Delay information reporting in a communication network

Abstract

A communication device (12) transmits a message (30). In some embodiments, the message (30) includes delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending. In other embodiments, the message (30) alternatively or additionally includes, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

Description

[0001] DELAY INFORMATION REPORTING IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present application relates generally to a communication network and relates more particularly to delay information reporting in such a network.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] The Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) sublayer serves several functions in communication. A packet that the PDCP layer receives from a higher protocol layer for transmission is referred to as a Service Data Unit (SDU). From this SDU, the PDCP layer forms one or more other packets referred to as Protocol Data Units (PDUs) for sending to a lower protocol layer, for further processing and transmission. Each PDU encapsulates at least some of the payload of the SDU with a PDCP header.

[0006] One of the tasks of PDCP is to ensure the reliable transmission of data by buffering transmitted packets, e.g., PDCP Service Data Units (SDUs). In simple terms, it holds onto these packets temporarily so that they can be resent if not received correctly the first time.

[0007] More particularly, PDCP uses status reports to communicate which SDUs were successfully received and which ones were not. If some SDUs were missed, they are resent to ensure complete transmission. To manage this process effectively, the transmitting PDCP entity needs a buffer to store the SDUs temporarily. However, this buffering introduces challenges, such as knowing when to discard or remove an SDU from the buffer. This decision might be based on factors like buffer overflow or when an SDU becomes too old to be useful according to its Quality of Service (QoS) profile. To address this, PDCP employs a discard timer. When an SDU is placed in the buffer for transmission, a countdown timer (referred to as a discard timer) starts running. If confirmation of successful delivery isn't received before the discard timer expires, the SDU is discarded from the buffer. This ensures that the buffer doesn't become cluttered with stale or unneeded data. Additionally, PDCP may discard an SDU if it receives confirmation of successful delivery through a status report.

[0008] In this context, a communication device may be configured to report information about the delay status (e.g., PDCP discard timer status) of logical channels or groups thereof. Via delay status reporting, the communication device may report the smallest remaining value of the running PDCP discard timers among PDCP SDUs that are buffered for a logical channel group (and the total amount of data buffered). See, e.g., 3GPP TS 38.321 v18.3.0 sections 5.4.9 and 6.1.3.72. This information assists the network with scheduling. Delay status reporting could be enhanced to report more granular information about the delay status of data at a communication device, e.g., to include multiple pairs of remaining time and buffer size for a logical channel group. However, challenges exist with enhancing delay status reporting in this way, since the enhancement will increase the message size required for delay status reporting. The increased message size threatens to jeopardize whether and / or when delay status reporting may be performed.

[0009] SUMMARY

[0010] Some embodiments herein enable enhancement of delay status reporting with more granular delay status information, while also enabling delay status reporting to limit the information reported, e.g., to that which can actually be accommodated in a reporting message with limited size. Some embodiments for example limit the delay information reported in the message to that for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have pending delay status reports, e.g., to higher priority logical channel groups. Alternatively or additionally, some embodiments may limit the delay information reported for at least one logical channel or logical channel group to a subset of the delay information configured to be reported, e.g., so as to limit the granularity of the delay information reported. By strategically and / or opportunistically limiting the information reported in these or other ways, some embodiments may advantageously enable delay status reporting to be performed even at times and / or under circumstances that would not otherwise be feasible. For example, some embodiments may advantageously enable delay status reporting to be performed opportunistically as extra message space (e.g., padding) becomes available in some types of messages, and / or strategically under circumstances when some types and / or granularity of delay information is not useful.

[0011] More particularly, embodiments herein include a method performed by a communication device. The method comprises transmitting a message that includes delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending. In other embodiments, the method comprises transmitting a message that alternatively or additionally includes for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0012] Other embodiments herein include a method performed by a network node. The method comprises receiving, from a communication device, a message that includes delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending. In other embodiments, method comprises receiving, from a communication device, a message that alternatively or additionally includes for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group. Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatus, computer programs, and carriers of those computer programs.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is block diagram of a communication network according to some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating limitation on reporting of delay information according to some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 3 shows an example of frame latency measured over radio access network (RAN) according to some embodiments.

[0017] Figure 4 shows an example of the cumulative distribution functions of the number of transport blocks required to deliver a video frame according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 5 illustrates distinct characteristics of XR traffic arrival, typical web-browsing, and VoIP traffic according to some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 6 illustrates a Delay Status Reporting (DSR) procedure to provide the serving gNB with delay status of logical channel groups (LCGs) according to some embodiments.

[0020] Figure 7 depicts a method performed by a communication device in accordance with particular embodiments.

[0021] Figure 8 depicts a method performed by a network node in accordance with other particular embodiments.

[0022] Figure 9 is a block diagram of a communication device according to some embodiments.

[0023] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments.

[0024] Figure 11 is a block diagram of a communication network according to some embodiments.

[0025] Figure 12 is a block diagram of a UE according to some embodiments.

[0026] Figure 13 is a block diagram of a network node according to other embodiments.

[0027] Figure 14 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment according to other embodiments.

[0028] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Figure 1 shows a communication network 10 according to some embodiments. The communication network 10 is configured to provide a communication service to a communication device 12, e.g., a user equipment (UE). The communication network 10 as shown for example may include a network node 14, e.g., a base station, configured to serve the communication device 12 and / or to otherwise provide the communication device 12 with access to the communication network 10.

[0030] The communication device 12 includes a protocol stack with multiple layers. A lower layer 20L (e.g., a Medium Access Control, MAC, layer) provides data transfer services to upper layer(s) 20H on logical channels (LCHs) 18. The upper layer(s) 20H may for instance include a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. A logical channel 18 is defined by the type of information it carries, e.g., as a control channel or a traffic channel. In some embodiments, logical channels may be grouped into logical channel groups 18G, e.g., with the logical channels 18 in any given logical channel group 18G having similar quality of service (QoS) requirements. Regardless, a logical channel 18 may carry data packets, e.g., in the form of MAC Service Data Units (SDUs). These data packets may convey data packets from an upper layer, such as Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) SDUs or Protocol Data Units (PDUs).

[0031] The communication device 12 as shown may operate according to a delay status reporting (DSR) procedure. According to this procedure, the communication device 12 transmits, to the network node 14, a message 30 that includes delay information 38, e.g., associated with one or more of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G. The delay information 38 may for instance concern the status of discard timers (e.g., PDCP discard timers) associated with data packets conveyed on the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G. Some embodiments herein enable this delay information 38 to be more fine-grained than heretofore feasible, while also enabling the delay information 38 reported to be limited, e.g., as needed so that it can actually be accommodated in a message 30 with limited size.

[0032] More particularly in this regard, Figure 1 shows a set 22 of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a DSR 26 has been triggered. The DSR 26 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G triggers reporting of delay information 28 for that logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G.

[0033] Some embodiments limit the delay information 38 reported in the message 30 to the delay information 28 for a subset 22S of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have pending DSRs 26. As shown in Figure 1 , for instance, rather than including in the message 30 the delay information 28 for the entire set 22 of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a DSR 26 has been triggered, the communication device 12 includes in the message 30 the delay information 28 for only a subset 22S of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a DSR 26 has been triggered. In these and other embodiments, the communication device 12 may include in the message 30 delay information 28 for as many of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 pending as can be accommodated in the message 30, e.g., given a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. This may mean that the communication device 12 selects the subset 22S of logical channels or logical channel groups 18G for which to include delay information 28 in the message 30, based on a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, the communication device 12 may select the subset 22S based also on a priority ordering of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G, e.g., such that the subset 22S may for instance be limited to the highest priority logical channels or logical channel groups. Alternatively or additionally, the communication device 12 may select the subset 22S based also on, for each of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a DSR 26 is pending: (i) whether the same delay information has been previously reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G as is to be included in the message 30; and / or (ii) how long ago the same delay information was been previously reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G as is to be included in the message 30.

[0034] Alternatively or additionally, the communication device 12 in some embodiments limits the delay information 38 reported for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G to a subset 28S of the delay information 28 configured to be reported, e.g., so as to limit the granularity of the delay information 28 reported. That is, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G for which a DSR 26 is triggered, less delay information 28 is reported for that logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G than is otherwise configured to be reported.

[0035] This limitation on reporting of delay information 28 may be realized by limiting delay information 28 reported for so-called reporting time thresholds. Figure 2 shows one or more such embodiments.

