WO2023128857A1

WO2023128857A1 - Measurements procedure in ntn low mobility state

Info

Publication number: WO2023128857A1
Application number: PCT/SE2022/051243
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ming Li; Zhixun Tang
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2021-12-27
Filing date: 2022-12-27
Publication date: 2023-07-06

Abstract

A method performed by a wireless device is presented. The wireless device is operating in idle/inactive mode with a serving carrier served by a non-terrestrial network node and one or more additional carriers. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configurations (SMTCs) for the one or more additional carriers. The method further comprises determining a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers. The method further comprises applying a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

Description

MEASUREMENTS PROCEDURE IN NTN LOW MOBILITY STATE

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to wireless communications and, more particularly, to measurement procedures in low-mobility state in non-terrestrial networks (NTNs).

BACKGROUND

Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features, and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description.

An ongoing resurgence of satellite communications may be used to complement mobile networks on the ground by providing connectivity to underserved areas and multicast/broadcast services. To benefit from the strong mobile ecosystem and economy of scale, adapting terrestrial wireless access technologies, including long term evolution (LTE) and fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR), for satellite networks is drawing significant interest, which is reflected in Third Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) standardization work.

3GPP Release 15 is the first release of the 5G system (5GS). This is a new generation radio access technology intended to serve use cases such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low latency communication (URLLC), and 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 adding needed components for new use cases. One such component is a sophisticated framework for beam forming and beam management to extend the support of the 3 GPP technologies to a frequency range going beyond 6 GHz.

In Release 15, 3GPP started the work to prepare NR for operation in a non-terrestrial network (NTN). The work was performed within the study item “NR to support Non-Terrestrial Networks” and resulted in TR 38.811 In Release 16, the work to prepare NR for operation in an NTN network continued with the study item “Solutions for NR to support Non-Terrestrial Network”. In parallel, the interest to adapt NB-IoT and LTE-M for operation in NTN is growing. As a consequence, 3 GPP Release 17 contains both a work item on NR NTN and a study item on NB-IoT and LTE-M support for NTN.

A satellite radio access network usually includes the following components: a satellite that refers to a space-borne platform; an earth-based gateway that connects the satellite to a base station or a core network, depending on the choice of architecture; a feeder link that refers to the link between a gateway and a satellite; and an access link, or service link, that refers to the link between a satellite and a UE.

Depending on the orbit altitude, a satellite may be categorized as low earth orbit (LEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), or geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite. LEO includes typical heights ranging from 250 - 1,500 km, with orbital periods ranging from 90 - 120 minutes. MEO includes typical heights ranging from 5,000 - 25,000 km, with orbital periods ranging from 3 - 15 hours. GEO includes a height at about 35,786 km, with an orbital period of 24 hours.

Two basic architectures may be distinguished for satellite communication networks, depending on the functionality of the satellites in the system. One architecture is the transparent payload (also referred to as bent pipe architecture). The satellite forwards the received signal between the terminal and the network equipment on the ground with only amplification and a shift from uplink frequency to downlink frequency. When applied to general 3GPP architecture and terminology, the transparent payload architecture means that the gNB is located on the ground and the satellite forwards signals/data between the gNB and the user equipment (UE)

A second architecture is the regenerative payload. The satellite includes on-board processing to demodulate and decode the received signal and regenerate the signal before sending it back to the earth. When applied to general 3 GPP architecture and terminology, the regenerative payload architecture means that the gNB is located in the satellite.

In the work item for NR NTN in 3 GPP release 17, only the transparent payload architecture is considered.

A satellite network or satellite-based mobile network may also be referred to as a non- terrestrial network (NTN). A mobile network with base stations on the ground may be referred to as a terrestrial network (TN) or non-NTN network. A satellite within NTN may be referred to as NTN node, NTN satellite, or simply a satellite.

FIGURE 1 illustrates an example architecture of a satellite network with bent pipe transponders. The gNB may be integrated in the gateway or connected to the gateway via a terrestrial connection (wire, optic fiber, wireless link).

