity of claim 8, wherein the network entity is associated with an access mobility management function (AMF) and is configured to receive the assistance information from the RAN node via the AMF.

13. The network entity of claim 8, wherein the network entity is associated with a network function and is configured to receive the assistance information from the RAN node via an AMF, wherein the AMF is configured to be transparent to the assistance information.

14. A method for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first public land mobile network (PTMN), comprising:D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO48 establishing a two-way communications protocol associated with a server of a second PLMN, the second PLMN associated with cross-link interference (CLI) at the first PLMN; receiving, from the server of the second PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and sending the assistance information to a radio access network (RAN) node of the PLMN.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the second PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads associated with an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in time intervals.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein wherein the second PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the first PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN pay loads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the assistance information to the RAN node comprises: sending a notification to the RAN node that the assistance information obtained from the second PLMN is available; receiving a request from the RAN node to establish an assistance information session after the RAN node receives the notification; after receiving the request to establish the assistance information session, sending a response to establish the assistance information session with the RAN node; sending assistance information from the network entity to the RAN node via the assistance information session; receiving a request from the RAN node to terminate the assistance information session; and sending a response to terminate the assistance information session with the RAN node.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WOQualcomm Ref. No.: 2404378WO4918. A method for wireless communications by a network entity associated with a first public land mobile network (PLMN), comprising: establishing a two-way communications protocol between the network entity and a server of a second PLMN, the second PLMN associated with cross-link interference (CLI) at the second PLMN; fetching, from the network entity of the second PLMN, assistance information regarding the CLI using the two-way communication protocol; and sending the assistance information to a radio access network (RAN) node of the second PLMN.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the second PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second PLMN is a TN comprising one or more TN cells and the first PLMN is a NTN comprising one or more NTN payloads configured to pass over an NTN cell coverage area that encompasses one or more TN cell coverage areas of the one or more TN cells in different time intervals.D&S Ref. No.: QCM2404378WO

Images