[0036] In these embodiments, a set 32C of multiple reporting time thresholds 32-1, 32-2, 32-3 is configured for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. This set 32C is referred to as the configured set 32C of reporting time thresholds 32-1 , 32-2, 32-3, where it is illustrated just as an example there being 3 thresholds in the configured set 32C. In this case, the delay information 28 configured to be reported for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G comprises delay information 31-1 , 31-2, 31-3 for each respective reporting time threshold in the configured set 32C of multiple reporting time thresholds 32-1 , 32-2, 32-3 configured for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. For example, the delay information 31 -x for a reporting time threshold 32 -x configured for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G may include: (i) remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer (e.g., PDCP discard timer) among a portion of data packets (e.g., PDCP SDlls) that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G; and / or (ii) buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. Here, the portion of data packets are those data packets that have a running discard timer (e.g., PDCP discard timer) with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold 32-x.

[0037] In some embodiments, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a DSR 26 pending, the delay information 28 reported is limited to that associated with only a subset 32R of the reporting time thresholds configured. That is, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a DSR 26 pending, the subset 28S of delay information 28 included in the message 30 for that logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G comprises delay information 31 for each respective reporting time threshold 32 in a reported set 32R of reporting time thresholds, wherein the reported set 32R is a subset of the configured set 32C.

[0038] By strategically and / or opportunistically limiting the information reported in these or other ways, some embodiments may advantageously enable delay status reporting to be performed even at times and / or under circumstances that would not otherwise be feasible. For example, some embodiments may advantageously enable delay status reporting to be performed opportunistically as extra message space (e.g., padding) becomes available in some types of messages, and / or strategically under circumstances when some types and / or granularity of delay information is not useful.

[0039] Some embodiments herein are applicable in the following context, where the communication network 10 may be exemplified as a 5G network, the communication node 12 may be exemplified as a user equipment (UE) or a radio network node such as a gNB, and a data packet may be exemplified as a PDCP packet such as a PDCP SDU or PDU.

[0040] Some embodiments in this regard are applicable to 5G. 5G is the fifth generation of mobile communications, addressing a wide range of use cases from enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) to ultra-reliable low-latency communications (LIRLLC) 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 LTE specification, and to that add needed components when motivated by new use cases.

[0041] Some embodiments herein are applicable for low-latency high-rate applications such as extended Reality (XR) and cloud gaming. 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. Some embodiments herein may be applicable for 5G NR as 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.

[0042] Low-latency high-rate XR applications

[0043] The low-latency applications like extended Reality (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.

[0044] Figure 3 shows an example of frame latency measured over radio access network (RAN), excluding application and core network latencies. It can be seen that there exist frame latency spikes in RAN. 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] A large video frame is usually fragmented into smaller IP packets and transmitted as several transport blocks (TBs) over several TTIs in RAN. Figure 4 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 4 shows that for delivering the frames with a size of 200 KB each, the median number of needed TBs is 5.

[0047] The characteristics of XR traffic arrival are quite distinct from typical web-browsing and VoIP traffic as shown in Figure 5. It is well expected that the arrival time is quasi- periodic and largely predictable as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). However, its data size is order of magnitude larger than VoIP, as discussed above. In addition, similar to webbrowsing, the data size is different at every application PDU arrival instance due to dynamics of contents and human motion.

[0048] As mentioned 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 several PDlls. One application packet could, for instance, correspond to one or several IP packets.

[0049] IP packets will arrive to the PDCP layer, i.e., PDCP SDlls, and the PDCP layer will create PDCP PDlls and will deliver them to lower layers. When an IP packet arrives to PDCP, the PDCP layer starts a PDCP discard timer. When this timer expires, the PDCP 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. RLC, will discard the PDCP PDUs (RLC SDU) if these RLC SDU or any segment of the RLC SDU has not yet been transmitted to lower layers.

[0050] As discussed above, an application PDU, e.g. a video frame, is divided into multiple IP packets. All these IP packets which belong to one video frame can be defined as PDU Set.

[0051] In some embodiments, a PDU Set is a PDU Set as defined by TS 23.700-60 V18.0.0: 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 V18.1.0). 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.

[0052] In some embodiments, PDU sets may be assigned with a PDU Set Importance indicator. See, e.g., 3GPP TS 23.700-60 V18.0.0. This parameter can be used to identify the importance of a PDU Set within a QoS flow. Some embodiments may use the parameter for PDU Set level packet discarding in presence of congestion.

[0053] In these and other embodiments, then, the importance level of the PDU Sets indicates how useful the PDU Set is for the application. The assumption is that low importance PDU Sets can down prioritized, or even discarded, in favor of more reliable delivery of higher importance PDU Sets. In some embodiments, the UE performs the identification of the PSI levels of the PDU Sets, and determines what is a low or high importance PDU Set, and then applies the behavior configured by the network on each of the PDU Set depending on their identified importance. In some embodiments, no information about the PDU Sets is delivered to the network.

[0054] Some embodiments herein may also exploit a PDU Set discard mechanism in the PDCP layer. If ‘pdu-SetDiscard’ (RRC parameter) is configured, then when the ‘discardTimer’ expires for a PDCP SDU, the PDCP entity shall discard all PDCP SDUs belonging to the PDU Set to which the PDCP SDU belongs along with the corresponding PDCP Data PDUs.

[0055] Some embodiments herein apply to enhancements of Delay Status Reporting (DSR), e.g., as introduced in 3GPP Rel-18, see 3GPP TS 38.321 V18.3.0. The DSR is a MAC CE, with separate handling from the legacy Buffer Status Report (BSR).

[0056] Except as otherwise enhanced according to embodiments herein, the Delay Status Reporting (DSR) procedure is used to provide the serving gNB with delay status of LCGs. This delay status for an LCG includes remaining time, which is the smallest remaining value of the running PDCP discardTimers among PDCP SDlls that are buffered for the LCG but have not been transmitted in any MAC PDU, and the total amount of delay-critical UL data for the LCG according to a data volume calculation procedure for the associated RLC and PDCP entities, respectively.

[0057] The format for the DSR, as it may exist without enhancements that increase its granularity, may be as shown in Figure 6.

[0058] The fields in the DSR MAC CE are defined as follows:

[0059] - 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 LCG; field set to 1 indicates that the delay information for the LCG i is reported. The LCG; field set to 0 indicates that the delay information for the LCG i is not reported;

[0060] - Remaining Time: This field indicates the shortest remaining value of PDCP discardTimer (described in clause 7.3 in 3GPP TS 38.323 V18.3.0) among all PDCP SDUs buffered for an LCG, at the time of the first symbol of the first 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.

[0061] - BT: This field is present only if the corresponding LCG is configured with additionalBSR-TableAllowed', 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.

[0062] - Buffer Size: The Buffer Size field indicates the total amount of delay-critical UL data for an LCG according to the data volume calculation procedure specified in clause 5.5 in TS 38.322 V18.1.0 and clause 5.6 in TS 38.323 V18.3.0 for the associated RLC and PDCP entities, respectively, after the MAC PDU has been built. If the corresponding LCG is configured with additionalBSR-TableAllowed 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. 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 theLCGj.

[0063] For the purpose of the delay critical buffer volume reporting in the DSR, the PDCP specification in the following CR R2-2313697 defines delay criticial PDCP SDU as the following:

[0064] Delay-critical PDCP SDU: if pdu-SetDiscard is not configured, a PDCP SDU for which the remaining time until discardTimer expiry is less than the remainingTimeThreshold. If pdu- SetDiscard is configured, a PDCP SDU belonging to a PDU Set of which at least one PDCP SDU has the remaining time until discardTimer expiry less than the remainingTime T h res hold.

[0065] 3GPP Rel19 progress on DSR enhancements

[0066] Some embodiments apply to enhancements to the DRS as introduced for Rel19, where the DSR may be enhanced to support uplink (UL) scheduling to enable high XR capacity while meeting delay requirements / avoiding too late PDUs, e.g., by specifying enhanced DSR (Delay Status Report) reporting with multiple pairs of remaining time and buffer size for an LCG.

[0067] For example, the DSR may be extended with multiple reporting thresholds (information pairs of remaining time and buffer size). For Rel-19 DSR, the buffered data may be divided into multiple portions based on the multiple reporting time threshold levels configured for an LCG. The Rel-19 DSR indicates the following information for each portion for which BS>0:

[0068] • Buffer size of data volume in each portion

[0069] • Shortest remaining time among PDCP SDUs buffered in each portion.

[0070] A one-bit indication may indicate whether a certain / further pair of remaining time information and buffer size information is present in the new DSR MAC CE for the associated LCG.