A communication satellite typically generates several beams over a given area. The footprint of a beam is usually in an elliptic shape, which has traditionally been considered as a cell, but cells consisting of the coverage footprint of multiple beams are not excluded in the 3GPP work. The footprint of a beam is also often referred to as a spotbeam. The footprint of a beam may move over the earth’s surface with the satellite movement or may be earth fixed with a beam-pointing mechanism used by the satellite to compensate for the satellite’s motion. The size of a spotbeam depends on the system design, which may range from tens of kilometers to a few thousands of kilometers.

In a LEO or MEO communication system, a large number of satellites deployed over a range of orbits are required to provide continuous coverage across the full globe. Launching a mega satellite constellation is both an expensive and time-consuming procedure. It is therefore expected that all LEO and MEO satellite constellations for some time will only provide partial earth-coverage. In case of some constellations dedicated to massive loT services with relaxed latency requirements, it may not even be necessary to support full earth-coverage. It may be sufficient to provide occasional or periodic coverage according to the orbital period of the constellation.

A 3GPP device in RRC IDLE or RRC INACTIVE state is required to perform a number of procedures including measurements for mobility purposes, paging monitoring, logging measurement results, tracking area update, and search for a new public land mobile network (PLMN), to mention a few. These procedures consume power in devices, and a general trend in 3 GPP has been to allow for relaxation of these procedures to prolong device battery life. This trend has been especially pronounced for loT devices supported by reduced capability (redcap), NB-IoT and LTE-M.

Propagation delay is an important aspect of satellite communications that is different from the delay expected in a terrestrial mobile system. For a bent pipe satellite network, the round-trip delay may, depending on the orbit height, range from tens of ms in the case of LEO satellites to several hundreds of ms for GEO satellites. As a comparison, the round-trip delays in terrestrial cellular networks are typically below 1 ms.

The distance between the UE and a satellite may vary significantly, depending on the position of the satellite and thus the elevation angle a seen by the UE. Assuming circular orbits, the minimum distance is realized when the satellite is directly above the UE (a = 90°), and the maximum distance when the satellite is at the smallest possible elevation angle. Table 1 indicates the distances between satellite and UE for different orbital heights and elevation angles together with the one-way propagation delay and the maximum propagation delay difference (the difference from the propagation delay at a = 90°). Note that this table assumes regenerative payload architecture. For the transparent payload case, the propagation delay between gateway and satellite needs to be considered as well, unless the base station corrects for that.

Table 1 : Propagation delay for different orbital heights and elevation angles.

The propagation delay may also be highly variable due to the high velocity of the LEO and MEO satellites and change in the order of 10-100 ps every second, depending on the orbit altitude and satellite velocity.

The UE performs measurements on one or more downlink and/or uplink reference signal (RS) of one or more cells in different LTE activity states, e.g. RRC idle state, RRC inactive state, RRC connected state, etc. The measured cell may belong to or operate on the same carrier frequency as the serving cell (e.g., intra-frequency carrier) or it may belong to or operate on different carrier frequency as the serving cell (e.g., non-serving carrier frequency). The non-serving carrier may be referred to as an inter-frequency carrier if the serving and measured cells belong to the same radio access technology (RAT) but different carriers. The non-serving carrier may be referred to as an inter-RAT carrier if the serving and measured cells belong to different RATs. Examples of downlink RS are signals in synchronization signal block (SSB), channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), cell-specific reference signals (CRS), demodulation reference signal (DMRS), primary synchronization signal (PSS), secondary synchronization signal (SSS), signals in SS/PBCH block (SSB), discovery reference signal (DRS), PRS etc. Examples of uplink RS are signals in SRS, DMRS etc.

Each SSB carries NR-PSS, NR-SSS and NR-PBCH in 4 successive symbols. One or multiple SSBs are transmitted in one SSB burst which is repeated with a certain periodicity, e.g. 5 ms, 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, 80 ms and 160 ms. The UE is configured with information about SSB on cells of certain carrier frequency by one or more SS/PBCH block measurement timing configuration (SMTC) configurations. The SMTC configuration comprises parameters such as SMTC periodicity, SMTC occasion length in time or duration, SMTC time offset with respect to reference time (e.g., serving cell’s SFN), etc. Therefore, SMTC occasion may also occur with certain periodicity, e.g. 5 ms, 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, 80 ms and 160 ms.

