Multiple delay budgets for sixth generation networks

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises obtaining a quality of service (QoS) configuration comprising an indication of a first and a second target protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget time period and receiving a PDU Set. Upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method comprises performing a first procedure using the data in the received PDU Set. Upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method comprises performing a second procedure, different from the first procedure, using the data in the received PDU Set.

Description

Multiple Delay Budgets for Sixth Generation NetworksTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to communication networks, and more specifically to multiple delay budgets for sixth generation (6G) networks.BACKGROUND

[0002] Fifth generation (5G) mobile communications networks address a wide range of use cases from enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) to ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) to massive machine type communications (mMTC). 5G includes the New Radio (NR) access stratum interface and the 5G Core Network (5GC). The NR physical and higher layers are reusing parts of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) specification, and to that add needed components when motivated by new use cases.

[0003] Low-latency high-rate applications such as extended reality (XR) and cloud gaming are important in the 5G era. XR may refer to all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables. It is an umbrella term for different types of realities including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and the areas interpolated among them. The levels of virtuality range from partially sensory inputs to fully immersive VR.

[0004] 5G NR is designed to support applications demanding high rate and low latency in line with the requirements posed by the support of XR and cloud gaming applications in NR networks. Third Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) Release 17 contains a study item on XR Evaluations for NR. The main objectives are to identify the traffic model for each application of interest, the evaluation methodology and the key performance indicators of interest for relevant deployment scenarios, and to carry out performance evaluations accordingly to investigate possible standardization enhancements.

[0005] The low-latency high-rate applications like XR and cloud gaming require bounded latency, not necessarily ultra-low latency. The end-to-end latency budget may be in the range of 20-80 ms, which needs to be distributed over several components including application processing latency, transport latency, radio link latency, etc. For these applications, short transmission time intervals (TTIs) or mini-slots targeting ultra-low latency may not be effective.

[0006] Figure 1 shows an example of frame latency measured over radio access network (RAN), excluding application and core network latencies. As illustrated, there exist frame latency spikes in RAN. The latency spike occurs due to instantaneous shortage of radio resources or inefficient radio resource allocation in response to varying frame size. The sources for the latency spikes may include queuing delay, time-varying radio environments, time-varying frame sizes, among others. Tools that can help to remove latency spikes are beneficial to enable better 5G support for this type of traffic.

[0007] In addition to bounded latency requirements, the applications like XR and cloud gaming also require high rate transmission. This can be seen from the large frame sizes originated from this type of traffic. The typical frame sizes may range from tens of kilobytes to hundreds of kilobytes. The frame arrival rates may be 60 or 120 frames per second (fps). As a concrete example, a frame size of 100 kilobytes and a frame arrival rate of 120 fps can lead to a rate requirement of 95.8 Mbps.

[0008] A large video frame is usually fragmented into smaller Internet Protocol (IP) packets and transmitted as several transport blocks (TBs) over several TTIs in RAN. Figure 2 shows an example of the cumulative distribution functions of the number of transport blocks required to deliver a video frame with size ranging from 20 KB to 300 KB. For example, Figure 2 shows that for delivering the frames with a size of 200 KB each, the median number of needed TBs is 5.

[0009] The characteristics of XR traffic arrival are quite distinct from typical web-browsing and voice over IP (VoIP) traffic as shown in Figure 3.

[0010] Figure 3 is a graph illustrating XR traffic characteristics compared to VoIP and webbrowsing. It is well expected that the arrival time is quasi-periodic and largely predictable as VoIP. However, its data size is an order of magnitude larger than VoIP, as described above. In addition, similar to web-browsing, the data size is different at every application protocol data unit (PDU) arrival instance due to dynamics of contents and human motion.

[0011] As described above, many XR applications will generate traffic periodically with a variable size. When the application packet enters the Internet, the initial packet may be transmitted into a single PDU in the network or may be segmented over several PDUs. One application packet may, for example, correspond to one or several IP packets.

[0012] IP packets will arrive to the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, i.e. PDCP service data units (SDUs), and the PDCP layer will create PDCP PDUs and will deliver them to lower layers. When an IP packet arrives to PDCP, the PDCP layer starts a PDCP discardtimer. When the discard timer expires, the PDCP layer discards the PDCP SDU as well as the corresponding PDCP data PDU. If the PDCP PDU was delivered to lower layers, PDCP indicates the discard to lower layers. Lower layers, e.g. Radio Link Control (RLC), will discard the PDCP PDUs (RLC SDU) if the RLC SDU or any segment of the RLC SDU has not yet been transmitted to lower layers.

[0013] As described above, an application PDU, e.g. a video frame, is divided into multiple IP packets. All these IP packets that belong to one video frame may be defined as PDU Set.

[0014] 5G introduced a new concept, PDU Set, which may help the network to make better scheduling decision and, by doing so, improving the application quality of experience as well as increasing the network capacity as less resources would be wasted. As defined by 23.700-60: PDU Set: A PDU Set is composed of one or more PDUs carrying the payload of one unit of information generated at the application level (e.g., a frame or video slice for XRM Services, as used in TR 26.926). In some implementations, all PDUs in a PDU Set are needed by the application layer to use the corresponding unit of information. In other implementations, the application layer can still recover parts all or of the information unit when some PDUs are missing.

