Method and apparatus for managing ue capability information in wireless communication system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate, beyond a 4G communication system such as LTE.

Description

Method and apparatus for managing terminal capability information in a wireless communication system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the operation of a terminal and a base station in a wireless communication system. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for effectively managing terminal capability information in a wireless communication system.

[0002] Looking back at the evolution of wireless communication through successive generations, technologies have been developed primarily for human-oriented services, such as voice, multimedia, and data. Following the commercialization of 5G (5th Generation) communication systems, connected devices, which have been increasing explosively, are expected to be connected to communication networks. Examples of networked objects include vehicles, robots, drones, home appliances, displays, smart sensors installed in various infrastructures, construction machinery, and factory equipment. Mobile devices are expected to evolve into various form factors, such as augmented reality glasses, virtual reality headsets, and holographic devices. In the 6G (6th Generation) era, efforts are underway to develop improved 6G communication systems to connect hundreds of billions of devices and objects to provide diverse services. For this reason, 6G communication systems are being referred to as "beyond 5G" systems.

[0003] In the 6G communication system predicted to be realized around 2030, the maximum transmission speed is tera (i.e., 1,000 gigabit) bps (bit per second), and the wireless latency is 100 microseconds (μsec). In other words, compared to the 5G communication system, the transmission speed in the 6G communication system is 50 times faster, and the wireless latency is reduced to one-tenth.

[0004] To achieve such high data transmission speeds and ultra-low latency, 6G communication systems are being considered for implementation in the terahertz (THz) band (e.g., the 95 gigahertz (GHz) to 3 terahertz (3THz) band). Due to more severe path loss and atmospheric absorption phenomena compared to the millimeter wave (mmWave) band introduced in 5G, the importance of technologies capable of guaranteeing signal reach, or coverage, is expected to increase in the terahertz band. As key technologies to ensure coverage, new waveforms, beamforming, and multi-antenna transmission technologies such as massive Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO), Full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and large-scale antennas, which are superior in terms of coverage compared to RF (Radio Frequency) devices, antennas, and OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing), must be developed. In addition, new technologies such as metamaterial-based lenses and antennas, high-dimensional spatial multiplexing technology using Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM), and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) are being discussed to improve the coverage of terahertz band signals.

[0005] In addition, to improve frequency efficiency and system network, development is underway in 6G communication systems for full duplex technology, in which uplink and downlink simultaneously utilize the same frequency resources at the same time; network technology that integrates satellites and HAPS (High-Altitude Platform Stations); network structure innovation technology that supports mobile base stations and enables network operation optimization and automation; dynamic spectrum sharing technology through collision avoidance based on spectrum usage prediction; AI-based communication technology that utilizes AI (Artificial Intelligence) from the design stage and internalizes end-to-end AI support functions to realize system optimization; and next-generation distributed computing technology that realizes services of complexity exceeding the limits of terminal computing capabilities by utilizing ultra-high performance communication and computing resources (Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), cloud, etc.). In addition, attempts are continuing to further strengthen connectivity between devices, further optimize networks, promote the softwareization of network entities, and increase the openness of wireless communication through the design of new protocols to be used in 6G communication systems, the implementation of hardware-based security environments, the development of mechanisms for the safe utilization of data, and the development of technologies regarding privacy maintenance methods.

[0006] Due to the research and development of such 6G communication systems, it is expected that a new dimension of hyper-connected experience will become possible through the hyper-connectivity of 6G communication systems, which encompasses not only connections between objects but also connections between people and objects. Specifically, it is projected that 6G communication systems will enable the provision of services such as truly immersive eXtended Reality (XR), high-fidelity mobile holograms, and digital replicas. Furthermore, services such as remote surgery, industrial automation, and emergency response, which are provided through 6G communication systems with enhanced security and reliability, will be applied in various fields including industry, healthcare, automotive, and home appliances.

[0007] Based on the discussion described above, the present disclosure aims to provide a method and apparatus for effectively managing terminal capability information in a wireless communication system.

[0008] The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0009] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for processing a control signal in a wireless communication system may include: receiving a first control signal transmitted from a base station; processing the received first control signal; and transmitting a second control signal generated based on the processing to the base station.

[0010] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method and apparatus for effectively managing terminal capability information in a wireless communication system.

[0011] The effects obtainable from the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0012] FIG. 1a is a drawing illustrating the structure of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 1b is a flowchart of a procedure for reporting terminal capability information to a network according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 1c is a diagram illustrating the exchange of terminal capability information using a terminal wireless capability ID according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 1d is a flowchart of a procedure for temporarily limiting the capabilities of a terminal using an existing UE (user equipment) Assistance Information message according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 1e is a flowchart of a procedure for reporting terminal capability information using a terminal wireless capability ID based on a terminal type or terminal mode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 1f is a flowchart of a procedure for changing terminal capability information to be applied using a terminal wireless capability ID based on a terminal type or terminal mode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 1g is a flowchart of a terminal operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 1h is a flowchart of base station operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 1i is a flowchart of a core network operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 1j is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a terminal in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 1k is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a base station in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] In describing the present invention below, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention, such detailed description will be omitted. Furthermore, the terms described below are defined considering their functions in this disclosure, and these may vary depending on the intentions or practices of the user or operator. Therefore, such definitions should be based on the content throughout this specification. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. The advantages and features of this disclosure, and the methods for achieving them, will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the attached drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but can be implemented in various different forms; these embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals may refer to the same components.

[0024] At this point, it will be understood that each block of the process flow diagrams and combinations of the flow diagrams can be executed by computer program instructions. Since these computer program instructions can be loaded into the processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, the instructions executed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment create means to perform the functions described in the flow diagram block(s). Since these computer program instructions can also be stored in computer-available or computer-readable memory that can be directed toward the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement the function in a specific way, the instructions stored in computer-available or computer-readable memory can also produce a manufactured item containing instruction means to perform the function described in the flow diagram block(s). Since computer program instructions can be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, instructions that perform a series of operation steps on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a process executed by the computer can also provide steps for executing the functions described in the flowchart block(s).

[0025] Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or part of code containing one or more executable instructions for executing a specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative execution examples, the functions mentioned in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks described in succession may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order according to their corresponding functions.

[0026] In this embodiment, the term "part" refers to a software or hardware component such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and the "part" may perform certain roles. However, the meaning of "part" is not limited to software or hardware. The "part" may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or configured to run one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the "part" may include components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided within the components and "parts" may be combined into a smaller number of components and "parts" or further separated into additional components and "parts." In addition, the components and 'parts' may be implemented to utilize one or more CPUs within the device or secure multimedia card. Also, in the embodiments, 'parts' may include one or more processors.

[0027] In describing the present disclosure below, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present disclosure, such detailed description will be omitted. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0028] Terms used in the following description to identify connection nodes, terms referring to network entities, terms referring to messages, terms referring to interfaces between network entities, terms referring to various identification information, etc., are examples provided for the convenience of explanation. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to the terms described below, and other terms referring to objects having equivalent technical meanings may be used.

[0029] In the following description, the terms "physical channel" and "signal" may be used interchangeably with "data" or "control signal." For example, PDSCH (physical downlink shared channel) is a term referring to a physical channel through which data is transmitted, but PDSCH may also be used to refer to data. That is, in this disclosure, the expression "can transmit a physical channel" may be interpreted as equivalent to the expression "can transmit data or a signal through a physical channel."