Examples of measurements are cell identification (e.g., PCI acquisition, PSS/SSS detection, cell detection, cell search etc), Reference Symbol Received Power (RSRP), Reference Symbol Received Quality (RSRQ), secondary synchronization RSRP (SS-RSRP), SS-RSRQ, SINR, RS-SINR, SS-SINR, CSI-RSRP, CSI-RSRQ, received signal strength indicator (RSSI), acquisition of system information (SI), cell global ID (CGI) acquisition, Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD), UE RX-TX time difference measurement, Radio Link Monitoring (RLM), which consists of Out of Synchronization (out of sync) detection and In Synchronization (in-sync) detection etc.

A UE is typically configured by the network (e.g., via RRC message) with measurement configuration and measurement reporting configuration, e.g. measurement gap pattern, carrier frequency information, types of measurements (e.g., RSRP, etc.), higher layer filtering coefficient, time to trigger report, reporting mechanism (e.g., periodic, event-triggered reporting, event triggered periodic reporting, etc.), etc.

The measurements are performed for various purposes. Some example measurement purposes include: UE mobility (e.g., cell change, cell selection, cell reselection, handover, RRC connection re-establishment, etc.), UE positioning or location determination self-organizing network (SON), minimization of drive tests (MDT), operation and maintenance (O&M), network planning and optimization, etc.

When the UE is in either Camped Normally state or Camped on Any Cell state on a cell, the UE attempts to detect, synchronize, and monitor intra-frequency, inter-frequency and inter- RAT cells indicated by the serving cell. For intra-frequency and inter-frequency cells, the serving cell may not provide an explicit neighbor list but carrier frequency information and bandwidth information only. UE measurement activity is also controlled by measurement rules defined in TS 38.304, enabling the UE to limit its measurement activity.

In Idle/Inactive mode, a UE will only wake-up limited times to AGC retuning, monitor paging occasions, perform intra-frequency measurements, and inter-frequency measurements as shown in FIGURE 2. FIGURE 2 is an example of UE behavior in Idle mode.

A UE measures the SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ level of the serving cell and evaluates the cell selection criterion S defined in TS 38.304 for the serving cell at least once every M1*N1 DRX cycle; where:

Ml=2 if SMTC periodicity (TSMTC) > 20 ms and DRX cycle < 0.64 second, otherwise Ml=l.

The UE filters the SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ measurements of the serving cell using at least 2 measurements. Within the set of measurements used for the filtering, at least two measurements are spaced by, at least, DRX cycle/2.

If the UE has evaluated according to Table 2 in N_serv consecutive DRX cycles that the serving cell does not fulfill the cell selection criterion S, the UE initiates the measurements of all neighbor cells indicated by the serving cell, regardless of the measurement rules currently limiting UE measurement activities.

If the UE in RRC IDLE has not found any new suitable cell based on searches and measurements using the intra-frequency, inter-frequency and inter-RAT information indicated in the system information for 10 s, the UE initiates cell selection procedures for the selected PLMN as defined in TS 38.304. Table 2: N_serv

A UE is able to identify new intra-frequency cells and perform SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ measurements of the identified intra-frequency cells without an explicit intra-frequency neighbor list containing physical layer cell identities.

The UE is able to evaluate whether a newly detectable intra-frequency cell meets the reselection criteria defined in TS38.304 within Tdetect,NRjntr_awhen that Treselection= 0. An intra frequency cell is considered to be detectable according to the conditions defined in TS38.133 Annex B.1.2 for a corresponding band.

The UE measures SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ at least every T measure, NR Intra (see Table 3) for intra-frequency cells that are identified and measured according to the measurement rules.

The UE filters SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ measurements of each measured intra- frequency cell using at least 2 measurements. Within the set of measurements used for the filtering, at least two measurements are spaced by at least T_measure,NR_intra/2.

The UE does not consider a NR neighbor cell in cell reselection if it is indicated as not allowed in the measurement control system information of the serving cell.