[0015] Additional quality of service (QoS) parameters were standardized to support the PDU Set concept. Concretely, the 5GC QoS framework was updated introducing two new parameters: PDU Set Error Rate (PSER) and PDU Set Delay Budget (PSDB). These parameters differ from PDB and PER in that these parameters refer to the QoS of each individual IP packet. However, with the new parameters PSER and PSDB, the network should ensure the error and delay for the entire PDU Set and not to individual IP packets.

[0016] Another QoS parameter is the PDU Set Integrated Handling Indication (PSIHI). This parameter is an indication from the core network to the RAN that indicates whether all PDUs of the PDU Set are needed for the usage of the PDU Set by the application layer in the receiver side. This information may be used with the PSI, explained below, to assist the RAN to make scheduling decisions.

[0017] PDU sets may be assigned with a PDU Set Importance indicator. This parameter may be used to identify the importance of a PDU Set within a QoS flow. The RAN may use it for PDU Set level packet discarding in presence of congestion.

[0018] In addition to the new QoS parameters, 3 GPP introduced a set of PDU Set characteristics that may be sent to the RAN. One of them is the “PDU Set Importance” (PSI) indicator that indicates a certain importance level for the PDU Set. The importance level of thePDU Sets indicates how useful the PDU Set is for the application, the assumption is that low importance PDU Sets may be down prioritized, or even discarded, in favor of more reliable delivery of higher importance PDU Sets.

[0019] Release 18 XR includes new RAN solutions for uplink PSI based discarding. The network can configure different discard timer values for the different PSI levels. If the user equipment (UE) can identify PDU Sets and their PSI level, the UE will apply the timer to each level when indicated by the network.

[0020] Furthermore, new delay and buffer reporting enhancements were introduced in Release 18.

[0021] The refined buffer status report (BSR) is an enhancement to legacy BSR and uses the same handling as the legacy reporting options. The Refined BSR format is as shown in Figure 4.

[0022] Figure 4 illustrates a refined long BSR medium access control (MAC) control element (CE).

[0023] Delay status reporting (DSR) is a new MAC CE, with separate handling from the legacy BSR. The format for the DSR is as shown in Figure 5.

[0024] Figure 5 illustrates a DSR MAC CE. The fields in the DSR MAC CE are defined as follows:• LCGi: This field indicates the presence of delay information (i.e., the Remaining Time and Buffer Size fields) for the logical channel group (LCG) i. The LCGi field set to 1 indicates that the delay information for the LCG i is reported. The LCGi field set to 0 indicates that the delay information for the LCG i is not reported.• Remaining Time: This field indicates the shortest remaining value of PDCP discardTimer (described in clause 7.3 in TS 38.323) among all PDCP SDUs buffered for an LCG, at the time of the first symbol of the first physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission that includes this DSR MAC CE. The length of this field is 6 bits. The value r in this field indicates a remaining time within the range of (r, r + 1] msec.• BT : This field is present only if the corresponding LCG is configured with additionalBSR- Table Allowed, otherwise, this field is reserved. If present, the BT field set to 1 indicates that the buffer sizes specified in Table 6.1.3.1-x are used to set the value of the Buffer Size field, while the BT field set to 0 indicates that the buffer sizes specified in Table 6.1.3.1-2 are used instead.• Buffer Size: The Buffer Size field indicates the total amount of delay-critical uplink data for an LCG according to the data volume calculation procedure specified in clause 5.5 in TS 38.322 and clause 5.6 in TS 38.323 for the associated RLC and PDCP entities, respectively, after the MAC PDU has been built. If the corresponding LCG is configured with additionalBSR-Table Allowed and the amount of delay-critical UL data for an LCG is within the buffer sizes specified in Table 6.1.3.1-x, the MAC entity shall use the buffer sizes specified in Table 6.1.3.1-x to set the value of this field; otherwise, the MAC entity shall use Table 6.1.3.1-2 instead. This field is indicated in number of bytes. The length of this field is 8 bits.

[0025] The Remaining Time, the BT, and the Buffer Size fields for an LCG shall be reported in two consecutive octets. These three fields for different LCGs shall be included in a DSR MAC CE in ascending order based on the LCGi.

[0026] XR (commonly referred to as immersive communication) is one of the key services 6G networks will have to handle efficiently together with the classical eMBB services. 6G is currently scheduled in 3GPP to start in Release 20. 6G will be largely based on 5G design; however, layer two (L2) protocols design may be changed or modified to address the multiple limitations new prospect services uncovered.

[0027] There currently exist certain challenges. For example, existing QoS framework is limiting in the sense that packet error rates (PER) and PDU Set error rate (PSER) along with packet delay budget (PDB) and PDU Set delay budget (PSDB), do not fully capture the end user quality of experience (QoE) requirement.