[0030] In the present disclosure, upper signaling may refer to a signal transmission method transmitted from a base station to a terminal using a physical layer downlink data channel, or from a terminal to a base station using a physical layer uplink data channel. Upper signaling may be understood as radio resource control (RRC) signaling or a media access control (MAC) control element (CE).

[0031] For convenience of explanation, the present disclosure may use terms and names defined in the 3GPP NR (3rd Generation Partnership Project NR (New Radio)) or 3GPP LTE (3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution) standards. However, the present disclosure is not limited by these terms and names and may be applied equally to systems conforming to other standards. In the present disclosure, gNB may be used interchangeably with eNB for convenience of explanation. That is, a base station described as an eNB may represent a gNB. Additionally, the term terminal may refer to mobile phones, MTC devices, NB-IoT devices, sensors, as well as other wireless communication devices.

[0032] Hereinafter, the base station is an entity that performs resource allocation for terminals and may be at least one of a gNodeB (gNB), eNode B (eNB), NodeB, BS (Base Station), radio access unit, base station controller, or a node on a network. The terminal may include a UE (User Equipment), MS (Mobile Station), cellular phone, smartphone, computer, or a multimedia system capable of performing communication functions. Of course, it is not limited to examples.

[0033] In particular, the present disclosure is applicable to 3GPP NR (5th generation mobile communication standard). Furthermore, the present disclosure is applicable to intelligent services based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology (e.g., smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, healthcare, digital education, retail, security and safety-related services, etc.). In the present disclosure, eNB may be used interchangeably with gNB for convenience of explanation. That is, a base station described as eNB may represent a gNB. Additionally, the term terminal may refer to mobile phones, NB-IoT devices, sensors, as well as other wireless communication devices.

[0034] Wireless communication systems are evolving from providing early voice-oriented services to broadband wireless communication systems that provide high-speed, high-quality packet data services, such as communication standards like 3GPP’s HSPA (High Speed ​​Packet Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution or E-UTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access)), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), LTE-Pro, 3GPP2’s HRPD (High Rate Packet Data), UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), and IEEE’s 802.16e.

[0035] As a representative example of a broadband wireless communication system, the LTE system employs the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) method for the downlink (DL) and the Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) method for the uplink (UL). The uplink refers to a wireless link through which a terminal (User Equipment; UE or Mobile Station; MS) transmits data or control signals to a base station (eNode B or BS; Base Station), and the downlink refers to a wireless link through which a base station transmits data or control signals to a terminal. Multiple access methods such as this can distinguish the data or control information of each user by allocating and operating time-frequency resources to be carried on each user so that they do not overlap, that is, so that orthogonality is established.

[0036] As a future communication system following LTE, that is, a 5G communication system, it must be able to freely reflect the diverse requirements of users and service providers, and therefore, services that satisfy various requirements simultaneously may need to be supported. Services being considered for the 5G communication system include Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), and Ultra Reliability Low Latency Communication (URLLC).

[0037] According to some embodiments, eMBB may aim to provide data transmission speeds that are higher than those supported by existing LTE, LTE-A, or LTE-Pro. For example, in a 5G communication system, eMBB may need to be able to provide a peak data rate of 20 Gbps in the downlink and a peak data rate of 10 Gbps in the uplink from the perspective of a single base station. In addition, the 5G communication system may need to provide a user-perceived data rate while simultaneously providing the peak data rate. To satisfy these requirements, the 5G communication system may require improvements in various transmission and reception technologies, including enhanced Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) transmission technology. Furthermore, while current LTE transmits signals using a maximum transmission bandwidth of 20 MHz in the 2 GHz band, the 5G communication system may satisfy the data transmission speed required by the 5G communication system by using a frequency bandwidth wider than 20 MHz in frequency bands of 3 to 6 GHz or above 6 GHz.

[0038] Simultaneously, mMTC is being considered to support application services such as the Internet of Things (IoT) in 5G communication systems. To efficiently provide IoT services, mMTC may require support for a large number of terminal connections within a cell, improved terminal coverage, enhanced battery life, and reduced terminal costs. Since IoT devices are attached to various sensors and equipment to provide communication functions, it may be necessary to support a large number of terminals within a cell (e.g., 1,000,000 terminals / km²). Furthermore, due to the nature of the service, terminals supporting mMTC are likely to be located in dead zones not covered by cells, such as building basements; therefore, wider coverage may be required compared to other services provided by 5G communication systems. Terminals supporting mMTC must consist of low-cost devices, and since it is difficult to frequently replace terminal batteries, a very long battery life of 10 to 15 years may be required.

[0039] Finally, URLLC is a mission-critical cellular-based wireless communication service that can be used for services such as remote control of robots or machinery, industrial automation, unmanned aerial vehicles, remote health care, and emergency alerts. Therefore, the communication provided by URLLC may need to offer very low latency and very high reliability. For example, services supporting URLLC must satisfy an air interface latency of less than 0.5 milliseconds and may simultaneously require a packet error rate of 10⁻⁵ or less. Consequently, for services supporting URLLC, 5G systems must provide a Transmit Time Interval (TTI) smaller than other services, and design considerations may be required to allocate wide resources in the frequency band to ensure the reliability of the communication link.

[0040] The three services considered in the aforementioned 5G communication system, namely eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC, can be multiplexed and transmitted within a single system. In this case, different transmission and reception techniques and parameters may be used between the services to satisfy the different requirements of each service. However, the aforementioned mMTC, URLLC, and eMBB are merely examples of different service types, and the service types to which the present disclosure applies are not limited to the examples mentioned above.

[0041] In addition, although embodiments of the present disclosure are described below using LTE, LTE-A, LTE Pro, or 5G (or NR, next-generation mobile communication) systems as examples, embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to other communication systems having similar technical backgrounds or channel types. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to other communication systems with some modifications made at the discretion of a person with skilled technical knowledge, without significantly departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 1a is a drawing illustrating the structure of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1a, as illustrated, the wireless access network of a wireless communication (or mobile communication) system (New Radio, NR) is composed of a next-generation base station (New Radio Node B, hereinafter gNB) (1a-10) and a wireless core network (new radio core network), and the wireless core network may include an AMF (1a-05, access and mobility management function). Of course, the configuration of the wireless access network is not limited to the example described above. A user terminal (New Radio User Equipment, hereinafter NR UE or terminal) (1a-15) can connect to an external network through the gNB (1a-10) and the AMF (1a-05).