[0071] There currently exist certain challenge(s). The new Rel19 DSR format will contain more granular information about the buffer size in the UE. The granularity (and size of the report) will be dependent on the thresholds configured for LCGs. This will increase the size of the MAC CE, potentially much larger than the Rel18 solution. There may be situations where the full (large) report is not feasible to transmit, e.g. opportunistic sending of a DSR report and fitting it in the UL grant.

[0072] Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. Some embodiments provide ways to limit the size of the Rel19 DSR by excluding parts of the information, e.g. truncate the DSR, and / or ways to control the usage of such report.

[0073] For example, some embodiments provide one or more of the following ways to limit the size of the DSR: (1) Limit the number of LCG (or LCH) that are included in the report; and / or (2) Limit the number of thresholds that are reported for each LCG, e.g., by excluding thresholds and / or multiplexing thresholds. Here, (1) exemplifies including delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G in the message 30. And (2) exemplifies including a subset 28S of delay information 28 in the message 30 for one or more logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G, e.g., in the sense that limiting the number of thresholds reported for each LCG means reporting a subset of the thresholds and thereby a subset of delay information that would have otherwise been reported.

[0074] Alternatively or additionally, some embodiments use limited DSR size: (1) when a DSR has been triggered but the full report doesn’t fit the UL grant; (2) opportunistic sending of DSR when there is extra padding in UL grant available; and / or (3) based on other conditions to limit the size of the report, such as network doesn’t see it useful to always report for all thresholds or size condition of the DSR.

[0075] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). One advantage may be that DSR can be used in cases when a large DSR is not feasible or wanted. Alternatively or additionally, it may be possible to reduce signaling overhead with a smaller report.

[0076] In a first embodiment, transmitting a limited size DSR may be decided based on one or more of the following configured conditions:

[0077] - There is not enough grant space to include a full Rel19 DRS report. As an example, after the Logical Channel Prioritization process the UE has not fully utilized the grant and there is no DSR in the MAC PDU.

[0078] - The DSR will be larger in size than some configured threshold (in bits or number of reported rows, i.e. multiple LCG with multiple thresholds).

[0079] In another embodiment, the network has defined some specific criteria for when thresholds should be excluded / merged in the DSR. For example, the remaining time is on the edge of the intervals in two thresholds, i.e. the total difference in remaining time value is smaller than some criteria. The buffer sizes can then be merged into one value and using the lowest remaining time (essentially merging two thresholds into one).

[0080] Excluding a threshold if the number of bits is less than some value and / or it belongs to a threshold not deemed as critical. For example, if a certain threshold (e.g. one with long remaining time values) contains very few bits, then this threshold Is not included in the report and only the thresholds with shorter remaining time and / or more bits are included in the report. The threshold of non-delay critical data is chosen by estimating a difference of thresholds of delay critical and non-delay critical data. If the difference is larger than a certain value, the non-delay critical data is not reported. It can save resources if there is too large of a difference in thresholds between delay and non-delay critical data. In another embodiment, the selection of the limited size DSR be based on the size of the grant size. Based on how large of a report that the grant can fit the number of LCG that is reported for is selected. It can also be configured to only be a certain number, e.g. one. The selection of LCG can be based on the priority order or configuration. Selection can also be based on if the data has been reported in an earlier DSR, e.g. a LCG that contains the same or similar data as was reported for in an earlier DSR is excluded.

[0081] Another option is to limit how many thresholds are included for each LCG, e.g. only the most time critical or the least time critical threshold will be reported. If multiple LCGs contain the most time-critical or the least time critical threshold and a grant size is not enough, the LCG with high priority order is first chosen.

[0082] It can also be dependent on if the data has been reported before, e.g. if data entered has been reported in an earlier DSR and has entered a new threshold that threshold will not be reported (unless it contains new data that has not been reported). This can also be different for different LCG, e.g. based on the LCG priority. A network can also configure ‘the new data only’ report so that all received DSR always contains new data that are not included in a previous one regardless of what threshold the data belonged before. This can allow a network not to be confused over which part of data is reported or not.

[0083] Yet another option is to look at the LCH. Only when certain LCH mapped to the LCG that LCG will be included in the DSR.

[0084] Although in some embodiments a delay status report 26 in Figure 1 may be exemplified as a Delay Status Report (DSR) according to 3GPP standards, and the message 30 may be exemplified as a DSR MAC CE, that need not be the case in other embodiments. Indeed, in some embodiments, a delay status report 26 may refer broadly to any type of buffer report that carries delay information 28, and / or the message 30 may refer broadly to any type of message that includes delay information 28. In one embodiment, for example, such as those applicable in 6G+ networks, BSR and DSR may be merged into a unified framework, in which case a delay status report 26 may be exemplified as a unified BSR / DSR that carries delay information 28.

[0085] In view of the modifications and variations herein, Figure 7 depicts a method performed by a communication device 12 in accordance with particular embodiments. The method includes transmitting a message 30 (Block 700). In some embodiments, the message 30 includes delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending (Block 710). In other embodiments, the message 30 alternatively or additionally includes, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, a subset 28S of delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G (Block 720).

[0086] In some embodiments, the message 30 includes delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have pending delay status reports 26. In some embodiments, the message 30 includes delay information 28 for as many of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 pending as can be accommodated in the message 30, given a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, the method further comprises selecting the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which to include delay information 28 in the message 30, based on a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, said selecting comprises selecting the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G based also on a priority ordering of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G. In some embodiments, said selecting comprises selecting the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G based also on, for each of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a delay status report 26 is pending, whether the same delay information 28 has been previously reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G as is to be included in the message 30. In other embodiments, said selecting alternatively or additionally comprises selecting the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G based also on, for each of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a delay status report 26 is pending, how long ago the same delay information 28 was been previously reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G as is to be included in the message 30. In some embodiments, said selecting comprises selecting the subset 22S of logical channel groups 18G based also on, for each of the logical channel groups 18G for which a delay status report 26 is pending, whether or not a certain logical channel 18 is included in that logical channel group 18G.

[0087] In some embodiments, the message 30 includes, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, a subset 28S of delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, the delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G comprises delay information 28 for each respective reporting time threshold 32 in a configured set 32C of multiple reporting time thresholds 32 configured for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, the subset 28S of delay information 28 included in the message 30 for that logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G comprises delay information 28 for each respective reporting time threshold 32 in a reported set 32R of reporting time thresholds 32, wherein the reported set 32R is a subset of the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, the delay information 28 for a reporting time threshold 32 configured for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G includes remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold 32. In other embodiments, the delay information 28 for a reporting time threshold 32 configured for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G alternatively or additionally includes buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold 32. In some embodiments, the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold 32 includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold 32 and a minimum possible discard timer value. In other embodiments, the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold 32 includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold 32 and a maximum possible discard timer value. In other embodiments, the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold 32 includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold 32 and another reporting time threshold 32 in the reported set 32R, with no other reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R having a value between the reporting time threshold 32 and the another reporting time threshold 32. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a contiguous subset of the configured set 32C, with no reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R and a largest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds 32 that have the smallest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C, with no reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a smaller value than a largest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds 32 that have the largest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C, with no reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a larger value than a smallest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a non-contiguous subset of the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C, with at least one reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R and a largest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C define multiple configured ranges of possible discard timer values. In some embodiments, the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the reported set 32R define multiple reported ranges of possible discard timer values. In some embodiments, one or more of the reported ranges each spans multiple configured ranges and / or comprises an effective merging of multiple configured ranges. In some embodiments, a first shortest remaining value falls within a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold 32-1 in the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, the first shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a first portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the first portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the first configured range defined by the first reporting time threshold 32-1. In some embodiments, a second shortest remaining value falls within a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold 32-2 in the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, the second shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a second portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the second portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the second configured range defined by the second reporting time threshold 32-2. In some embodiments, a third reported range defined by a third reporting time threshold 32-3 in the reported set 32R spans the first and second configured ranges. In some embodiments, the delay information 28 included in the message 30 for the third reporting time threshold 32-3 comprises a third shortest remaining value that falls within the third reported range. In some embodiments, the third shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a third portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the third portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the third reported range. In some embodiments, a difference between the first and second shortest remaining values is less than a threshold. In some embodiments, the third shortest remaining value is a shortest one of the first and second shortest remaining values. In some embodiments, a first portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G and that have a running discard timer with a value in a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold 32-1 in the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, a second portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G and that have a running discard timer with a value in a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold 32-2 in the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, the first reporting time threshold 32-1 is included in the reported set 32R based on a total amount of data included in the first portion of data packets being greater than a reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold 32-1 differing from the second reporting time threshold 32-2 by greater than a reporting time difference threshold. In some embodiments, the second reporting time threshold 32-2 is excluded from the reported set 32R based on a total amount of data included in the second portion of data packets being less than the reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold 32-1 differing from the second reporting time threshold 32-2 by greater than a reporting time difference threshold. In some embodiments, each of the reporting time thresholds 32 included in the reported set 32R corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 and that have not triggered a previous delay status report 26. In other embodiments, alternatively or additionally, each of one or more of the reporting time thresholds 32 excluded from the reported set 32R corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 and that have already triggered a previous delay status report 26. In some embodiments, the message 30 includes delay information 28 for as many of the reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C as can be accommodated in the message 30, given a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, the method further comprises selecting the reporting time thresholds 32 to be included in the reported set 32R, based on a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, said selecting comprises selecting the reported set 32R based also on respective values of the reporting time thresholds 32.