[0028] XR and immersive communication services are based on real time traffic, characterized mostly for video as the dominant type of traffic. It is expected that, if these applications use jitter buffers, these buffers are kept rather small such that old and stale data / content is not rendered at the user viewport. While stale data is not useful at the user viewport, in certain cases, it may be still be beneficial to decode the next application data. On the other hand, in some codec implementations, data may still be useful even though it is not rendered to the user viewport as such data may still be useful to decode frames received later. For example, to decode P video frames, a decoder needs previously received P or I frames. PSIHI can play a role here to indicate to the network whether it wants all the PDU Sets even if they are not useful at the viewpoint, or if it does not need them. Even if the application wishes to receive all the PDU Sets, even if they are stale, those PDU Sets may still be of little use if they are delivered too late. In suchcases, the receiver side of the application may have already reacted and requested a synchronization frame, for example.

[0029] PSDB may be used by the network to ensure that PDU Sets are delivered before the indicated time. However, this information is limited when multiple latency deadlines may be considered for the usefulness of the PDU Sets.SUMMARY

[0030] As described above, certain challenges currently exist with delay budgets for sixth generation (6G) networks. Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, particular embodiments include several user equipment (UE) reporting methods based on the knowledge of different deadlines (decoding / discarding) in the radio access network (RAN). In general, particular embodiments include: new formats for reporting buffer volumes and remaining time until deadline with respect to different deadlines; configuration of UE key performance indicator (KPI) feedback reports, triggered conditionally, a-periodic or periodically; and / or dynamic prioritization based on the deadlines.

[0031] According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises obtaining a quality of service (QoS) configuration comprising an indication of a first and a second target protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget time period and receiving a PDU Set. Upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method comprises performing a first procedure using the data in the received PDU Set. Upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method comprises performing a second procedure, different from the first procedure, using the data in the received PDU Set.

[0032] For example, performing the first procedure may comprise processing the data in the received PDU Set and performing the second procedure may comprise discarding the data in the received PDU Set. As another example, the received PDU Set may comprise video frames, and performing the first procedure comprises rendering the video frames and the second procedure comprises decoding the video frames.

[0033] In particular embodiments, the method further comprises transmitting a report to a network node. The report comprises an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received duringthe second target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold.

[0034] In particular embodiments, the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

[0035] According to some embodiments, a wireless device comprises processing circuitry operable to perform any of the wireless device methods described above.

[0036] According to some embodiments, a method performed by a network node comprises obtaining QoS configuration comprising an indication of a first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of a second target PDU Set delay budget time period. Upon determining a transmission time for a PDU of the PDU Set occurs during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method comprises scheduling the PDU for transmission according to a first priority. Upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method comprises scheduling the PDU for transmission according to a second priority, different than the first priority. The method further comprises transmitting the PDU to a wireless device according to the scheduling.

[0037] In particular embodiments, the method further comprises, upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs after the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, discarding the PDU and any remaining PDUs in the PDU Set.

[0038] In particular embodiments, scheduling the PDU for transmission according to the first priority comprises using more advanced transmission features than scheduling according to the second priority.

[0039] In particular embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a report from the wireless device. The report comprises an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of datareceived during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold.

[0040] In particular embodiments, the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

[0041] In particular embodiments, the method further comprises adjusting a scheduling parameter based on the received report.

[0042] According to some embodiments, a network node comprises processing circuitry operable to perform any of the network node methods described above.

[0043] Also disclosed is a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the wireless devices described above.

[0044] Another computer program product comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the network node described above.

[0045] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages. For example, particular embodiments facilitate improved information in the RAN to perform more efficient scheduling policy suitable for QoE dependent services.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The present disclosure may be best understood by way of example with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings that are used to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure. In the drawings:Figure 1 shows an example of frame latency measured over radio access network (RAN), excluding application and core network latencies;Figure 2 shows an example of the cumulative distribution functions of the number of transport blocks required to deliver a video frame with size ranging from 20 KB to 300 KB;Figure 3 is a graph illustrating extended reality (XR) traffic characteristics compared to voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and web-browsing;Figure 4 illustrates a refined long buffer status report (BSR) medium access control (MAC) control element (CE);Figure 5 illustrates a delay status reporting (DSR) MAC CE;Figure 6 illustrates an example of the transmission of protocol data unit (PDU) Sets and the X-axis (time) indicates the rendering and decoding deadline;Figure 7 illustrates an example of a report when a UE has data in a buffer not passed a first zone and data that is passed the first zone but not the second zone, according to particular embodiments;Figure 8 illustrates a short format buffer report, according to particular embodiments;Figure 9 shows an example of a communication system, according to certain embodiments;Figure 10 shows a user equipment (UE), according to certain embodiments;Figure 11 shows a network node, according to certain embodiments;Figure 12 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized;Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a wireless device, according to certain embodiments; andFigure 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a network node, according to certain embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] As described above, certain challenges currently exist with delay budgets for sixth generation (6G) networks. Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, particular embodiments include several user equipment (UE) reporting methods based on the knowledge of different deadlines (decoding / discarding) in the radio access network (RAN). In general, particular embodiments include: new formats for reporting buffer volumes and remaining time until deadline with respect to different deadlines; configuration of UE key performance indicator (KPI) feedback reports, triggered conditionally, a-periodic or periodically; and / or dynamic prioritization based on the deadlines.