[0044] In FIG. 1a, the gNB can correspond to the eNB (Evolved Node B) of an existing LTE system. The gNB is connected to the NR UE via a wireless channel and can provide superior service compared to the existing Node B (e.g., LTE base station) (1a-20). Since all user traffic in a wireless communication system is serviced through a shared channel, a device is required to collect state information such as the buffer status, available transmission power status, and / or channel status of the UEs and perform scheduling, and this can be handled by the gNB (1a-10). A single gNB can typically control multiple cells. To achieve ultra-high-speed data transmission compared to existing LTE, it can have a maximum bandwidth greater than that of existing LTE, and can additionally incorporate beamforming technology by using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (hereinafter referred to as OFDM) as the wireless access technology. In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the gNB (1a-10) may apply an Adaptive Modulation & Coding (hereinafter referred to as AMC) method that determines a modulation scheme and a channel coding rate according to the channel conditions of the terminal. The AMF (1a-05) may perform functions such as mobility support, bearer configuration, and QoS (quality of service) configuration. The AMF (1a-05) is a device responsible for various control functions as well as mobility management functions for the terminal and may be connected to multiple base stations. In addition, the next-generation mobile communication system may be interoperable with the existing LTE system, and the AMF may be connected to the MME (1a-25) via a network interface. The MME (1a-25) may be connected to the existing base station eNB (1a-30).A terminal supporting LTE (E-UTRA)-NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC) can transmit and receive data while maintaining a connection to both the gNB and the eNB (1a-35).

[0045] FIG. 1b is a flowchart of a procedure for reporting terminal capability information to a network according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] The terminal (1b-05) reports its capability information to the network (1b-10) at least upon initial connection. The terminal (1b-05) performs an RRC connection establishment operation to the network (1b-10) and switches to a connection mode (1b-15).

[0047] The AMF of the network (1b-10) stores the capability information of the terminal and provides it to the base station when requested by the base station. However, if the AMF does not store the capability information of the terminal (1b-05), the base station requests the capability information of the terminal (1b-05) from the terminal (1b-05) using a predetermined RRC message (e.g., UECapabilityEnquiry) (1b-20). Since the amount of data for terminal capability information is typically large, the network (1b-10) may request only the information of interest from the terminal (1b-05) for the purpose of reducing signaling overhead. For example, the network (1b-10) may request only terminal capability information corresponding to a specific RAT (radio access technology) type (e.g., NR, LTE, UTRA, etc.), MR-DC (multi-RAT dual connectivity) type (e.g., EN-DC, NR-DC, NE-DC, etc.), or a specific frequency band from the terminal (1b-05). The UE-CapabilityRAT-RequestList and UE-CapabilityRequestFilterCommon fields of the UECapabilityEnquiry message may contain the above request information and may be referred to as UE capability filtering.

[0048] The terminal (1b-05) reports its capability information to the network (1b-10) using a predetermined RRC message (e.g., UECapabilityInformation) in accordance with the request (1b-25). The terminal capability information may refer to multiple parameters representing various capabilities of the terminal and the setting values ​​of those parameters. If the amount of data of terminal capability information that the terminal (1b-05) needs to report to the network (1b-10) is large, it may be divided and included in multiple RRC messages to be reported to the network (1b-10), and this may be referred to as RRC segmentation.

[0049] FIG. 1c is a diagram illustrating the exchange of terminal capability information using a terminal wireless capability ID according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Referring to Fig. 1c, in addition to the previously described UE capability filtering and RRC segmentation, RACS (UE Radio Capability Signalling optimization) technology is introduced as a method to efficiently report large-volume terminal capability information to the network. The RACS technology is characterized by using a specific ID (e.g., UE Radio Capability ID) to reduce the signaling overhead required to transmit terminal capability information. The ID is mapped to a set of UE configuration information. The ID may be determined by the serving PLMN or by the terminal manufacturer. If the ID is determined by the serving PLMN, it may be referred to as the PLMN-assigned ID. If the ID is determined by the terminal manufacturer, it may be referred to as the UE manufacturer-assigned ID. The PLMN-assigned ID may be determined by the network's UCMF (UE Radio Capability Management Function). The UE manufacturer-assigned ID is predefined by the terminal manufacturer, and the network may know it in advance through collaboration with the terminal manufacturer. The terminal may have both the PLMN-assigned ID and the UE manufacturer-assigned ID. In this case, the terminal may apply the PLMN-assigned ID with higher priority.

[0051] FIG. 1c(a) is a diagram illustrating the process of assigning a PLMN-assigned ID. A base station (1c-10) may request capability information of the terminal (1c-05), and the terminal (1c-05) may report its requested capability information to the base station (1c-10) via a predetermined RRC message (e.g., UECapabilityInformation message). The base station (1c-10) that receives the capability information may transmit it to an AMF (1c-15). The AMF (1c-15) that receives the capability information may store the information and, upon a base station request, may provide the stored information to the requesting base station (1c-10). Additionally, the AMF (1c-15) may transmit the configuration information of the terminal (1c-05) and / or the IMEI / TAC (IMEI Type Allocation Code) information of the terminal (1c-05) to a UCMF (1c-20). The UCMF (1c-20) may assign a PLMN-assigned ID to the terminal (1c-05) and transmit it to the AMF (1c-15). Upon receiving this, the AMF (1c-15) may transmit the assigned PLMN-assigned ID to the terminal (1c-05) and the base station (1c-10). The UCMF (1c-20) may perform operations such as generating and providing a UE Radio Capability ID, as well as changing / removing the ID or deciding to switch from the PLMN-assigned ID to the UE manufacturer-assigned ID.

[0052] FIG. 1c(a) is a diagram illustrating the process of using an assigned ID. A terminal (1c-25) may have a PLMN-assigned ID or a UE manufacturer-assigned ID. While performing an RRC establishment (setup) or RRC resume procedure, the terminal (1c-25) may transmit the ID it possesses to an AMF (1c-35) using a specific NAS (Non-access stratum) message. The terminal (1c-25) may have multiple PLMN-assigned IDs, in which case it may select the PLMN-assigned ID corresponding to the serving PLMN of the accessed network and transmit it to the AMF (1c-35). If the terminal (1c-25) has both a PLMN-assigned ID and a UE manufacturer-assigned ID, it may transmit the PLMN-assigned ID first. Upon receiving the ID, the AMF (1c-35) may transmit the ID to a UCMF (1c-40). The UCMF (1c-40) may indicate terminal capability information corresponding to the ID. The AMF (1c-35) may provide the capability information to the base station (1c-30) accessed by the terminal (1c-25).

[0053] The previously described methods for efficiently reporting large amounts of terminal capability information to the network, UE capability filtering, RRC segmentation, and RACS have been primarily introduced as standard optimization techniques.

[0054] FIG. 1d is a flowchart of a procedure for temporarily limiting the capabilities of a terminal using an existing UE Assistance Information message according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 1d, as the number of features (specific functions) that a terminal can support increases and the situations in which the terminal faces become more diverse, the need for the terminal to temporarily operate at a lower performance level than its maximum capacity increases. For example, when the terminal battery level is low, the terminal may prefer to maintain a longer service time at a lower performance level rather than continuing data transmission and reception operations while exercising its maximum capacity. If a specific operation aiming for high performance is maintained for a long time, the terminal may overheat internally; if this is tolerated, internal damage to the terminal may occur, so it is necessary to temporarily stop the high-performance operation. A terminal supporting multiple SIMs (subscriber identity modules) can receive services from networks operated by multiple mobile carriers that do not cooperate with each other. In order to receive seamless service with one network, the terminal needs to limit data transmission and reception performance with other networks.

[0056] In such cases, the terminal may attempt to change previously applied inefficient settings by using a specific RRC message (e.g., UEAssistanceInformation) to report its preferred setting information to the base station. However, even this method may be inefficient depending on the situation.