[0088] In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining that a condition is met for generating the message 30 to include delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending, and based on determining that the condition is met, generating the message 30 to include delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a maximum size of the message 30 would be exceeded by generating the message 30 to include delay information 28 for all of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a size of the message 30 would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message 30 to include delay information 28 for all of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending. In some embodiments, the condition is met when it is determined that reporting delay information 28 for one or more of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending is not needed.

[0089] In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining that a condition is met for generating the message 30 (Block 730) to include, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, a subset 28S of delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the method further comprises based on determining that the condition is met, generating the message 30 (Block 740) to include, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, a subset 28S of delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a maximum size of the message 30 would be exceeded by generating the message 30 to include, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, all delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a size of the message 30 would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message 30 to include, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, all delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the condition is met when it is determined that, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, reporting all delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G is not needed.

[0090] In some embodiments, the method further comprises buffering data packets at the communication device 12 for one or more logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G (Block 750), and triggering delay status reports 26 for one or more logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G (Block 760).

[0091] In some embodiments, the method further comprises generating the message 30 (Block 770).

[0092] In some embodiments, delay information 28 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G includes a pair of remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G, and buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G.

[0093] Figure 8 depicts a method performed by a network node 14 in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method includes receiving, from a communication device 12, a message 30 (Block 800) that includes delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending (Block 810). In other embodiments, method comprises receiving, from a communication device 12, a message 30 that alternatively or additionally includes for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, a subset 28S of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G (Block 820).

[0094] In some embodiments, the message 30 includes delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have pending delay status reports 26. In some embodiments, the message 30 includes delay information 28 for as many of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 pending as can be accommodated in the message 30, given a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which delay information 28 is included in the message 30 is selected based on a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G is selected based also on a priority ordering of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G. In some embodiments, the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G is selected based also on, for each of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a delay status report 26 is pending whether the same delay information 28 has been previously reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G as is to be included in the message 30. In some embodiments, the subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G is selected alternatively or additionally based also on, for each of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G for which a delay status report 26 is pending how long ago the same delay information 28 was been previously reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G as is to be included in the message 30. In some embodiments, the subset 22S of logical channel groups 18G is selected based also on, for each of the logical channel groups 18G for which a delay status report 26 is pending, whether or not a certain logical channel 18 is included in that logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the message 30 includes, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, a subset 28S of delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, the delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G comprises delay information 28 for each respective reporting time threshold 32 in a configured set 32C of multiple reporting time thresholds 32 configured for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, the subset 28S of delay information 28 included in the message 30 for that logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G comprises delay information 28 for each respective reporting time threshold 32 in a reported set 32R of reporting time thresholds 32. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a subset of the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, the delay information 28 for a reporting time threshold 32 configured for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G includes remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold 32. In other embodiments, the delay information 28 for a reporting time threshold 32 configured for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G alternatively or additionally includes buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold 32. In some embodiments, the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold 32 includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold 32 and a minimum possible discard timer value. In other embodiments, the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold 32 includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold 32 and a maximum possible discard timer value. In other embodiments, the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold 32 includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold 32 and another reporting time threshold 32 in the reported set 32R, with no other reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R having a value between the reporting time threshold 32 and the another reporting time threshold 32. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a contiguous subset of the configured set 32C, with no reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R and a largest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds 32 that have the smallest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C, with no reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a smaller value than a largest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds 32 that have the largest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C, with no reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a larger value than a smallest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is a non-contiguous subset of the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C, with at least one reporting time threshold 32 excluded from the reported set 32R having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R and a largest reporting time threshold 32 included in the reported set 32R. In some embodiments, the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C define multiple configured ranges of possible discard timer values. In some embodiments, the multiple reporting time thresholds 32 in the reported set 32R define multiple reported ranges of possible discard timer values. In some embodiments, one or more of the reported ranges each spans multiple configured ranges and / or comprises an effective merging of multiple configured ranges. In some embodiments, a first shortest remaining value falls within a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold 32-1 in the configured set 32C, wherein the first shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a first portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G, wherein the first portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the first configured range defined by the first reporting time threshold 32-1. In some embodiments, a second shortest remaining value falls within a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold 32-2 in the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, the second shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a second portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G, wherein the second portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the second configured range defined by the second reporting time threshold 32-2. In some embodiments, a third reported range defined by a third reporting time threshold 32-3 in the reported set 32R spans the first and second configured ranges. In some embodiments, the delay information 28 included in the message 30 for the third reporting time threshold 32-3 comprises a third shortest remaining value that falls within the third reported range, wherein the third shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a third portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the third portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the third reported range. In some embodiments, a difference between the first and second shortest remaining values is less than a threshold. In some embodiments, the third shortest remaining value is a shortest one of the first and second shortest remaining values. In some embodiments, a first portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G and that have a running discard timer with a value in a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold 32-1 in the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, a second portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G and that have a running discard timer with a value in a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold 32-2 in the configured set 32C. In some embodiments, wherein the first reporting time threshold 32-1 is included in the reported set 32R based on a total amount of data included in the first portion of data packets being greater than a reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold 32-1 differing from the second reporting time threshold 32-2 by greater than a reporting time difference threshold. In some embodiments, wherein the second reporting time threshold 32-2 is excluded from the reported set 32R based on a total amount of data included in the second portion of data packets being less than the reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold 32-1 differing from the second reporting time threshold 32-2 by greater than a reporting time difference threshold. In some embodiments, each of the reporting time thresholds 32 included in the reported set 32R corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 and that have not triggered a previous delay status report 26. In other embodiments, alternatively or additionally, each of one or more of the reporting time thresholds 32 excluded from the reported set 32R corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 and that have already triggered a previous delay status report 26. In some embodiments, the message 30 includes delay information 28 for as many of the reporting time thresholds 32 in the configured set 32C as can be accommodated in the message 30, given a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, the reporting time thresholds 32 are included in the reported set 32R based on a maximum size of the message 30 and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message 30. In some embodiments, the reported set 32R is selected based also on respective values of the reporting time thresholds 32.

[0095] In some embodiments, the message 30 is received based on a condition being met for the message 30 to include delay information 28 for a subset 22S of logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a maximum size of the message 30 would be exceeded by generating the message 30 to include delay information 28 for all of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a size of the message 30 would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message 30 to include delay information 28 for all of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending. In some embodiments, the condition is met when reporting delay information for one or more of the logical channels 18 or logical channel groups 18G which have delay status reports 26 that are pending is not needed.

[0096] In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving the message 30 when a condition is met for the message 30 to include, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, a subset 28S of delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a maximum size of the message 30 would be exceeded by generating the message 30 to include, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, all delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the condition is met when a size of the message 30 would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message 30 to include, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, all delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G. In some embodiments, the condition is met when, for at least one logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G which has a delay status report 26 pending, reporting all delay information 28 configured to be reported for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G is not needed.

[0097] In some embodiments, the data packets are PDCP SDlls, and wherein a running discard timer is a running PDCP discard timer.

[0098] In some embodiments, delay information 28 for a logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G includes a pair of remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G, and buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device 12 for the logical channel 18 or logical channel group 18G.

[0099] In some embodiments, the method further comprises scheduling transmission from the communication device 12 based on the received message 30 (Block 830).

[0100] Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatuses. Embodiments herein for instance include a communication device 12 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12.

[0101] Embodiments also include a communication device 12 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the communication device 12.

[0102] Embodiments further include a communication device 12 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12. In some embodiments, the communication device 12 further comprises communication circuitry.

[0103] Embodiments further include a communication device 12 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the communication device 12 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12.

[0104] Embodiments moreover include a user equipment (UE). The UE comprises an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals. The UE also comprises radio frontend circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12. In some embodiments, the UE also comprises an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may comprise an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may also comprise a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

[0105] Embodiments herein also include a network node 14 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 14.