[0048] Particular embodiments are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0049] Protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget (PSDB) may be used by the network to ensure that PDU Sets are delivered before the indicated time. However, PSDB is limited when multiple latency deadlines are possible for the usefulness of the PDU Sets. For a network scheduler to efficiently schedule such data it may be important to evaluate the different deadlines for which data may have value to the application. Similarly, it is important for the scheduler to know whether data can be considered “old” or “stale” such that a gNB or UE may prioritize the transmission of the data, deprioritize the transmission of the data, or discard the data if deemed not useful any more for the application.

[0050] Particular embodiments use more than one delay budget requirement similar as the PSDB. In one example illustration, when two delay budget requirements are indicated, the first deadline may be understood as “rendering deadline” or high priority deadline. Video frames arriving before the first deadline will be rendered, whereas video frames arriving after will not. The second deadline may be considered as the “decoding deadline” or low priority deadline. The decoding deadline occurs sometime after the rendering deadline. Video frames arriving between the rendering and the decoding deadline will still be useful for the receiving codec whereas frames received after a decoding deadline will be discarded at the application.

[0051] New PSDB parameters may be standardized such as a list of one or more “Target PSDB” (T-PSDB) elements in which each element may be given a priority level. The first PSDB value may correspond to an absolute value. Successive PSDB values may also be an absolute value or an offset from the first PSDB value. In the second case, if the first target PSDB indicates 50 ms and the second target PSDB indicates 10 ms, it means that there are additional 10 ms after the first target PSDB has been reached. This typically implies that one timer may be used. However, when absolute values are used, multiple timers may be used.

[0052] Target PSDB and priority levels, when available, may be provided, for example, by the application to the core network via application programming interfaces (APIs). If the information is sent to the core network, the core network may further send this information to the RAN.

[0053] When the RAN gets the target PSDBs, the RAN may use the information to appropriately set the data discard timers at the UE and even in the RAN. Discard procedures maypossibly be applicable in one or more of RAN protocols such as Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) or Radio Link Control (RLC).

[0054] This information may also be used by the network scheduler to make downlink and uplink scheduling decisions. The decisions may be different depending on the zone in which the PDU Set is in and the priority given for each target PSDB, i.e. depending on which timer or timer value is currently applicable to the PDU Set. If the first target PSDB is associated to a high priority level, the scheduler may prioritize the PDU Sets associated to the target PSDB to meet the requirements. The scheduler may also decide to use advanced transmission features such as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), carrier aggregation, smaller transport blocks or more robust link adaptation, for example.

[0055] A zone may be defined as the time period between the start and expiration of a timer. When multiple timers are running for a PDU Set and, therefore, multiple zones are possible, the highest priority zone among all zones may apply.

[0056] On the other hand, if the target PSDB is associated to a lower priority level, the scheduler may choose this data when higher priority data has been transmitted. The network may also limit the functionality and advanced transmission features used to transmit this data, if the data is finally transmitted. The network scheduler may also decide to discard the PDU Sets that are in a low priority zone.

[0057] Figure 6 illustrates an example of the transmission of PDU Sets and the X-axis (time) indicates the rendering and decoding deadline. These times may be mapped to the target PSDBs. Further, a priority level may be provided to each, such as high priority for the rendering time and low priority for the decoding time.

[0058] When a PDU Set arrives to the UE RAN buffer, a timer associated to the PDU Set may be started with the time set to a value previously configured by the network (similar behavior as in Release 18). The timer value may be based on the first target PSDB, for example.

[0059] While the timer is running, the scheduler may perform one or more of the actions listed above for the PDU Set, e.g. prioritize data transmission over other lower priority data and / or use advanced transmission features and methods. When the timer expires at “rendering deadline” in Figure 6, the timer may be re-started or a new timer started using a second value previously configured by the RAN. The timer value may be based on the second target PSDB. Given the second target PSDB is set to a lower priority, the scheduler takes that into account to select features and transmission capabilities to transmit the data. During the time the timer is running, the PDUSet takes a second priority value for transmission in the scheduler. When the timer expires, e.g. “decoding deadline”, the timer may be re-started or a new timer started based on a third target PSDB. During this period the timer is running, the PDU Set may take yet another priority level for transmission, e.g. a lower priority level for transmission than the previous level. When the timer expires and no more target PSDBs are configured, the PDU Set may be discarded.

[0060] Associated with such additional delay budgets, new error requirements may be used to limit the volume of frames allowed to exceed the deadlines over a time window. A list of one or more New Error Rates, or “Late Rates”, or “Target Error Rate” may be used. For example, a “PDU Set Late Rate” (PSLR) may be used to limit the number of PDU Sets that are acceptable to be sent in each zone associated to the corresponding value over a time window. If the PSLR associated to a certain target PSDB is set to 10% over a time window of 1 second, this means that the gNB may schedule up to 10% of the frames in the zone defined by the target PSDB, for example, after the rendering deadline (zone 2) and still meet the QoE expectations. Alternatively, it could represent the maximum number of PDU Sets that may be “erroneous” in each associated zone over a time window.

[0061] Some embodiments include UE reporting actions when PDU Sets are or enter zones. Referring to Figure 6, depending on the zone in which the PDU Set is, i.e. depending which timer value among multiple timer values is running, the UE may be configured to execute different reporting actions. A first zone may be defined by the period of time from which some data from the PDU Set enters the UE buffer until a first timer expires. A second zone may be defined by the period in which the first timer expires, and the timer is re-started or a new timer started using a second value, and so on.