[0057] In one embodiment, the terminal (1d-05) may receive configuration information necessary to report preferred configuration information from the base station (1d-10) (1d-15). For example, the configuration information may include at least one of threshold values ​​corresponding to each purpose or prohibit timer values ​​to prevent frequent transmission of UEAssistanceInformation. The terminal (1d-05) may recognize that it needs to save power consumption (1d-20). Additionally, to this end, the terminal (1d-05) may determine that it needs to temporarily limit some of its capabilities. The terminal (1d-05) may use UEAssistanceInformation messages to report configuration information advantageous for power saving to the base station (1d-10) (1d-25). The types of preferred configuration information that the terminal (1d-05) can report to the base station (1d-10) are standardly defined, and other configuration information cannot be reported to the base station (1d-10). For example, to save power, the terminal (1d-05) may report configuration information to the base station (1d-10) that includes at least one of preferred DRX pattern information, maximum frequency bandwidth, maximum frequency carrier count, and maximum MIMO layer count. Upon receiving the preferred configuration information of the terminal (1d-05), the base station (1d-10) may transmit reconfiguration information to the terminal (1d-05) by reflecting this (1d-30). At this time, the base station (1d-10) does not necessarily need to reflect the preferred configuration information of the terminal (1d-05).

[0058] After the terminal (1d-05) switches from connection mode to standby mode, it can re-select a new base station (1d-40) (1d-35). The terminal (1d-05) can switch to connection mode in the re-selected cell (1d-45). However, the terminal (1d-05) may still need power saving. In that case, the terminal (1d-05) must report preferred setting information advantageous for power saving to the new base station (1d-40) again. First, the terminal (1d-05) can receive setting information necessary to report preferred setting information from the base station (1d-40) (1d-50). If power saving is still needed (1d-55), the terminal (1d-05) can send a UEAssistanceInformation message containing setting information advantageous for power saving to the base station (1d-40) (1d-60).

[0059] The method of temporarily limiting the capabilities of a terminal using RRC messages as described above may have the following disadvantages.

[0060] - The terminal can report preferences to the base station only for specific predefined setting information.

[0061] - The terminal can report preferences to the base station only for specific predefined purposes.

[0062] - For preferences that are maintained for a long period of time, the terminal may need to repeatedly report the preference to multiple base stations.

[0063] Even if the terminal's preferred setting information is transmitted, it is the base station implementation that handles the resetting.

[0064] In this disclosure, a terminal provides IDs corresponding to a terminal type (e.g., device type or feature) or mode and a set of terminal capability information corresponding to each ID to a network, and proposes a method for changing the terminal capability to be applied based on said ID. For each terminal type or mode, a corresponding PLMN-assigned ID or UE manufacturer-assigned ID may be defined. For example, said terminal type may be a low-performance terminal (Reduced Capability UE, RedCap UE), an IoT terminal, a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) terminal, a Multi-SIM (MUSIM) supported terminal, etc. Additionally, said mode may be a power saving mode, an overheating mitigation mode, a coverage extension mode, a MUSIM activation mode, etc. A core network may receive and store the corresponding set of terminal capability information from the terminal for each ID. The terminal may select a preferred terminal type or mode depending on the type of service it wishes to receive from the network or the current terminal situation, and may transmit a terminal capability information ID corresponding to the selected terminal type or mode to the network. The core network may provide a set of terminal capability information corresponding to the received ID to the terminal or base station, thereby enabling the requested terminal capability information to be applied. The terminal may report the ID corresponding to the preferred terminal type or mode to the network during the process of switching to a connection mode or while in a connection mode state.In addition, the terminal capability information set applied in the connection mode may remain applied even when the terminal switches from the connection mode to a standby mode or inactive mode, or the default terminal capability information set of the terminal may be applied in the standby mode or inactive mode. The aforementioned default terminal capability information will be described later. In particular, the core network identifies the capability information of the terminal applied in the standby mode or inactive mode. For example, if a terminal in standby mode applies a terminal capability information set corresponding to a service area extension mode, the core network may transmit information indicating or implying that the terminal applies the terminal capability information set corresponding to the service area extension mode when transmitting paging for the terminal to the base station. Upon receiving the information, the base station may repeatedly transmit the paging to the terminal. The ID value corresponding to each terminal capability information set may be determined by considering at least one of the following options. Of course, it is not limited to the examples below.

[0065] - Option 1: An ID value mapped to a specific terminal type or mode may be predefined. A set of terminal capability information corresponding to each ID and its setting values ​​may be determined by the terminal. The terminal may report an ID value mapped to a specific terminal type or mode and a corresponding set of terminal capability information to a base station or core network. Since an ID value mapped to a specific terminal type or mode is predefined, a network receiving the ID can recognize which terminal type or mode the set of terminal capability information corresponding to the ID is for.

[0066] - 2nd Option: The terminal may decide which ID value to map to the set of terminal capability information corresponding to a specific terminal type or mode. The set of terminal capability information corresponding to each ID and its setting value may be determined by the terminal. The terminal may report the ID value mapped to a specific terminal type or mode and the corresponding set of terminal capability information to the base station or core network. The information provided by the terminal may also include information indicating which terminal type or mode the information is.

[0067] - 3rd Option: A core network (e.g., UCMF) may determine which ID value to use for a set of terminal capability information corresponding to a specific terminal type or mode. This may involve introducing a PLMN-assigned ID corresponding to a specific terminal type or mode. A set of terminal capability information and its configuration values ​​corresponding to each ID may be determined by the terminal and provided to the core network (via a base station). The information provided by the terminal may include information indicating which terminal type or mode the information is. Upon receiving the information, the core network assigns a predetermined ID, and the ID information may be transmitted to the terminal and the base station.

[0068] The terminal and network (e.g., base station and core network) may be aware of the set of terminal capability information currently applied to the terminal.

[0069] This disclosure is described assuming a 6G system, but it is applicable to existing mobile communication systems such as LTE and NR.

[0070] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the steps described above are not all considered essential components, and the embodiments may include at least one of all, some, or a combination of some of the steps described above.

[0071] FIG. 1e is a flowchart of a procedure for reporting terminal capability information using a terminal wireless capability ID based on a terminal type or terminal mode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 1e, the terminal (1e-05) performs a procedure to register with a network after powering on, and to do so, performs an RRC establishment procedure with the base station (1e-10) to switch to a connection mode (1e-20). During the RRC establishment procedure, the terminal (1e-05) can transmit a NAS message (e.g., a Registration Request message) to the core network (1e-15) using a NAS container of a predetermined uplink RRC message (1e-25). The core network (1e-15) can be considered to include all functions of AMF and UCMF in NR. Upon receiving the Registration Request message, the core network (1e-15) does not store capability information regarding the terminal (1e-05) and can transmit this to the base station (1e-10) using a predetermined message. In order for the base station (1e-10) to provide appropriate data services to the terminal (1e-05), the base station (1e-10) must know capability information regarding the terminal (1e-05). Accordingly, the base station (1e-10) decides to request a report of capability information from the terminal (1e-05) (1e-35) and may request capability information from the terminal (1e-05) using a predetermined RRC message (e.g., UE capability enquiry) (1e-40). At this time, considering the capabilities that the base station itself can support, it may request a report only on specific terminal capabilities. For example, if the base station (1e-10) does not support an IoT terminal, there is no need to request IoT-related terminal capability information from the terminal (1e-05). Upon receiving the request, the terminal (1e-05) may assign one UE radio capability ID to a predetermined set of terminal capability information (1e-45).The above set may correspond to a single terminal type or mode, and a terminal (1e-05) may report multiple sets and multiple ID values ​​corresponding thereto to the base station (1e-10). Since the amount of data for the terminal capability information sets corresponding to the terminal type or mode and the UE radio capability ID information corresponding to each set may be large, a method is required to efficiently report the terminal capability information to the base station.