For an intra-frequency cell that has been already detected, but that has not been reselected to, the filtering is such that the UE shall be capable of evaluating that the intra- frequency cell has met reselection criterion defined in TS38.304 within Evaluate, NRjntra when T reseiection = 0 as specified in table 2 provided that: when rangeToBestCell is not configured, the cell is at least 3 dB better ranked in FR1 or 4.5 dB better ranked in FR2. When rangeToBestCell is configured, the cell has the highest number of beams above the threshold absThreshSS- BlocksConsolidation among all detected cells whose cell-ranking criterion R value in TS38.304 is within rangeToBestCell of the cell-ranking criterion R value of the highest ranked cell. If there are multiple such cells, the cell has the highest rank among them. The cell is at least 3dB better ranked in FR1 or 4.5dB better ranked in FR2 if the current serving cell is among them. When evaluating cells for reselection, the SSB side conditions apply to both serving and non-serving intra-frequency cells.

If T reseiection timer has a non-zero value and the intra-frequency cell is satisfied with the reselection criteria that are defined in TS38.304, the UE evaluates the intra-frequency cell for the T reseiection time. If this cell remains satisfied with the reselection criteria within this duration, then the UE reselects that cell.

Table 3: Tdetect, NR Intra, T measure, NR Intra and T evaluate, NR Intra

A UE is able to identify new inter-frequency cells and perform SS-RSRP or SS-RSRQ measurements of identified inter-frequency cells if carrier frequency information is provided by the serving cell, even if no explicit neighbor list with physical layer cell identities is provided.

If Srxlev > SnonintraSearchP and Squal > SnonintraSearchQ then the UE searches for inter- frequency layers of higher priority at least every Thigher priority search where Thigher -priority search is described in TS38.133 clause 4.2.2.7.

If Srxlev < SnonintraSearchP or Squal < SnonintraSearchQ then the UE searches for and measures inter-frequency layers of higher, equal or lower priority in preparation for possible reseiection. In this scenario, the minimum rate at which the UE is required to search for and measure higher priority layers is the same as that defined below.

The UE is able to evaluate whether a newly detectable inter-frequency cell meets the reseiection criteria defined in TS38.304 within K_carrier * Tdetect, NR inter if at least carrier frequency information is provided for inter-frequency neighbor cells by the serving cells when Treseiection = 0 provided that the reselection criteria is met by a margin of at least 5 dB in FR1 or 6.5 dB in FR2 for reselections based on ranking or 6 dB in FR1 or 7.5 dB in FR2 for SS-RSRP reselections based on absolute priorities or 4 dB in FR1 and 4 dB in FR2 for SS-RSRQ reselections based on absolute priorities. The parameter K_carrier is the number of NR inter- frequency carriers indicated by the serving cell. An inter-frequency cell is considered to be detectable according to the conditions defined in TS38.133 Annex B.1.3 for a corresponding band.

When higher priority cells are found by the higher priority search, they are measured at least every T_{measure,NR_inter}. If, after detecting a cell in a higher priority search, it is determined that reselection has not occurred, then the UE is not required to continuously measure the detected cell to evaluate the ongoing possibility of reselection. However, the minimum measurement filtering requirements below shall still be met by the UE before the UE makes any determination that the UE may stop measuring the cell. If the UE detects on a NR carrier a cell whose physical identity is indicated as not allowed for that carrier in the measurement control system information of the serving cell, the UE is not required to perform measurements on that cell.

The UE measures SS-RSRP or SS-RSRQ at least every K_carrier * T_{measure,NR_inter} (see Table 4) for identified lower or equal priority inter-frequency cells. If the UE detects on a NR carrier a cell whose physical identity is indicated as not allowed for that carrier in the measurement control system information of the serving cell, the UE is not required to perform measurements on that cell.

The UE filters SS-RSRP or SS-RSRQ measurements of each measured higher, lower and equal priority inter-frequency cell using at least 2 measurements. Within the set of measurements used for the filtering, at least two measurements shall be spaced by at least T measure, NR_Inter/2.

The UE shall not consider an NR neighbor cell in cell reselection if it is indicated as not allowed in the measurement control system information of the serving cell.