[0062] In one example, a new reporting format is used to convey, from UE to the network, the buffer volume and remaining delay with respect to the multiple zones described above. Figure 7 illustrates an example of a report when a UE has data (e.g., PDU Set size) in the buffer not passed a first zone and data that is passed the first zone (e.g., rendering) but not the second zone, according to particular embodiments. The format may be of variable size depending on the logical channel group (LCG), data radio bearer (DRB), PDU Set, or logical channel (LCH) that has data in the queue. In the example illustrated in Figure 7, the LCG bits indicates a bitmap to convey such information.

[0063] When PDU Set size is reported, if one or more packets associated to the PDU Set enter a new zone, then the whole PDU Set size may be reported into the new zone. In other words, ifsome packets belonging to the PDU Set are in both first and second zone, the PDU Set size may be reported associated to the second zone and not the first zone. Alternatively, the PDU Set may be considered as part of the first zone or second zone, depending on the percentage of packets that are in one zone or another zone.

[0064] The ‘buffer size’ field indicates the volume of data in the UE which is in each zone respectively being the first buffer size associated to the information related to the first zone. The buffer size may also contain the accumulated buffer size considering the buffer size of previous zones, i.e. the second reported buffer size reported may be the sum of the buffer in the first zone and in the second zone; the third reported buffer size may be the sum of all previous zones including the current one, and so on. If the zones overlap, i.e. buffer size reported in zone 1 is also included in the buffer size reported for zone 2 or vice versa, an R-bit may be used to indicate the overlap.

[0065] The ‘Remaining time’ field indicates the average or shortest remaining time among the data PDUs in the respective zone until the expiration of the timer that defines the respective zone, i.e. the first remaining timer will be associated to the first zone, and so on.

[0066] Instead of reporting two different deadlines, some embodiments may indicate an offset that is calculated by a difference between different target PSDB deadlines. The offset may be LCG specific or may be common value for one or multiple LCGs. For the common offset, some embodiments may use one extra byte right after LCG byte. This offset tells how much extra time is needed from rendering deadline to decoding deadline. If the offset is set to zero, a UE indicates there is no difference between two deadlines. The offset fields may be added when there is 1 bit indication before the offset fields. If there is no indication, the legacy DSR with one deadline may be reported.

[0067] Additionally, some embodiments may use a shorter format to limit the overhead. Figure 8 illustrates an example of such format.

[0068] FIGURE 8 illustrates a short format buffer report, according to particular embodiments. In the illustrated example, the ‘LCG / DRB / PDU Set ID’ field indicates either which LCG, LCH, DRB or PDU Set ID the data is associated with. The ‘F’ bit indicates which deadline applies to the ‘remaining time’ field and buffer size field, e.g. ‘ 1’ indicates rendering deadline (zone 1), 'O’ indicates the decoding deadline (zone 2) or vice versa.

[0069] In some embodiments, the DSR format may be updated to indicate which deadline applies in the report. For example, If all the data in the buffer have time left until renderingdeadline, a DSR reports ‘remaining time until rendering deadline’ instead of ‘remaining time until discard’. (Note: the existing Rel-18 DSR format reports remaining time until discard)

[0070] If parts of the total data volume are in zone 1 and other parts are in zone 2, the UE may be configured to report data information in the DSR associated with either 'remaining time until discard (decoding deadline)' or ‘remain time until rendering deadline.’ Furthermore, the choice whether the UE provides information related to “decoding deadline” or “rendering deadline” may also be based on conditions configured by the network. For example, if the data volume in the yellow zone exceeds a configured threshold of X bytes or Y % of the total buffer, the UE may be configured to use one deadline over the other.

[0071] For both cases outlined above, the UE may use 1 bit in the DSR to indicate which deadline the ‘remaining time’ field refers to.

[0072] Additionally, if the relative buffer volume between zone 1 / 2 and zone 3 exceed a threshold, e.g. number of bytes in respective zone or ratio with respect to the total buffer volume, the UE may trigger a status report indicating current data volumes in the respective zones.

[0073] On the RAN side, new requirements such as the ones described in the problem description may include enhancements with respect to observability and QoS / QoE enforcement. Among them, observability and feedback of relevant KPI’s are a key component to understand the state of the end user QoE.

[0074] In particular embodiments, a UE informs the network on the statistics of frames arriving within and between the different scheduling deadlines. For example, the UE may be configured to measure the transmit delay and buffer volume statistics and report that back to the network. Upon the reception of such report in the network, the gNB may take actions to enhance the user experience, e.g. granting more resources or computing a higher scheduling weight, etc.

[0075] The triggers of such reports may be configured with periodic timers, or a-periodic triggers i.e. the network requests the UE to send a report.

[0076] Some embodiments include PDU Set importance and relation to the different zones. For example, a UE may prioritize transmission based on PDU Set importance and time left relative to the respective deadlines, e.g. high importance data in zone 2 is prioritized above low importance data in zone 1 while low importance data in zone 2 may have lower priority than high importance in zone 1. Relative buffer volumes between data in the different zone may also be used to deduce which data to transmit.