[0073] To reduce signaling overhead, common UE radio capabilities and delta UE radio capabilities may be considered. The common UE radio capabilities may refer to UE radio capabilities information and their setting values ​​that must be considered universally regardless of a specific UE type or mode. The delta UE radio capabilities may refer to information and its setting values ​​related to a specific UE type or mode. Therefore, the delta UE radio capabilities may be directly mapped to the UE radio capability ID corresponding to the specific UE type or mode. There may be UE radio capability parameters included in both the common UE radio capabilities information and the delta UE radio capabilities information. For example, information indicating the maximum number of MIMO layers supported by the UE may be included in both the common UE radio capabilities information and the delta UE radio capabilities information. However, the value of the maximum MIMO layer information included in the common UE radio capabilities information may be 4, whereas the value of the maximum MIMO layer information included in the delta UE radio capabilities information corresponding to the UE radio capability ID related to IoT function support may be 1, and they may be set differently. If a UE radio capability ID related to IoT function support is applied at the terminal and the base station, the value of the maximum MIMO layer information included in the delta terminal capability information corresponding to the ID should be applied instead of the value of the maximum MIMO layer information included in the common terminal capability information. In summary, the terminal can report to the network a predetermined UE radio capability ID corresponding to the terminal type or mode, delta terminal capability information corresponding to the ID, and common terminal capability information that can be applied in all cases regardless of the terminal type or mode.Terminal capability information applicable to a specific terminal type or mode may consist of the common terminal capability information and delta terminal capability information corresponding to the terminal type or mode. Some parameters included in the common terminal capability information and delta terminal capability information may overlap; in this case, it can be assumed that the setting values ​​of the parameters included in the delta terminal capability information corresponding to the applied UE radio capability ID are applied preferentially. In one embodiment, the delta terminal capability information may include information indicating that some parameters in the common terminal capability information are excluded from application. For example, there may be a specific frequency band capable of supporting IoT. When IoT-related setting information is applied, terminal capability information related to frequency bands other than the IoT-dedicated frequency band is not required in the common terminal capability information. Therefore, the delta terminal capability information corresponding to the IoT may include an indicator excluding setting information for frequency bands other than the IoT-dedicated frequency band.

[0074] In one embodiment, a set of default terminal capability information applied in a general state, rather than a special terminal type or mode, may be required. The general state may be abstract, and the default terminal capability information may be defined by the terminal manufacturer. Typically, the terminal capability for data transmission and reception operations, rather than special-purpose functions, may be indicated by the default terminal capability information and its setting value. The default terminal capability information may be common terminal capability information and its setting value. Alternatively, the default terminal capability information may also be composed of common terminal capability information and delta terminal capability information corresponding to the default. Additionally, a predetermined UE radio capability ID corresponding to the default terminal capability information may be assigned. For example, the ID value may be fixedly assigned as 0 or 1 to indicate the default terminal capability information. When the terminal no longer wishes to apply a special terminal type or mode, it may report a predetermined UE radio capability ID corresponding to the default terminal capability information to the network and request the network to switch from a state where the capability corresponding to the special terminal type or mode is applied to a terminal capability state of the general state. In the case where the terminal does not report its preferred UE radio capability ID to the network, it can be assumed that the above default terminal capability information is applied.

[0075] The terminal (1e-05) may report to the base station (1e-10) at least one of common terminal configuration information, one or more delta terminal configuration information and the corresponding UE radio capability ID, and the UE radio capability ID value of terminal configuration information preferred or to be applied by the current terminal, using a predetermined RRC message (e.g., UE capability information) (1e-50). Upon receiving the message, the base station (1e-10) may transmit the terminal capability information contained in the message to the core network (1e-15) (1e-55). Upon receiving the information, the core network (1e-15) may store the received information (1e-60).

[0076] The terminal (1e-05) may change the configuration of the UE radio capability ID and the corresponding terminal capability information, or report a new ID and the corresponding terminal capability information (1e-65). The terminal (1e-05) may report the updated or new ID and its configuration information to the base station (1e-10) or the core network (1e-15) using an RRC message or a NAS message (1e-70). When the terminal (1e-05) reports to the base station (1e-10), the base station (1e-10) may transmit the received information to the core network (1e-15). The core network (1e-15) that receives the information may store the updated or new information (1e-80).

[0077] The core network (1e-15) can change the UE radio capability ID mapped to a set of terminal capability information corresponding to a predetermined terminal type or mode from an existing value to a different value. The changed ID value can be reported to the terminal (1e-05) and the base station (1e-10). The core network (1e-15) can also release the set of terminal capability information corresponding to a predetermined terminal type or mode that is currently applied. At this time, the core network (1e-15) can report the UE radio capability ID corresponding to the set of terminal capability information to be released to the terminal (1e-05) and the base station (1e-10). When released, the UE radio capability ID corresponding to the set of terminal capability information to be replaced and applied can be transmitted to the terminal (1e-05) and the base station (1e-10).

[0078] In another embodiment, the terminal manufacturer may pre-define common terminal capability information and delta terminal capability information corresponding to the terminal type or mode, as well as corresponding UE radio capability IDs. For example, a UE manufacturer-assigned ID corresponding to each terminal type or mode may be defined. In this case, the terminal manufacturer may provide the operator with multiple UE radio capability IDs corresponding to the terminal type or mode for a single terminal in advance, which can be stored in the core network (1e-15). Through this UE manufacturer-assigned ID concept, the procedure for the terminal to report terminal capability information to the network can be omitted. This can reduce signaling overhead.

[0079] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the steps described above are not all considered essential components, and the embodiments may include at least one of all, some, or a combination of some of the steps described above.

[0080] FIG. 1f is a flowchart of a procedure for changing terminal capability information to be applied using a terminal wireless capability ID based on a terminal type or terminal mode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 1f, a terminal (1f-05) can select one UE radio capability ID corresponding to a preferred terminal type or mode (f-20). The terminal (1f-05) can transmit the selected UE radio capability ID to a core network (1f-15) using a predetermined NAS message (e.g., a Service Request message or a Registration Request message) during an RRC establishment or RRC resume procedure (1f-30). The core network (1f-15) can transmit terminal capability information (e.g., common terminal capability information and delta terminal capability information corresponding to the ID) corresponding to the received UE radio capability ID to a base station (1f-10) (1f-35). The UE radio capability ID may not be included in the predetermined NAS message. At this time, if terminal capability information for the terminal (1f-05) is already stored in the core network (1f-15), the core network (1f-15) may transmit the most recently applied set of terminal capability information or the default terminal capability information described above to the base station (1f-10). As another example, the core network (1f-15) may transmit all stored terminal capability information for the terminal (1f-05) to the base station (1f-10) (1f-70). Additionally, the core network (1f-15) may notify the base station (1f-10) of the UE radio capability ID to be applied. At this time, the base station (1f-10) may apply the terminal capability information corresponding to the ID from all received terminal capability information.