For an inter-frequency cell that has been already detected, but that has not been reselected to, the filtering is such that the UE is capable of evaluating that the inter-frequency cell has met reselection criterion defined TS 38.304 within K_carrier * T_{evaiuate,NR_inter} when Treseiection = 0 as specified in Table 4 provided that the reselection criteria is met by: the condition when performing equal priority reselection and when rangeToBestCell is not configured: the cell is at least 5dB better ranked in FR1 or 6.5dB better ranked in FR2. When rangeToBestCell is configured: the cell has the highest number of beams above the threshold absThreshSS- BlocksConsolidation among all detected cells whose cell-ranking criterion R value in TS38.304 is within rangeToBestCell of the cell-ranking criterion R value of the highest ranked cell. If there are multiple such cells, the cell has the highest rank among them, the cell is at least 5dB better ranked in FR1 or 6.5dB better ranked in FR2 if the current serving cell is among them, or 6dB in FR1 or 7.5dB in FR2 for SS-RSRP reselections based on absolute priorities, or 4dB in FR1 or 4dB in FR2 for SS-RSRQ reselections based on absolute priorities.

When evaluating cells for reselection, the SSB side conditions apply to both serving and inter-frequency cells.

If T reseiection timer has a non-zero value and the inter-frequency cell is satisfied with the reselection criteria, the UE evaluates the inter-frequency cell for the T_reselection time. If the cell remains satisfied with the reselection criteria within the duration, then the UE reselects the cell.

The UE is not expected to meet the measurement requirements for an inter-frequency carrier under DRX cycle=320 ms defined in Table 4 under the following conditions: T_{SMTC_intra} = T_{SMTC_inter} = 160 ms, where T_{SMTC_intra} and T_{SMTC_inter} are periodicities of the SMTC occasions configured for the intra-frequency carrier and the inter-frequency carrier respectively; SMTC occasions configured for the inter-frequency carrier occur up to 1 ms before the start or up to 1 ms after the end of the SMTC occasions configured for the intra-frequency carrier, and SMTC occasions configured for the intra-frequency carrier and for the inter-frequency carrier occur up to 1 ms before the start or up to 1 ms after the end of the paging occasion in TS38.304.

Table 4: Tdetect , NR Inter, T measure, NR Inter and T evaluate, NR Inter

NR synchronization signal (SS) consists of primary SS (PSS) and secondary SS (SSS). NR physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carries the basic system information. The combination of SS and PBCH is referred to as SSB in NR. Multiple SSBs are transmitted in a localized burst set. Within an SS burst set, multiple SSBs may be transmitted in different beams. The transmission of SSBs within a localized burst set is confined to a 5 ms window. The set of possible SSB time locations within an SS burst set depends on the numerology which in most cases is uniquely identified by the frequency band. The SSB periodicity can be configured from the value set {5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160} ms (where the unit used in the configuration is subframe, which has a duration of 1 ms).

A UE does not need to perform measurements with the same periodicity as the SSB periodicity. Accordingly, the SSB measurement time configuration (SMTC) has been introduced for NR. The signaling of SMTC window informs the UE of the timing and periodicity of SSBs that the UE can use for measurements. The SMTC window periodicity may be configured from the value set {5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160} ms, matching the possible SSB periodicities. The SMTC window duration can be configured from the value set { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5} ms (where the unit used in the configuration is subframe, which has a duration of 1 ms). The SMTC window duration may also be referred to asSMTC duration, SMTC length, SMTC occasion duration or SMTC occasion length, etc.

The UE may use the same RF module for measurements of neighboring cells and data transmission in the serving cell. Measurement gaps enable the UE to suspend the data transmission in the serving cell and perform the measurements of neighboring cells. The measurement gap repetition periodicity may be configured from the value set {20, 40, 80, 160} ms, the gap length can be configured from the value set { 1.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 10, 20} ms. Usually, the measurement gap length is configured to be larger than the SMTC window duration to allow for RF retuning time. Measurement gap time advance is also introduced to fine tune the relative position of the measurement gap with respect to the SMTC window. The measurement gap timing advance can be configured from the value set {0, 0.25, 0.5} ms.

FIGURE 3 illustrates SSB, SMTC window, and measurement gap. The horizontal axis represents the time domain. The SSBs are illustrated within measurement gaps occurring during an SMTC window.

For NR, the different variants of SMTC (SSB-MTC, SSB-MTC2 and SSB-MTC3) that are currently specified are defined as follows in ASN.1 code in 3GPP TS 38.331 version 16.6.0.

SSB-MTC3 is defined to be used only by integrated access backhaul (IAB) nodes, but it has been proposed that SSB-MTC3 may be reused for NTN UEs.