[0077] The network may configure the UE with different data prioritization rules applicable to PDU Sets which are in a first zone or in a second zone, or when part of the data in the PDU Set is in a first or second zone.

[0078] Figure 9 shows an example of a communication system 100 in accordance with some embodiments. In the example, the communication system 100 includes a telecommunication network 102 that includes an access network 104, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 106, which includes one or more core network nodes 108. The access network 104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 110a and 110b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 110), or any other similar 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3 GPP) access node or non-3GPP access point. The network nodes 110 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 112a, 112b, 112c, and 112d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 112) to the core network 106 over one or more wireless connections.

[0079] Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 100 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 100 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0080] The UEs 112 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 110 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 110 are arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 112 and / or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 102 to enable and / or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and / or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 102.

[0081] In the depicted example, the core network 106 connects the network nodes 110 to one or more hosts, such as host 116. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled tohosts. The core network 106 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 108) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 108. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and / or a User Plane Function (UPF).

[0082] The host 116 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 104 and / or the telecommunication network 102, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 116 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

[0083] As a whole, the communication system 100 of Figure 9 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and / or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0084] In some examples, the telecommunication network 102 is a cellular network that implements 3 GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 102 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that areconnected to the telecommunication network 102. For example, the telecommunications network 102 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) / Massive loT services to yet further UEs.

[0085] In some examples, the UEs 112 are configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 104 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 104. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi -RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e. being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0086] In the example, the hub 114 communicates with the access network 104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 112c and / or 112d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 110b). In some examples, the hub 114 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 114 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 106 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 114 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 110, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 114. As another example, the hub 114 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 114 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 114 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

[0087] The hub 114 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 110b. The hub 114 may also allow for a different communication scheme and / or schedule between the hub 114 and UEs (e.g., UE 112c and / or 112d), and between the hub 114 and the core network 106. In other examples, the hub 114 is connected to the core network 106 and / or one ormore UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 104 and / or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 110 while still connected via the hub 114 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 114 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to / from the UEs from / to the network node 110b. In other embodiments, the hub 114 may be a nondedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 110b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0088] Figure 10 shows a UE 200 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded / integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

[0089] A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3 GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to- everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0090] The UE 200 includes processing circuitry 202 that is operatively coupled via a bus 204 to an input / output interface 206, a power source 208, a memory 210, a communication interface 212, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or asubset of the components shown in Figure 2. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0091] The processing circuitry 202 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 210. The processing circuitry 202 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field- programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0092] In the example, the input / output interface 206 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 200. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

[0093] In some embodiments, the power source 208 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 208 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 208 itself, and / or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 200 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 208. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from thepower source 208 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 200 to which power is supplied.

[0094] The memory 210 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 210 includes one or more application programs 214, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 216. The memory 210 may store, for use by the UE 200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0095] The memory 210 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and / or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 210 may allow the UE 200 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 210, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

[0096] The processing circuitry 202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 212. The communication interface 212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 222. The communication interface 212 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 218 and / or a receiver 220 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations,and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 218 and receiver 220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 222) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0097] In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 212 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short- range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol / intemet protocol (TCP / IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

[0098] Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 212, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0099] As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

[0100] A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smartspeaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, a flood / moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or itemtracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and / or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 200 shown in Figure 2.

[0101] As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3 GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0102] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g. by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and / or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0103] Figure 11 shows a network node 300 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, accesspoints (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NRNodeBs (gNBs)).

[0104] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and / or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0105] Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and / or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

[0106] The network node 300 includes a processing circuitry 302, a memory 304, a communication interface 306, and a power source 308. The network node 300 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 300 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 304 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 310 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 300 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 300, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave,LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 300.

[0107] The processing circuitry 302 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 300 components, such as the memory 304, to provide network node 300 functionality.

[0108] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 302 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 302 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 312 and baseband processing circuitry 314. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 312 and the baseband processing circuitry 314 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 312 and baseband processing circuitry 314 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

[0109] The memory 304 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 302. The memory 304 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 302 and utilized by the network node 300. The memory 304 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 302 and / or any data received via the communication interface 306. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 302 and memory 304 is integrated.

[0110] The communication interface 306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between a network node, access network, and / or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 306 comprises port(s) / terminal(s) 316 to send and receive data, forexample to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 306 also includes radio front-end circuitry 318 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 310. Radio front-end circuitry 318 comprises filters 320 and amplifiers 322. The radio front-end circuitry 318 may be connected to an antenna 310 and processing circuitry 302. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 310 and processing circuitry 302. The radio front-end circuitry 318 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 318 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 320 and / or amplifiers 322. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 310. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 310 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 318. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.[OHl] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 300 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 318, instead, the processing circuitry 302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 312 is part of the communication interface 306. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 306 includes one or more ports or terminals 316, the radio front-end circuitry 318, and the RF transceiver circuitry 312, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 306 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0112] The antenna 310 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. The antenna 310 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 318 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and / or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 310 is separate from the network node 300 and connectable to the network node 300 through an interface or port.