[0082] Even if the above terminal (1f-05) is in a connection mode state, if the preferred terminal type or mode changes, the applicable terminal capability information can be changed using the corresponding UE radio capability ID (1f-40). To this end, the following options may be considered. Of course, it is not limited to the following examples.

[0083] - Option 1: The terminal (1f-05) can transmit a UE radio capability ID corresponding to the terminal type or mode to be changed to the core network (1f-15) using a predetermined NAS message (1f-40). Upon receiving the ID, the core network (1f-15) can transmit terminal capability information corresponding to the ID to the base station (1f-10) (1f-50). The base station (1f-10) can apply the received terminal capability information. At this time, the base station (1f-10) can adjust the existing configuration information by reflecting the changed terminal capability information. Additionally, the base station (1f-10) can transmit reconfiguration information to the terminal (1f-05). If necessary, the base station (1f-10) may trigger an intra-NB handover.

[0084] - Second option: The terminal (1f-05) can transmit a UE radio capability ID corresponding to the terminal type or mode to be changed to the base station (1f-10) using a predetermined RRC message (1f-55). Upon receiving the ID, the base station (1f-10) can transmit the ID to the core network (1f-15) (1f-60). Upon receiving the ID, the core network (1f-15) can transmit terminal capability information corresponding to the ID to the base station (1f-10) (1f-65). The base station (1f-10) can apply the received terminal capability information. At this time, the base station (1f-10) can adjust the existing configuration information by reflecting the changed terminal capability information. The base station (1f-10) can transmit reconfiguration information to the terminal (1f-05). If necessary, the base station (1f-10) may trigger an intra-NB handover.

[0085] - 3rd Option: The core network (1f-15) may transmit all stored terminal capability information for the terminal (1f-05) to the base station (1f-10) in advance (1f-70). When the base station (1f-10) receives a UE radio capability ID corresponding to the terminal type or mode to be changed from the terminal (1f-05) via a predetermined L1 / L2 (medium access control-control element, MAC CE) or RRC message (1f-75), it may apply the terminal capability information corresponding to the ID. At this time, the base station (1f-10) may adjust existing configuration information by reflecting the terminal capability information. Additionally, the base station (1f-10) may transmit reconfiguration information to the terminal (1f-05). If necessary, the base station (1f-10) may trigger an intra-NB handover.

[0086] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the steps described above are not all considered essential components, and the embodiments may include at least one of all, some, or a combination of some of the steps described above.

[0087] FIG. 1g is a flowchart of a terminal operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] The operation of the terminal in FIG. 1g can be described based on the operation of the terminal in the embodiments of the present disclosure described above.

[0089] In the 1g-05 stage, the terminal may receive a UE capability enquiry message from the base station. The message may include configuration information requesting a report on all or specific terminal capability information.

[0090] In step 1g-10, the terminal may transmit a predetermined RRC message (e.g., a UE capability information message) containing terminal capability information to the base station. The terminal capability information may include at least one of common terminal capability information, a UE radio capability ID, delta terminal capability information corresponding to the UE radio capability ID, or a UE radio capability ID currently preferred by the terminal.

[0091] In step 1g-15, the terminal can update its terminal capability information using a predetermined NAS message. Additionally, the terminal can transmit the updated terminal capability information to the base station via a predetermined RRC message or NAS message.

[0092] In the 1g-20 stage, the terminal may transmit a UE radio capability ID corresponding to its preferred terminal capability information to the core network via a predetermined NAS message during the RRC establishment or RRC resume procedure.

[0093] In the 1g-25 stage, if the terminal's preferred terminal capability information changes, it may transmit a UE radio capability ID corresponding to the preferred terminal capability information to a base station or core network using a predetermined RRC message or NAS message.

[0094] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the steps described above are not all considered essential components, and the embodiments may include at least one of all, some, or a combination of some of the steps described above.

[0095] FIG. 1h is a flowchart of base station operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] The operation of the base station in FIG. 1h can be described based on the operation of the base station in the embodiments of the present disclosure described above.

[0097] In step 1h-05, the base station can send a UE capability enquiry message to the terminal.

[0098] In step 1h-10, the base station can receive a UE capability information message from the terminal.

[0099] In steps 1h-15, the base station may apply the set of preferred terminal capability information of the terminal contained in the received UE capability information message.

[0100] In step 1h-20, the base station can transmit the received UE capability information message to the core network.

[0101] In step 1h-25, the base station can receive a newly preferred UE radio capability ID from the terminal.

[0102] In step 1h-30, the base station transmits the received ID to the core network and may request terminal capability information corresponding to the ID.

[0103] In step 1h-35, the base station may receive and apply the requested terminal capability information from the core network. At this time, the base station may adjust existing configuration information by reflecting the terminal capability information and transmit reconfiguration information to the terminal. The base station may also trigger an intra-NB handover to match the timing of application with the terminal.

[0104] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the steps described above are not all considered essential components, and the embodiments may include at least one of all, some, or a combination of some of the steps described above.

[0105] FIG. 1i is a flowchart of a core network operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] The operation of the core network in FIG. 1i can be described based on the operation of the core network in the embodiments of the present disclosure described above.

[0107] In step 1i-05, the core network can receive capability information about the terminal from the base station.

[0108] In step 1i-10, the core network can store the received information.

[0109] In step 1i-15, the core network may receive the UE radio capability ID preferred by the terminal from the terminal or the base station.

[0110] In step 1i-20, the core network can transmit terminal capability information corresponding to the received ID to the base station.

[0111] In step 1i-25, the core network can receive updated terminal capability information from the terminal.

[0112] In step 1i-30, the core network can store the received information. Accordingly, the stored terminal capability information can be updated.

[0113] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the steps described above are not all considered essential components, and the embodiments may include at least one of all, some, or a combination of some of the steps described above.

[0114] FIG. 1j is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a terminal in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 1j, the terminal may include an RF (Radio Frequency) processing unit (1j-10), a baseband processing unit (1j-20), a storage unit (1j-30), and a control unit (1j-40).

[0116] The RF processing unit (1j-10) can perform functions for transmitting and receiving signals through a wireless channel, such as signal band conversion and amplification. For example, the RF processing unit (1j-10) can up-convert a baseband signal provided by the baseband processing unit (1j-20) into an RF band signal and then transmit it through an antenna, and can down-convert an RF band signal received through an antenna into a baseband signal. For example, the RF processing unit (1j-10) may include a transmission filter, a reception filter, an amplifier, a mixer, an oscillator, a DAC (digital to analog converter), an ADC (analog to digital converter), etc. Of course, the components of the RF processing unit (1j-10) described above are merely examples, and the RF processing unit (1j-10) may include other components or omit some of the components described above. Although only one antenna is shown in FIG. 1j, the terminal may be equipped with multiple antennas. Additionally, the RF processing unit (1j-10) may include a plurality of RF chains. Furthermore, the RF processing unit (1j-10) may perform beamforming. For beamforming, the RF processing unit (1j-10) may adjust the phase and magnitude of each of the signals transmitted and received through a plurality of antennas or antenna elements. Additionally, the RF processing unit (1j-10) may perform MIMO and may receive multiple layers when performing MIMO operation.