[0106] Embodiments also include a network node 14 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 14. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the network node 14. Embodiments further include a network node 14 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 14. In some embodiments, the network node 14 further comprises communication circuitry.

[0107] Embodiments further include a network node 14 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node 14 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 14.

[0108] More particularly, the apparatuses described above may perform the methods herein and any other processing by implementing any functional means, modules, units, or circuitry. In one embodiment, for example, the apparatuses comprise respective circuits or circuitry configured to perform the steps shown in the method figures. The circuits or circuitry in this regard may comprise circuits dedicated to performing certain functional processing and / or one or more microprocessors in conjunction with memory. For instance, the circuitry may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory may include program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and / or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments. In embodiments that employ memory, the memory stores program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, carries out the techniques described herein.

[0109] Figure 9 for example illustrates a communication device 12 as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the communication device 12includes processing circuitry 910 and communication circuitry 920. The communication circuitry 920 (e.g., radio circuitry) is configured to transmit and / or receive information to and / or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. Such communication may occur via one or more antennas that are either internal or external to the communication device 900. The processing circuitry 910 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in Figure 7, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 930. The processing circuitry 910 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

[0110] Figure 10 illustrates a network node 14 as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the network node 14 includes processing circuitry 1010 and communication circuitry 1020. The communication circuitry 1020 is configured to transmit and / or receive information to and / or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. The processing circuitry 1010 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in Figure 8, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 1030. The processing circuitry 1010 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

[0111] Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that embodiments herein further include corresponding computer programs.

[0112] A computer program comprises instructions which, when executed on at least one processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to carry out any of the respective processing described above. A computer program in this regard may comprise one or more code modules corresponding to the means or units described above.

[0113] Embodiments further include a carrier containing such a computer program. This carrier may comprise one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

[0114] In this regard, embodiments herein also include a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable (storage or recording) medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform as described above.

[0115] Embodiments further include a computer program product comprising program code portions for performing the steps of any of the embodiments herein when the computer program product is executed by a computing device. This computer program product may be stored on a computer readable recording medium.

[0116] Figure 11 shows an example of a communication system 1100 in accordance with some embodiments.

[0117] In the example, the communication system 1100 includes a telecommunication network 1102 that includes an access network 1104, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 1106, which includes one or more core network nodes 1108. The access network 1104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 1110a and 1110b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 1110), or any other similar 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP access points. Moreover, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a network node is not necessarily limited to an implementation in which a radio portion and a baseband portion are supplied and integrated by a single vendor. Thus, it will be understood that network nodes include disaggregated implementations or portions thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the telecommunication network 1102 includes one or more Open-RAN (ORAN) network nodes. An ORAN network node is a node in the telecommunication network 1102 that supports an ORAN specification (e.g., a specification published by the O-RAN Alliance, or any similar organization) and may operate alone or together with other nodes to implement one or more functionalities of any node in the telecommunication network 1102, including one or more network nodes 1110 and / or core network nodes 1108.

[0118] Examples of an ORAN network node include an open radio unit (0-Rll), an open distributed unit (0-Dll), an open central unit (O-CU), including an O-CU control plane (O- CLI-CP) or an O-CU user plane (O-CU-UP), a RAN intelligent controller (near-real time or non-real time) hosting software or software plug-ins, such as a near-real time control application (e.g., xApp) or a non-real time control application (e.g., rApp), or any combination thereof (the adjective “open” designating support of an ORAN specification). The network node may support a specification by, for example, supporting an interface defined by the ORAN specification, such as an A1, F1, W1, E1 , E2, X2, Xn interface, an open fronthaul user plane interface, or an open fronthaul management plane interface. Moreover, an ORAN access node may be a logical node in a physical node. Furthermore, an ORAN network node may be implemented in a virtualization environment (described further below) in which one or more network functions are virtualized. For example, the virtualization environment may include an O-Cloud computing platform orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an 0-2 interface defined by the O-RAN Alliance or comparable technologies. The network nodes 1110 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 1112a, 1112b, 1112c, and 1112d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as U Es 1112) to the core network 1106 over one or more wireless connections.

[0119] 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 1100 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 1100 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0120] The UEs 1112 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 1110 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 1110 are arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 1112 and / or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 1102 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 1102.

[0121] In the depicted example, the core network 1106 connects the network nodes 1110 to one or more host computing systems, such as host 1116. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 1106 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 1108) 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 1108. 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 (ALISF), 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).

[0122] The host 1116 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 1104 and / or the telecommunication network 1102. The host 1116 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.

[0123] As a whole, the communication system 1100 of Figure 11 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.

[0124] In some examples, the telecommunication network 1102 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 1102 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 1102. For example, the telecommunications network 1102 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.

[0125] In some examples, the UEs 1112 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 1104 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 1104. 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).

[0126] In the example, the hub 1114 communicates with the access network 1104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 1112c and / or 1112d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 1110b). In some examples, the hub 1114 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 1114 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 1106 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 1114 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 1110, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 1114. As another example, the hub 1114 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 1114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR device, display, loudspeaker, or other media delivery device, the hub 1114 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 1114 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 1114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

[0127] The hub 1114 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 1110b. The hub 1114 may also allow for a different communication scheme and / or schedule between the hub 1114 and UEs (e.g., UE 1112c and / or 1112d), and between the hub 1114 and the core network 1106. In other examples, the hub 1114 is connected to the core network 1106 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection.

[0128] Moreover, the hub 1114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 1104 and / or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 1110 while still connected via the hub 1114 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 1114 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 1110b. In other embodiments, the hub 1114 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 1110b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0129] Figure 12 shows a UE 1200 in accordance with some embodiments. The UE 1200 presents additional details of some embodiments of the UE 1112 of Figure 1. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage / playback device, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), an Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR) device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle, vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded / integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB- loT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

[0130] A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle- to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0131] The UE 1200 includes processing circuitry 1202 that is operatively coupled via a bus 1204 to an input / output interface 1206, a power source 1208, a memory 1210, a communication interface 1212, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 12. 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.

[0132] The processing circuitry 1202 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 1210. The processing circuitry 1202 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 1202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0133] In the example, the input / output interface 1206 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 1200. 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.

[0134] In some embodiments, the power source 1208 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 1208 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 1208 itself, and / or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 1200 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 1208. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 1208 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 1200 to which power is supplied. The memory 1210 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 1210 includes one or more application programs 1214, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 1216. The memory 1210 may store, for use by the UE 1200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0135] The memory 1210 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 (eUlCC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 1210 may allow the UE 1200 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 1210, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

[0136] The processing circuitry 1202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 1212. The communication interface 1212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 1222. The communication interface 1212 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 1218 and / or a receiver 1220 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 1218 and receiver 1220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 1222) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0137] In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 1212 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol / internet protocol (TCP / IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

[0138] Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 1212, 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).

[0139] 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.

[0140] 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 smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, a flood / moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an 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 1200 shown in Figure 12.

[0141] 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 3GPP NB-loT 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.

[0142] 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.

[0143] Figure 13 shows a network node 1300 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)), O-RAN nodes or components of an O-RAN node (e.g., O-RU, O-DU, O-CU).

[0144] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units, distributed units (e.g., in an O- RAN access node) and / or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may 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). 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).

[0145] The network node 1300 includes a processing circuitry 1302, a memory 1304, a communication interface 1306, and a power source 1308. The network node 1300 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 1300 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 1300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 1304 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 1310 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 1300 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1300, 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 1300.

[0146] The processing circuitry 1302 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 1300 components, such as the memory 1304, to provide network node 1300 functionality.

[0147] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1302 includes a system on a chip (SOO). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1302 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1312 and baseband processing circuitry 1314. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1312 and the baseband processing circuitry 1314 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 1312 and baseband processing circuitry 1314 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

[0148] The memory 1304 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 1302. The memory 1304 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 1302 and utilized by the network node 1300. The memory 1304 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 1302 and / or any data received via the communication interface 1306. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1302 and memory 1304 is integrated.

[0149] The communication interface 1306 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 1306 comprises port(s) / terminal(s) 1316 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 1306 also includes radio front-end circuitry 1318 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 1310. Radio front-end circuitry 1318 comprises filters 1320 and amplifiers 1322. The radio front-end circuitry 1318 may be connected to an antenna 1310 and processing circuitry 1302. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1310 and processing circuitry 1302. The radio front-end circuitry 1318 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 1318 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1320 and / or amplifiers 1322. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 1310. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 1310 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 1318. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 1302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0150] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 1300 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 1318, instead, the processing circuitry 1302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 1310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 1312 is part of the communication interface 1306. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 1306 includes one or more ports or terminals 1316, the radio front-end circuitry 1318, and the RF transceiver circuitry 1312, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 1306 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 1314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0151] The antenna 1310 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. The antenna 1310 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 1318 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and / or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 1310 is separate from the network node 1300 and connectable to the network node 1300 through an interface or port.