[0113] The antenna 310, communication interface 306, and / or the processing circuitry 302 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and / or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 310, the communication interface 306, and / or the processing circuitry 302 may beconfigured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and / or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment.

[0114] The power source 308 provides power to the various components of network node 300 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 308 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 300 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 300 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 308. As a further example, the power source 308 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

[0115] Embodiments of the network node 300 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 11 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 300 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 300 and to allow output of information from the network node 300. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 300.

[0116] Figure 12 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 400 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 400 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in whichthe virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized.

[0117] Applications 402 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment 400 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0118] Hardware 404 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and / or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input / output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 406 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 408a and 408b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 408), and / or perform any of the functions, features and / or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 406 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 408.

[0119] The VMs 408 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 406. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 402 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 408, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

[0120] In the context of NFV, a VM 408 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 408, and that part of hardware 404 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 408 on top of the hardware 404 and corresponds to the application 402.

[0121] Hardware 404 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 504 may implement some functions via virtualization.Alternatively, hardware 404 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g., such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 410, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 402. In some embodiments, hardware 404 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 412 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0122] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and / or by end users and a wireless network generally.

[0123] FIGURE 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a wireless device, according to certain embodiments. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of FIGURE 13 may be performed by UE 200 described with respect to FIGURE 10.

[0124] The method begins at step 1312, where the wireless device (e.g., UE 200) obtains a quality of service (QoS) configuration comprising an indication of a first and a second target protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget time period.

[0125] In some embodiments, the wireless device may receive the QoS configuration from a network node. Although particular examples refer to a first and second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the QoS configuration may include additional target PDU Set delay budget time periods. The QoS configuration may comprise any of the formats described with respect to the embodiments and examples described herein.

[0126] At step 1314, the wireless device receives a PDU Set.

[0127] Upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method continues to step 1316, where the wireless device performs a first procedure using the data in the received PDU Set. Upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method continues to step 1318, where the wireless device performs a second procedure, different from the first procedure, using the data in the received PDU Set.

[0128] For example, performing the first procedure may comprise processing the data in the received PDU Set and performing the second procedure may comprise discarding the data in the received PDU Set. As another example, the received PDU Set may comprise video frames, and performing the first procedure comprises rendering the video frames and the second procedure comprises decoding the video frames.

[0129] In some examples, the QoS configuration may comprise more than two PDU Set delay budget time periods. For example, the QoS configuration may comprise three PDU Set delay budget time periods. In such an example, the first target PDU Set delay budget time period may refer to the first of the three target PDU Set delay budget time periods and the second target PDU Set delay budget time period may refer to the second of the three target PDU Set delay budget time periods, or the first target PDU Set delay budget time period may refer to the second of the three target PDU Set delay budget time periods and the second target PDU Set delay budget time period may refer to the third of the three target PDU Set delay budget time periods.

[0130] As a specific example, the received PDU Set may comprise video frames, and performing a first procedure comprises rendering the video frames, performing a second procedure comprises decoding the video frames, and performing a third procedure comprises discarding the video frames.

[0131] In particular embodiments, the first and second procedures comprise any of the procedures described with respect to the embodiments and examples described herein.

[0132] At step 1320, the wireless device may transmit a report to a network node. The report comprises an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of data received during the firsttarget PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold. For example, depending on a threshold percentage of data received during either of the first or second target PDU Set delay budget time period, all of the data may be reported in the first time period, in the second time period, split between time periods, or included cumulatively in each successive time period.

[0133] In particular embodiments, the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

[0134] In particular embodiments, the report comprises any of the example reports described with respect to the embodiments and examples described above.

[0135] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 1300 of FIGURE 13. Additionally, one or more steps in the method of FIGURE 13 may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order.

[0136] FIGURE 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a network node, according to certain embodiments. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of FIGURE 14 may be performed by network node 300 described with respect to FIGURE 11.

[0137] The method begins at step 1412, where the network node (e.g., network node 300) obtains a QoS configuration comprising an indication of a first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of a second target PDU Set delay budget time period. The network node may obtain the QoS configuration from a core network node or an application node.

[0138] Although particular examples refer to a first and second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the QoS configuration may include additional target PDU Set delay budget time periods. The QoS configuration may comprise any of the formats described with respect to the embodiments and examples described herein.

[0139] Upon determining a transmission time for a PDU of the PDU Set occurs during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method continues to step 1414 where the network node schedules the PDU for transmission according to a first priority. Upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method continues to step 1416 where the network node schedules the PDU for transmission according to a second priority, different than the first priority. In some embodiments, upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs afterthe second target PDU Set delay budget time period, the method continues to step 1420 where the network node discards the PDU and any remaining PDUs in the PDU Set.

[0140] At step 1418, the network node transmits the PDU to a wireless device according to the scheduling.

[0141] In particular embodiments, scheduling the PDU for transmission according to the first priority comprises using more advanced transmission features than scheduling according to the second priority. In some embodiments, the network node uses different error rates when scheduling based on the target PDU Set delay budget time periods. In particular embodiments, the network node performs different scheduling based on the target PDU Set delay budget time period according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.

[0142] At step 1422, the network node may receive a report from the wireless device. The report comprises an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period. The indication of the amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period may include an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold.