[0117] The baseband processing unit (1j-20) can perform conversion functions between baseband signals and bit sequences according to the physical layer specifications of the system. For example, when transmitting data, the baseband processing unit (1j-20) can generate complex symbols by encoding and modulating the transmitted bit sequence. Additionally, when receiving data, the baseband processing unit (1j-20) can restore the received bit sequence by demodulating and decoding the baseband signal provided by the RF processing unit (1j-10). For example, in the case of following the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) method, when transmitting data, the baseband processing unit (1j-20) can generate complex symbols by encoding and modulating the transmitted bit sequence, map the complex symbols to subcarriers, and then construct OFDM symbols through inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) operations and cyclic prefix (CP) insertion. Additionally, upon receiving data, the baseband processing unit (1j-20) can divide the baseband signal provided by the RF processing unit (1j-10) into OFDM symbol units, restore the signals mapped to subcarriers through a fast Fourier transform (FFT) operation, and then restore the received bit sequence through demodulation and decoding.

[0118] The baseband processing unit (1j-20) and the RF processing unit (1j-10) can transmit and receive signals as described above. Accordingly, the baseband processing unit (1j-20) and the RF processing unit (1j-10) may be referred to as a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, a transmitting and receiving unit, or a communication unit. Furthermore, at least one of the baseband processing unit (1j-20) and the RF processing unit (1j-10) may include a plurality of communication modules to support a plurality of different wireless access technologies. Additionally, at least one of the baseband processing unit (1j-20) and the RF processing unit (1j-10) may include different communication modules to process signals of different frequency bands. For example, different wireless access technologies may include wireless LAN (e.g., IEEE 802.11), cellular network (e.g., LTE), etc. In addition, different frequency bands may include super high frequency (SHF) bands (e.g., 2.NRHz, NRHz) and millimeter wave (e.g., 60GHz) bands. The terminal may transmit and / or receive signals with a base station using a baseband processing unit (1j-20) and an RF processing unit (1j-10), and the signals may include control information and data.

[0119] The storage unit (1j-30) can store data such as basic programs, application programs, and configuration information for the operation of the terminal. In particular, the storage unit (1j-30) can store information related to a second connection node that performs wireless communication using the second wireless connection technology. Additionally, the storage unit (1j-30) can provide the stored data upon a request from the control unit (1j-40). The storage unit (1j-30) may be composed of a storage medium or a combination of storage media such as ROM, RAM, hard disk, CD-ROM, and DVD. Furthermore, the storage unit (1j-30) may be composed of multiple memories.

[0120] The control unit (1j-40) can control the overall operations of the terminal. For example, the control unit (1j-40) can transmit and receive signals through the baseband processing unit (1j-20) and the RF processing unit (1j-10). Additionally, the control unit (1j-40) writes and reads data to and from the storage unit (1j-40). To this end, the control unit (1j-40) may include at least one processor. For example, the control unit (1j-40) may include a communication processor (CP) that performs control for communication and an application processor (AP) that controls upper layers such as applications. Additionally, at least one component within the terminal may be implemented as a single chip. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (1j-40) may include a multiple connection processing unit (1j-42) configured to process a process operating in a multiple connection mode.

[0121] FIG. 1k is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a base station in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0122] As illustrated in the drawing, the base station is configured to include an RF processing unit (1k-10), a baseband processing unit (1k-20), a backhaul communication unit (1k-30), a storage unit (1k-40), and a control unit (1k-50).

[0123] The RF processing unit (1k-10) can perform functions for transmitting and receiving signals through a wireless channel, such as signal band conversion and amplification. That is, the RF processing unit (1k-10) can up-convert a baseband signal provided by the baseband processing unit (1k-20) into an RF band signal and transmit it through an antenna, and down-convert an RF band signal received through an antenna into a baseband signal. For example, the RF processing unit (1k-10) may include a transmit filter, a receive filter, an amplifier, a mixer, an oscillator, a DAC, an ADC, etc. Although only one antenna is shown in the drawing, the first connection node or base station may be equipped with multiple antennas. Additionally, the RF processing unit (1k-10) may include multiple RF chains. Furthermore, the RF processing unit (1k-10) may perform beamforming. For beamforming, the RF processing unit (1k-10) can adjust the phase and magnitude of each of the signals transmitted and received through a plurality of antennas or antenna elements. The RF processing unit can perform down-to-down MIMO operation by transmitting one or more layers.

[0124] The baseband processing unit (1k-20) can perform a conversion function between a baseband signal and a bit sequence according to the physical layer specifications of the first wireless access technology. For example, when transmitting data, the baseband processing unit (1k-20) can generate complex symbols by encoding and modulating the transmitted bit sequence. Additionally, when receiving data, the baseband processing unit (1k-20) can restore the received bit sequence by demodulating and decoding the baseband signal provided by the RF processing unit (1k-10). For example, in the case of following the OFDM method, when transmitting data, the baseband processing unit (1k-20) can generate complex symbols by encoding and modulating the transmitted bit sequence, map the complex symbols to subcarriers, and then construct OFDM symbols through IFFT operation and CP insertion. Additionally, upon receiving data, the baseband processing unit (1k-20) can divide the baseband signal provided by the RF processing unit (1k-10) into OFDM symbol units, restore the signals mapped to subcarriers through FFT operations, and then restore the received bit sequence through demodulation and decoding. The baseband processing unit (1k-20) and the RF processing unit (1k-10) can transmit and receive signals as described above. Accordingly, the baseband processing unit (1k-20) and the RF processing unit (1k-10) may be referred to as a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, a transceiver unit, a communication unit, or a wireless communication unit. A base station can transmit and / or receive signals with a terminal using the baseband processing unit (1k-20) and the RF processing unit (1k-10), and the signals may include control information and data.

[0125] The backhaul communication unit (1k-30) can provide an interface for performing communication with other nodes within the network. That is, the backhaul communication unit (1k-30) can convert a bit sequence transmitted from the main base station to other nodes, e.g., an auxiliary base station, a core network, etc., into a physical signal, and convert a physical signal received from other nodes into a bit sequence. The backhaul communication unit (1k-30) may also be included in the communication unit.

[0126] The storage unit (1k-40) can store data such as basic programs, application programs, and configuration information for the operation of the main station. In particular, the storage unit (1k-40) can store information regarding bearers assigned to connected terminals, measurement results reported from connected terminals, etc. Additionally, the storage unit (1k-40) can store information that serves as a criterion for determining whether to provide or disconnect multiple connections to the terminals. Furthermore, the storage unit (1k-40) can provide the stored data upon a request from the control unit (1k-50). The storage unit (1k-40) may be composed of a storage medium or a combination of storage media such as ROM, RAM, hard disk, CD-ROM, and DVD. Additionally, the storage unit (1m-40) may be composed of multiple memories.