[0152] The antenna 1310, communication interface 1306, and / or the processing circuitry 1302 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 1310, the communication interface 1306, and / or the processing circuitry 1302 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and / or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment.

[0153] The power source 1308 provides power to the various components of network node 1300 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 1308 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 1300 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 1300 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 1308. As a further example, the power source 1308 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.

[0154] Embodiments of the network node 1300 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 13 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 1300 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 1300 and to allow output of information from the network node 1300. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 1300. In some embodiments providing a core network node, such as core network node 108 of FIG. 11, some components, such as the radio front-end circuitry 1318 and the RF transceiver circuitry 1312 may be omitted.

[0155] Figure 14 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1400 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 1400 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized. In some embodiments, the virtualization environment 1400 includes components defined by the O-RAN Alliance, such as an O-Cloud environment orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an O-2 interface. Virtualization may facilitate distributed implementations of a network node, UE, core network node, or host.

[0156] Applications 1402 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0157] Hardware 1404 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 1406 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 1408a and 1408b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 1408), and / or perform any of the functions, features and / or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 1406 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 1408.

[0158] The VMs 1408 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1406. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 1402 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 1408, 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.

[0159] In the context of NFV, a VM 1408 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 1408, and that part of hardware 1404 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 1408 on top of the hardware 1404 and corresponds to the application 1402.

[0160] Hardware 1404 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 1404 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1404 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 1410, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1402. In some embodiments, hardware 1404 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 1412 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0161] Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and / or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0162] 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.

[0163] Some embodiments may be enumerated as follows.

[0164] Group A Embodiments

[0165] A1. A method performed by a communication device, the method comprising: transmitting a message that includes: delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0166] A2. The method of embodiment A1 , wherein the message includes delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have pending delay status reports.

[0167] A3. The method of embodiment A2, wherein the message includes delay information for as many of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports pending as can be accommodated in the message, given a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0168] A4. The method of any of embodiments A2-A3, further comprising selecting the subset of logical channels or logical channel groups for which to include delay information in the message, based on a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0169] A5. The method of embodiment A4, wherein said selecting comprises selecting the subset of logical channels or logical channel groups based also on a priority ordering of the logical channels or logical channel groups.

[0170] A6. The method of any of embodiments A4-A5, wherein said selecting comprises selecting the subset of logical channels or logical channel groups based also on, for each of the logical channels or logical channel groups for which a delay status report is pending: whether the same delay information has been previously reported for the logical channel or logical channel group as is to be included in the message; and / or how long ago the same delay information was been previously reported for the logical channel or logical channel group as is to be included in the message.

[0171] A7. The method of any of embodiments A4-A6, wherein said selecting comprises selecting the subset of logical channel groups based also on, for each of the logical channel groups for which a delay status report is pending, whether or not a certain logical channel is included in that logical channel group.

[0172] A8. The method of any of embodiments A1-A7, wherein the message includes, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0173] A9. The method of embodiment A8, wherein, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, the delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group comprises delay information for each respective reporting time threshold in a configured set of multiple reporting time thresholds configured for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0174] A10. The method of embodiment A9, wherein, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, the subset of delay information included in the message for that logical channel or logical channel group comprises delay information for each respective reporting time threshold in a reported set of reporting time thresholds, wherein the reported set is a subset of the configured set.

[0175] A11. The method of embodiment A10, wherein the delay information for a reporting time threshold configured for a logical channel or logical channel group includes: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold; and / or buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold.

[0176] A12. The method of embodiment A11 , wherein the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold and either: a minimum possible discard timer value; a maximum possible discard timer value; or another reporting time threshold in the reported set, with no other reporting time threshold included in the reported set having a value between the reporting time threshold and the another reporting time threshold.

[0177] A13. The method of any of embodiments A10-A12, wherein the reported set is a contiguous subset of the configured set, with no reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold included in the reported set and a largest reporting time threshold included in the reported set.

[0178] A14. The method of embodiment A13, wherein the reported set is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds that have the smallest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set, with no reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a smaller value than a largest reporting time threshold included in the reported set. A15. The method of embodiment A13, wherein the reported set is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds that have the largest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set, with no reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a larger value than a smallest reporting time threshold included in the reported set.

[0179] A16. The method of any of embodiments A10-A12, wherein the reported set is a noncontiguous subset of the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set, with at least one reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold included in the reported set and a largest reporting time threshold included in the reported set.

[0180] A17. The method of embodiment A16, wherein the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set define multiple configured ranges of possible discard timer values, wherein the multiple reporting time thresholds in the reported set define multiple reported ranges of possible discard timer values, wherein one or more of the reported ranges each spans multiple configured ranges and / or comprises an effective merging of multiple configured ranges.

[0181] A18. The method of embodiment A17, wherein: a first shortest remaining value falls within a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold in the configured set, wherein the first shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a first portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the first portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the first configured range defined by the first reporting time threshold; a second shortest remaining value falls within a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold in the configured set, wherein the second shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a second portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the second portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the second configured range defined by the second reporting time threshold; wherein a third reported range defined by a third reporting time threshold in the reported set spans the first and second configured ranges, wherein the delay information included in the message for the third reporting time threshold comprises a third shortest remaining value that falls within the third reported range, wherein the third shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a third portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the third portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the third reported range.

[0182] A19. The method of embodiment A18, wherein a difference between the first and second shortest remaining values is less than a threshold.

[0183] A20. The method of any of embodiments A18-A19, wherein the third shortest remaining value is a shortest one of the first and second shortest remaining values.

[0184] A21. The method of any of embodiments A10-A20, wherein a first portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group and that have a running discard timer with a value in a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold in the configured set; a second portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group and that have a running discard timer with a value in a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold in the configured set; wherein the first reporting time threshold is included in the reported set based on a total amount of data included in the first portion of data packets being greater than a reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold differing from the second reporting time threshold by greater than a reporting time difference threshold; wherein the second reporting time threshold is excluded from the reported set based on a total amount of data included in the second portion of data packets being less than the reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold differing from the second reporting time threshold by greater than a reporting time difference threshold.

[0185] A22. The method of any of embodiments A10-A21 , wherein: each of the reporting time thresholds included in the reported set corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device and that have not triggered a previous delay status report; and / or each of one or more of the reporting time thresholds excluded from the reported set corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device and that have already triggered a previous delay status report.

[0186] A23. The method of any of embodiments A10-A22, wherein the message includes delay information for as many of the reporting time thresholds in the configured set as can be accommodated in the message, given a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0187] A24. The method of any of embodiments A10-A23, further comprising selecting the reporting time thresholds to be included in the reported set, based on a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0188] A25. The method of embodiment A24, wherein said selecting comprises selecting the reported set based also on respective values of the reporting time thresholds.

[0189] A26. The method of any of embodiments A1-A25, further comprising: determining that a condition is met for generating the message to include delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending; and based on determining that the condition is met, generating the message to include delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending.

[0190] A27. The method of embodiment A26, wherein the condition is met when a maximum size of the message would be exceeded by generating the message to include delay information for all of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending.

[0191] A28. The method of embodiment A26, wherein the condition is met when a size of the message would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message to include delay information for all of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending. A29. The method of embodiment A26, wherein the condition is met when it is determined that reporting delay information for one or more of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending is not needed.

[0192] A30. The method of any of embodiments A1-A25, further comprising: determining that a condition is met for generating the message to include, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group; and based on determining that the condition is met, generating the message to include, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0193] A31. The method of embodiment A30, wherein the condition is met when a maximum size of the message would be exceeded by generating the message to include, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, all delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0194] A32. The method of embodiment A30, wherein the condition is met when a size of the message would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message to include, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, all delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0195] A33. The method of embodiment A30, wherein the condition is met when it is determined that, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, reporting all delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group is not needed.

[0196] A34. The method of any of embodiments A1-A33, further comprising: buffering data packets at the communication device for one or more logical channels or logical channel groups; and triggering delay status reports for one or more logical channels or logical channel groups.

[0197] A35. The method of any of embodiments A1-A34, further comprising generating the message.

[0198] A36. The method of embodiment A11 , wherein the data packets are PDCP SDlls, and wherein a running discard timer is a running PDCP discard timer.