[0143] In particular embodiments, the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

[0144] In particular embodiments, the report comprises any of the example reports described with respect to the embodiments and examples described above.

[0145] At step 1424, the network node may adjust a scheduling parameter based on the received report. For example, the network node may adjust priorities based on the reported amount of buffered data during each PDU Set delay budget time period. In particular embodiments, the network node may adjust a scheduling parameter according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.

[0146] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 1400 of FIGURE 14. Additionally, one or more steps in the method of FIGURE 14 may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order.

[0147] The foregoing description sets forth numerous specific details. It is understood, however, that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of this description. Those of ordinary skill in the art, with the included descriptions, will be able to implement appropriate functionality without undue experimentation.

[0148] References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0149] Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments, alterations and permutations of the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of the embodiments does not constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure, as defined by the claims below.

Claims

Claims1. A method performed by wireless device, the method comprising: obtaining (1312) a quality of service (QoS) configuration comprising an indication of a first target protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget time period and an indication of a second target PDU Set delay budget time period; receiving (1314) a PDU Set; upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, performing (1316) a first procedure using the data in the received PDU Set; and upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, performing (1318) a second procedure, different from the first procedure, using the data in the received PDU Set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the first procedure comprises processing the data in the received PDU Set and performing the second procedure comprises discarding the data in the received PDU Set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received PDU Set comprises video frames and performing the first procedure comprises rendering the video frames and the second procedure comprises decoding the video frames.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, further comprising transmitting (1320) a report to a network node, the report comprising an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period.

6. The method of any one of claims 4-5, wherein the indication of the amount of datareceived during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold.

7. The method of any one of claims 4-6, wherein the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

8. A wireless device (200) comprising processing circuitry (202) operable to: obtaining a quality of service (QoS) configuration comprising an indication of a first target protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget time period and an indication of a second target PDU Set delay budget time period; receive a PDU Set; upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, perform a first procedure using the data in the received PDU Set; and upon determining the PDU Set was received at least partially during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, perform a second procedure, different from the first procedure, using the data in the received PDU Set.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to perform the first procedure by processing the data in the received PDU Set and perform the second procedure by discarding the data in the received PDU Set.

10. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the received PDU Set comprises video frames and the processing circuitry is operable to perform the first procedure by rendering the video frames and the second procedure by decoding the video frames.

11. The wireless device of any one of claims 8-10, the processing circuitry further operable to transmitting a report to a network node (300), the report comprising an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period.

13. The wireless device of any one of claims 11-12, wherein the indication of the amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold.

14. The wireless device of any one of claims 11-13, wherein the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

15. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: obtaining (1412) a quality of service (QoS) configuration comprising an indication of a first target protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget time period and an indication of a second target PDU Set delay budget time period; upon determining a transmission time for a PDU of the PDU Set occurs during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, scheduling (1414) the PDU for transmission according to a first priority; upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, scheduling (1416) the PDU for transmission according to a second priority, different than the first priority; and transmitting (1418) the PDU to a wireless device according to the scheduling.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs after the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, discarding (1420) the PDU and any remaining PDUs in the PDU Set.

17. The method of any one of claims 15-16, wherein scheduling the PDU for transmission according to the first priority comprises using more advanced transmission features thanscheduling according to the second priority.

18. The method of any one of claims 15-17, further comprising receiving (1422) a report from the wireless device, the report comprising an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period.

20. The method of any one of claims 18-19, wherein the indication of the amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold.

21. The method of any one of claims 18-20, wherein the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

22. The method of any one of claims 18-21, further comprising adjusting (1424) a scheduling parameter based on the received report.

23. A network node (300) comprising processing circuitry (302), the processing circuitry operable to: obtain a quality of service (QoS) configuration comprising an indication of a first target protocol data unit (PDU) Set delay budget time period and an indication of a second target PDU Set delay budget time period; upon determining a transmission time for a PDU of the PDU Set occurs during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period, schedule the PDU for transmission according to a first priority; upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs during thesecond target PDU Set delay budget time period, schedule the PDU for transmission according to a second priority, different than the first priority; and transmit the PDU to a wireless device (200) according to the scheduling.

24. The network node of claim 15, the processing circuitry further operable to, upon determining the transmission time for the PDU of the PDU Set occurs after the second target PDU Set delay budget time period, discard the PDU and any remaining PDUs in the PDU Set.

25. The network node of any one of claims 23-24, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to schedule the PDU for transmission according to the first priority by using more advanced transmission features than scheduling according to the second priority.

26. The network node of any one of claims 23-25, the processing circuitry further operable to receive a report from the wireless device, the report comprising an indication of an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period and an indication of an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

27. The network node of claim 26, wherein the indication of the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period.

28. The network node of any one of claims 26-27, wherein the indication of the amount of data received during the first target PDU Set delay budget time period includes an amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period when the amount of data received during the second target PDU Set delay budget time period is below a threshold.

29. The network node of any one of claims 26-28, wherein the report further comprises an amount of time remaining for the first target PDU Set delay budget time period or the second target PDU Set delay budget time period.

30. The network node of any one of claims 26-29, the processing circuitry further operable to adjust a scheduling parameter based on the received report.

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