[0127] The control unit (1k-50) can control the overall operations of the main base station. For example, the control unit (1k-50) can transmit and receive signals through the baseband processing unit (1k-20) and the RF processing unit (1k-10) or through the backhaul communication unit (1k-30). Additionally, the control unit (1k-50) writes and reads data to and from the storage unit (1k-40). To this end, the control unit (1k-50) may include at least one processor. Additionally, at least one component of the base station may be implemented as a single chip. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (1k-50) may include a multiple connection processing unit (1k-52) configured to process a process operating in a multiple connection mode.

[0128] Methods according to the embodiments described in the claims or specification of the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0129] When implemented in software, a computer-readable storage medium may be provided for storing one or more programs (software modules). One or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium are configured for execution by one or more processors within an electronic device. One or more programs include instructions that cause the electronic device to execute methods according to the embodiments described in the claims or specification of this disclosure.

[0130] Such programs (software modules, software) may be stored in random access memory, non-volatile memory including flash memory, ROM (Read Only Memory), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), magnetic disc storage devices, Compact Disc-ROM (CD-ROM), Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs), or other forms of optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes. Alternatively, they may be stored in memory composed of some or all of these. Additionally, each constituent memory may include multiple units.

[0131] Additionally, the program may be stored on an attachable storage device accessible via a communication network such as the Internet, Intranet, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide LAN (WLAN), or Storage Area Network (SAN), or a combination thereof. Such a storage device may be connected to the device performing the embodiment of the present disclosure through an external port. Additionally, a separate storage device on the communication network may be connected to the device performing the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0132] In the specific embodiments of the present disclosure described above, the components included in the disclosure are expressed in a singular or plural form according to the specific embodiments presented. However, the singular or plural expression is selected to suit the situation presented for convenience of explanation, and the present disclosure is not limited to singular or plural components; even if a component is expressed in the plural form, it may be composed of a singular form, or even if a component is expressed in the singular form, it may be composed of a plural form.

[0133] Meanwhile, although specific embodiments have been described in the detailed description of this disclosure, it is understood that various modifications are possible within the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined by the claims set forth below as well as equivalents thereof. In other words, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that other modifications based on the technical concept of this disclosure are possible. Furthermore, each embodiment may be combined and operated as needed. For example, parts of the methods proposed in this disclosure may be combined to operate a base station and a terminal. Additionally, while the embodiments are presented based on 5G and NR systems, other modifications based on the technical concept of the embodiments may be implemented in other systems such as LTE, LTE-A, and LTE-A-Pro systems.

Claims

1. A method performed by a terminal of a wireless communication system, A step of receiving a first message from a base station to request terminal capability; A step of transmitting a second message containing information regarding the terminal capability to the base station; and The method includes the step of transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message containing updated information of the above terminal capability to a network, The information regarding the above terminal capability includes an ID (identity) assigned according to the type of the terminal or the mode set on the terminal, and A method in which the above ID corresponds to information regarding terminal capabilities associated with the type of terminal or a mode set on the terminal.

2. In paragraph 1, the above method is: The method further includes the step of transmitting a third message to the base station, which includes an ID corresponding to information regarding the terminal capability preferred by the terminal, while the terminal is in a radio resource connected (RRC) state. A method in which the third message is transmitted based on at least one of an L1 (layer 1) message, an L2 (layer 2) message, an RRC message, or a NAS message.

3. In Paragraph 1, A method in which the above ID is assigned by the base station or the terminal, or is pre-set in the terminal.

4. In Paragraph 1, A method comprising: information regarding terminal capability including first information regarding terminal capability common to the type of terminal or the mode set on the terminal; second information excluding information regarding the common terminal capability; and an ID corresponding to terminal capability information preferred by the terminal.

5. A method performed by a base station of a wireless communication system, A step of transmitting a first message to a terminal to request terminal capability; and The method includes the step of receiving a second message from the terminal containing information regarding the terminal's capability, and The information regarding the above terminal capability includes an ID (identity) assigned according to the type of the terminal or the mode set on the terminal, and A method in which the above ID corresponds to information regarding terminal capabilities associated with the type of terminal or a mode set on the terminal.

6. In paragraph 5, the above method is: The method further includes the step of receiving a third message from the terminal in an RRC (radio resource connected) connection state, the message including an ID corresponding to information regarding the terminal capability preferred by the terminal. A method in which the third message is received based on at least one of an L1 (layer 1) message, an L2 (layer 2) message, an RRC message, or a NAS message.

7. In Paragraph 5, A method in which the above ID is assigned by the base station or the terminal, or is pre-set in the terminal.

8. In Paragraph 5, A method comprising: information regarding terminal capability including first information regarding terminal capability common to the type of terminal or the mode set on the terminal; second information excluding information regarding the common terminal capability; and an ID corresponding to terminal capability information preferred by the terminal.

9. Regarding the terminal: At least one transceiver; At least one processor communicatively coupled to the above at least one transceiver; and It includes at least one memory that is communicationally coupled to the above at least one processor and stores instructions, and The above instructions are executed individually or in any combination by the above at least one processor, so that the terminal: Receive a first message from a base station to request terminal capability, and Transmitting a second message containing information regarding the terminal capability to the above base station, and Transmit a non-access stratum (NAS) message containing updated information of the above terminal capability to the network, and The information regarding the above terminal capability includes an ID (identity) assigned according to the type of the terminal or the mode set on the terminal, and A terminal in which the above ID corresponds to information regarding terminal capabilities associated with the type of terminal or a mode set on the terminal.

10. In paragraph 9, the above commands are the terminal: When the terminal is in a radio resource connected (RRC) state, it transmits a third message to the base station that includes an ID corresponding to information regarding the terminal capability preferred by the terminal, and A terminal in which the above third message is transmitted based on at least one of an L1 (layer 1) message, an L2 (layer 2) message, an RRC message, or a NAS message.

11. In Paragraph 9, A terminal in which the above ID is assigned by the base station or the terminal, or is pre-set in the terminal.

12. In Paragraph 9, A terminal comprising: information regarding terminal capabilities, first information including information regarding terminal capabilities common to the type of terminal or a mode set on the terminal; second information including information excluding information regarding common terminal capabilities; and an ID corresponding to terminal capability information preferred by the terminal.

13. Regarding base stations: At least one transceiver; At least one processor communicatively coupled to the above at least one transceiver; and It includes at least one memory that is communicationally coupled to the above at least one processor and stores instructions, and The above instructions are executed individually or in any combination by the above at least one processor, so that the base station: Transmit a first message to the terminal to request terminal capability, and, A second message containing information regarding the terminal capability is received from the terminal, and The information regarding the above terminal capability includes an ID (identity) assigned according to the type of the terminal or the mode set on the terminal, and A base station in which the above ID corresponds to information regarding terminal capabilities associated with the type of terminal or the mode set on the terminal.

14. In Paragraph 13, the above commands are the base station: From the terminal in the RRC (radio resource connected) connection state, a third message including an ID corresponding to information regarding the terminal capability preferred by the terminal is received, and A base station in which the above third message is received based on at least one of an L1 (layer 1) message, an L2 (layer 2) message, an RRC message, or a NAS message.

15. In Paragraph 13, The above ID is assigned by the base station or the terminal, or is pre-set on the terminal, and, A base station comprising information regarding terminal capability, which includes first information regarding terminal capability common to the type of terminal or the mode set on the terminal, second information excluding information regarding the common terminal capability, and an ID corresponding to terminal capability information preferred by the terminal.

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