[0199] A37. The method of any of embodiments A1-A36, wherein delay information for a logical channel or logical channel group includes one or more pairs of: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group; and buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0200] A38. The method of any of embodiments A1-A37, wherein the message is, or includes, a delay status report, DSR, Medium Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE.

[0201] Group B Embodiments

[0202] B1. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a message that includes: delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0203] B2. The method of embodiment B1 , wherein the message includes delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have pending delay status reports.

[0204] B3. The method of embodiment B2, wherein the message includes delay information for as many of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports pending as can be accommodated in the message, given a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0205] B4. The method of any of embodiments B2-B3, wherein the subset of logical channels or logical channel groups for which delay information is included in the message is selected based on a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0206] B5. The method of embodiment B4, wherein the subset of logical channels or logical channel groups is selected based also on a priority ordering of the logical channels or logical channel groups.

[0207] B6. The method of any of embodiments B4-B5, wherein the subset of logical channels or logical channel groups is selected based also on, for each of the logical channels or logical channel groups for which a delay status report is pending: whether the same delay information has been previously reported for the logical channel or logical channel group as is to be included in the message; and / or how long ago the same delay information was been previously reported for the logical channel or logical channel group as is to be included in the message.

[0208] B7. The method of any of embodiments B4-B6, wherein the subset of logical channel groups is selected based also on, for each of the logical channel groups for which a delay status report is pending, whether or not a certain logical channel is included in that logical channel group.

[0209] B8. The method of any of embodiments B1-B7, wherein the message includes, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0210] B9. The method of embodiment B8, wherein, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, the delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group comprises delay information for each respective reporting time threshold in a configured set of multiple reporting time thresholds configured for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0211] B10. The method of embodiment B9, wherein, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, the subset of delay information included in the message for that logical channel or logical channel group comprises delay information for each respective reporting time threshold in a reported set of reporting time thresholds, wherein the reported set is a subset of the configured set. B11. The method of embodiment B10, wherein the delay information for a reporting time threshold configured for a logical channel or logical channel group includes: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold; and / or buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold.

[0212] B12. The method of embodiment B11 , wherein the range of possible discard timer values defined by a reporting time threshold includes possible discard timer values between the reporting time threshold and either: a minimum possible discard timer value; a maximum possible discard timer value; or another reporting time threshold in the reported set, with no other reporting time threshold included in the reported set having a value between the reporting time threshold and the another reporting time threshold.

[0213] B13. The method of any of embodiments B10-B12, wherein the reported set is a contiguous subset of the configured set, with no reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold included in the reported set and a largest reporting time threshold included in the reported set.

[0214] B14. The method of embodiment B13, wherein the reported set is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds that have the smallest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set, with no reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a smaller value than a largest reporting time threshold included in the reported set.

[0215] B15. The method of embodiment B13, wherein the reported set is a contiguous subset of reporting time thresholds that have the largest values among the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set, with no reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a larger value than a smallest reporting time threshold included in the reported set.

[0216] B16. The method of any of embodiments B10-B12, wherein the reported set is a noncontiguous subset of the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set, with at least one reporting time threshold excluded from the reported set having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold included in the reported set and a largest reporting time threshold included in the reported set.

[0217] B17. The method of embodiment B16, wherein the multiple reporting time thresholds in the configured set define multiple configured ranges of possible discard timer values, wherein the multiple reporting time thresholds in the reported set define multiple reported ranges of possible discard timer values, wherein one or more of the reported ranges each spans multiple configured ranges and / or comprises an effective merging of multiple configured ranges.

[0218] B18. The method of embodiment B17, wherein: a first shortest remaining value falls within a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold in the configured set, wherein the first shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a first portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the first portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the first configured range defined by the first reporting time threshold; a second shortest remaining value falls within a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold in the configured set, wherein the second shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a second portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the second portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the second configured range defined by the second reporting time threshold; wherein a third reported range defined by a third reporting time threshold in the reported set spans the first and second configured ranges, wherein the delay information included in the message for the third reporting time threshold comprises a third shortest remaining value that falls within the third reported range, wherein the third shortest remaining value is a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a third portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group, wherein the third portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in the third reported range.

[0219] B19. The method of embodiment B18, wherein a difference between the first and second shortest remaining values is less than a threshold.

[0220] B20. The method of any of embodiments B18-B19, wherein the third shortest remaining value is a shortest one of the first and second shortest remaining values.

[0221] B21. The method of any of embodiments B10-B20, wherein a first portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group and that have a running discard timer with a value in a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold in the configured set; a second portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for a logical channel or logical channel group and that have a running discard timer with a value in a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold in the configured set; wherein the first reporting time threshold is included in the reported set based on a total amount of data included in the first portion of data packets being greater than a reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold differing from the second reporting time threshold by greater than a reporting time difference threshold; wherein the second reporting time threshold is excluded from the reported set based on a total amount of data included in the second portion of data packets being less than the reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold differing from the second reporting time threshold by greater than a reporting time difference threshold.

[0222] B22. The method of any of embodiments B10-B21, wherein: each of the reporting time thresholds included in the reported set corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device and that have not triggered a previous delay status report; and / or each of one or more of the reporting time thresholds excluded from the reported set corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device and that have already triggered a previous delay status report.

[0223] B23. The method of any of embodiments B10-B22, wherein the message includes delay information for as many of the reporting time thresholds in the configured set as can be accommodated in the message, given a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0224] B24. The method of any of embodiments B10-B23, wherein the reporting time thresholds are included in the reported set based on a maximum size of the message and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message.

[0225] B25. The method of embodiment B24, wherein the reported set is selected based also on respective values of the reporting time thresholds.

[0226] B26. The method of any of embodiments B1-B25, wherein the message is received based on a condition being met for the message to include delay information for a subset of logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending.

[0227] B27. The method of embodiment B26, wherein the condition is met when a maximum size of the message would be exceeded by generating the message to include delay information for all of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending.

[0228] B28. The method of embodiment B26, wherein the condition is met when a size of the message would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message to include delay information for all of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending.

[0229] B29. The method of embodiment B26, wherein the condition is met when reporting delay information for one or more of the logical channels or logical channel groups which have delay status reports that are pending is not needed.

[0230] B30. The method of any of embodiments B1-B25, further comprising receiving the message when a condition is met for the message to include, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, a subset of delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group. B31. The method of embodiment B30, wherein the condition is met when a maximum size of the message would be exceeded by generating the message to include, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, all delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0231] B32. The method of embodiment B30, wherein the condition is met when a size of the message would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message to include, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, all delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0232] B33. The method of embodiment B30, wherein the condition is met when, for at least one logical channel or logical channel group which has a delay status report pending, reporting all delay information configured to be reported for the logical channel or logical channel group is not needed.

[0233] B34. The method of embodiment B11, wherein the data packets are PDCP SDlls, and wherein a running discard timer is a running PDCP discard timer.

[0234] B35. The method of any of embodiments B1-B34, wherein delay information for a logical channel or logical channel group includes a pair of: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group; and buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device for the logical channel or logical channel group.

[0235] B36. The method of any of embodiments B1-B35, further comprising scheduling transmission from the communication device based on the received message.

[0236] B37. The method of any of embodiments B1-B36, wherein the message is, or includes, a delay status report, DSR, Medium Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE.

[0237] Group C Embodiments

[0238] C1. A communication device configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0239] C2. A communication device comprising processing circuitry configured to any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0240] 03. A communication device comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0241] 04. A communication device comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the communication device.

[0242] 05. A communication device comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the communication device is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0243] 06. The communication device of any of embodiments 01-05, wherein the communication device is a wireless communication device.

[0244] 07. A user equipment (UE) comprising: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE. C8. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a communication device, causes the communication device to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0245] 09. A carrier containing the computer program of embodiment 07, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

[0246] 010. A network node configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

[0247] 011. A network node comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

[0248] 012. A network node comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

[0249] 013. A network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments; power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the network node.

[0250] 014. A network node comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

[0251] 015. The network node of any of embodiments 010-014, wherein the network node is a base station.

[0252] 016. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a network node, causes the network node to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments. C17. The computer program of embodiment C16, wherein the network node is a base station.

[0253] C18. A carrier containing the computer program of any of embodiments C16-C17, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method performed by a communication device (12), the method comprising: transmitting a message (30) that includes: delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message (30) includes delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have pending delay status reports (26).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message (30) includes delay information (28) for as many of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) pending as can be accommodated in the message (30), given a maximum size of the message (30) and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message (30).

4. The method of any of claims 2-3, further comprising selecting the subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) for which to include delay information (28) in the message (30), based on a maximum size of the message (30) and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message (30).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said selecting comprises selecting the subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) based also on: a priority ordering of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G); and / or for each of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) for which a delay status report (26) is pending, whether the same delay information (28) has been previously reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) as is to be included in the message (30); and / or for each of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) for which a delay status report (26) is pending, how long ago the same delay information56(28) was been previously reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) as is to be included in the message (30); and / or for each of the logical channel groups (18G) for which a delay status report (26) is pending, whether or not a certain logical channel (18) is included in that logical channel group (18G).

6. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein the message (30) includes, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending: the delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) comprises delay information (28) for each respective reporting time threshold (32) in a configured set (32C) of multiple reporting time thresholds (32) configured for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G); and the subset (28S) of delay information (28) included in the message (30) for that logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) comprises delay information (28) for each respective reporting time threshold (32) in a reported set (32R) of reporting time thresholds (32), wherein the reported set (32R) is a subset of the configured set (32C).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the delay information (28) for a reporting time threshold (32) configured for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) includes: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G), wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold (32); and / or buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G), wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold (32).

579. The method of any of claims 7-8, wherein either: the reported set (32R) is a contiguous subset of the configured set (32C), with no reporting time threshold (32) excluded from the reported set (32R) having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32R) and a largest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32 R); or the reported set (32R) is a non-contiguous subset of the multiple reporting time thresholds (32) in the configured set (32C), with at least one reporting time threshold (32) excluded from the reported set (32R) having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32R) and a largest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32R).

10. The method of any of claims 7-9, wherein: a first portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) and that have a running discard timer with a value in a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold (32-1) in the configured set (32C); a second portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) and that have a running discard timer with a value in a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold (32-2) in the configured set (32C); wherein the first reporting time threshold (32-1) is included in the reported set (32R) based on a total amount of data included in the first portion of data packets being greater than a reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold (32-1) differing from the second reporting time threshold (32-2) by greater than a reporting time difference threshold; wherein the second reporting time threshold (32-2) is excluded from the reported set (32R) based on a total amount of data included in the second portion of data packets being less than the reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold (32-1) differing from the second reporting time threshold (32-2) by greater than a reporting time difference threshold.

11. The method of any of claims 7-10, wherein: each of the reporting time thresholds (32) included in the reported set (32R)58corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) and that have not triggered a previous delay status report (26); and / or each of one or more of the reporting time thresholds (32) excluded from the reported set (32 R) corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) and that have already triggered a previous delay status report (26).

12. The method of any of claims 7-11 , wherein the message (30) includes delay information (28) for as many of the reporting time thresholds (32) in the configured set (32C) as can be accommodated in the message (30), given a maximum size of the message (30) and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message (30).

13. The method of any of claims 7-12, further comprising selecting the reporting time thresholds (32) to be included in the reported set (32R), based on a maximum size of the message (30) and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message (30).

14. The method of any of claims 1-13, further comprising: determining that a condition is met for generating the message (30) to include delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending, wherein the condition is met when: a maximum size of the message (30) would be exceeded by generating the message (30) to include delay information (28) for all of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; or a size of the message (30) would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message (30) to include delay information (28) for all of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; or it is determined that reporting delay information (28) for one or more of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending is not needed; and based on determining that the condition is met, generating the message (30) to include delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are59pending.

15. The method of any of claims 1-13, further comprising: determining that a condition is met for generating the message (30) to include, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G), wherein the condition is met when: a maximum size of the message (30) would be exceeded by generating the message (30) to include, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, all delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G); or a size of the message (30) would exceed a defined threshold by generating the message (30) to include, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, all delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G); or it is determined that, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, reporting all delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) is not needed; and based on determining that the condition is met, generating the message (30) to include, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

16. The method of any of claims 1-15, further comprising: buffering data packets at the communication device (12) for one or more logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G); and triggering delay status reports (26) for one or more logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G).

17. The method of any of claims 1-16, wherein delay information (28) for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) includes one or more pairs of: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running60discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G); and buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

18. A method performed by a network node (14), the method comprising: receiving (800), from a communication device (12), a message (30) that includes: delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the message (30) includes delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have pending delay status reports (26).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the message (30) includes delay information (28) for as many of the logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) pending as can be accommodated in the message (30), given a maximum size of the message (30) and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message (30).21 . The method of any of claims 18-20, wherein the message (30) includes, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein, for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending: the delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) comprises delay information (28) for each respective reporting time threshold (32) in a configured set (32C) of multiplereporting time thresholds (32) configured for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G); and the subset (28S) of delay information (28) included in the message (30) for that logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) comprises delay information (28) for each respective reporting time threshold (32) in a reported set (32R) of reporting time thresholds (32), wherein the reported set (32R) is a subset of the configured set (32C).

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the delay information (28) for a reporting time threshold (32) configured for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) includes: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G), wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold (32); and / or buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G), wherein the portion of data packets have a running discard timer with a value in a range of possible discard timer values defined by the reporting time threshold (32).

24. The method of any of claims 22-23, wherein either: the reported set (32R) is a contiguous subset of the configured set (32C), with no reporting time threshold (32) excluded from the reported set (32R) having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32R) and a largest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32 R); or the reported set (32R) is a non-contiguous subset of the multiple reporting time thresholds (32) in the configured set (32C), with at least one reporting time threshold (32) excluded from the reported set (32R) having a value between a smallest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32R) and a largest reporting time threshold (32) included in the reported set (32R).

25. The method of any of claims 22-24, wherein a first portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group(18G) and that have a running discard timer with a value in a first configured range defined by a first reporting time threshold (32-1) in the configured set (32C); a second portion of data packets is a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) and that have a running discard timer with a value in a second configured range defined by a second reporting time threshold (32-2) in the configured set (32C); wherein the first reporting time threshold (32-1) is included in the reported set (32R) based on a total amount of data included in the first portion of data packets being greater than a reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold (32-1) differing from the second reporting time threshold (32-2) by greater than a reporting time difference threshold; wherein the second reporting time threshold (32-2) is excluded from the reported set (32R) based on a total amount of data included in the second portion of data packets being less than the reporting size threshold and / or based on the first reporting time threshold (32-1) differing from the second reporting time threshold (32-2) by greater than a reporting time difference threshold.

26. The method of any of claims 22-25, wherein: each of the reporting time thresholds (32) included in the reported set (32R) corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) and that have not triggered a previous delay status report (26); and / or each of one or more of the reporting time thresholds (32) excluded from the reported set (32 R) corresponds to a respective portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) and that have already triggered a previous delay status report (26).

27. The method of any of claims 22-26, wherein the message (30) includes delay information (28) for as many of the reporting time thresholds (32) in the configured set (32C) as can be accommodated in the message (30), given a maximum size of the message (30) and / or a number of transmission resources available for transmitting the message (30).

28. The method of any of claims 18-27, wherein delay information (28) for a logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) includes a pair of: remaining time information that indicates a shortest remaining value of a running63discard timer among a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G); and buffer size information that indicates a total amount of data included in a portion of data packets that are buffered at the communication device (12) for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

29. The method of any of claims 18-28, further comprising scheduling transmission from the communication device (12) based on the received message (30).

30. A communication device (12) configured to: transmit a message (30) that includes: delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

31. The communication device (12) of claim 30, configured to perform the method of any of claims 2-17.

32. A network node (14) configured to: receive, from a communication device (12), a message (30) that includes: delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

33. The network node (14) of claim 32, configured to perform the method of any of claims 19-29.

34. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one64processor of a communication device (12), causes the communication device (12) to perform the method of any of claims 1-17.

35. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a network node (14), causes the network node (14) to perform the method of any of claims 18-29.

36. A carrier containing the computer program of any of claims 34-35, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

37. A communication device (12) comprising: communication circuitry (920); and processing circuitry (910) configured to transmit, via the communication circuitry, a message (30) that includes: delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).

38. The communication device (12) of claim 37, the processing circuitry (910) configured to perform the method of any of claims 2-17.

39. A network node (14) comprising: communication circuitry (1020); and processing circuitry (1010) configured to receive, from a communication device (12), via the communication circuitry, a message (30) that includes: delay information (28) for a subset (22S) of logical channels (18) or logical channel groups (18G) which have delay status reports (26) that are pending; and / or for at least one logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G) which has a delay status report (26) pending, a subset (28S) of delay information (28) configured to be reported for the logical channel (18) or logical channel group (18G).6540. The network node (14) of claim 39, the processing circuitry (1010) configured to perform the method of any of claims 19-29.

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