There currently exist certain challenges. For example, multiple SMTCs will be broadcast by network SIB information. A UE has the capability to monitor the number of SMTCs which may be less than the number configured by network. Idle/Inactive mode is an important characteristic for UE’s power saving. The UE needs to guarantee the similar power consumption in NTN compared to a terrestrial network.

The current measurement requirements for Idle/Inactive mode are defined only for operation in a terrestrial network. In this case, only one SMTC needs to be monitored in each frequency layer. In the existing solution, there is no support nor UE behavior defined when the UE is configured with multiple SMTCs.

Some agreements related to SMTC and measurement gap configuration for connected mode in NTN include the following. For Rel-17 NTN, NR. operation is enhanced (e.g., the SMTC configuration and UE measurement gap configuration) to address the issues associated with the different/larger propagation delays, and the satellites (considering, e.g. their deployment, mobility, height, minimum elevation and prioritizing typical NTN scenarios). Rel- 17 NTN will not rely only on network implementation to address the previous issue. Enhancements of the SMTC configuration are supported for Rel-17 NTN. New UE assistance may be defined in Rel-17 NTN for the network to properly (re)configure the SMTC and/or measurement gap.

For Rel-17 NTN, one or more SMTC configuration(s) associated with one frequency can be configured. The SMTC configuration may be associated with a set of cells (e.g., per satellite or any other suitable set per gNB determination). The multiple SMTC configurations are enabled using new offsets in addition to the legacy SMTC configuration. The configuration of one or multiple offsets is left up to the network implementation. The network updates the SMTC configuration of the UE to accommodate the different propagation delays.

The maximum number of SMTC in one measurement object (MO) is 4. The multiple SMTC configurations are enabled using new offsets in addition to the legacy SMTC configuration.

The specific maximum number of SMTC configurations in one measurement object with the same SSB Frequency can be 4. Thus, to maintain similar power consumption as a TN, the measurement issue and requirement for multiple SMTCs need to be addressed.

SUMMARY

As described above, certain challenges currently exist with measurement procedures in low-mobility state in non-terrestrial networks (NTNs). Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, in some embodiments, a UE in NTN Idle/Inactive mode (e.g., UE served by NTN node) performs measurements with a scaling factor. The term scaling factor may also be referred to as sharing, priority, factor, etc. The UE measurements follow the defined measurement requirements (e.g., measurement rate, periodicity, time, delay, etc.) and the measurement configurations (e.g., number of multi-SMTC configurations).

In some embodiments, a scaling sharing solution for multiple SMTCs is used to perform measurements in cell reselection. Examples of determining the scaling factor to be used in the UE (e.g., in different scenarios) are described in more detail below.

The requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter-frequency measurement may be a general function T_NTN,#i = F(M2_#i, K_{carrier,NTN, TNM,#i}).

According to some embodiments, a scaling sharing solution for multiple SMTCs is used to perform measurements to avoid initiating cell selection for PLMC frequency. Examples of determining the UE scaling factor (e.g., in different scenarios) are described in more detail below.

Assume b = 10 seconds and K= M1*N1*K1*S1, then T can be expressed by the following function: T = max(10s, M1 *N1 *K1 *S 1 *T_DRX)

According to some embodiments, a scaling sharing solution for multiple SMTCs is used to perform measurements in cell reselection for both NTN and TN. Examples of determining the UE scaling factor (e.g., in different scenarios) are described in more detail below.

The requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter-frequency measurement may be a general function T_total,#i = F(M2_#i, K_carrier,NTN, K_carrier,TN, T_{NTN,#i ,}T _TNM,#i for cell reselection to both NTN and TN.

According to some embodiments, a method is performed by a network node for measurement procedure in NTN low mobility state. The method comprises providing a plurality of SSB SMTCs for one or more additional carriers to a wireless device. The wireless device may be operating in idle/inactive mode with a serving carrier served by a non-terrestrial network node and the one or more additional carriers. In particular embodiments, a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers may be determined by the wireless device. In particular embodiments, a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may be applied by the wireless device. In particular embodiments, measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to the scaled subset of the plurality of SMTCs may be performed by the wireless device.

According to some embodiments, a method is performed by a wireless device for measurements procedure in NTN low mobility state. The wireless device may be operating in idle/inactive mode with a serving carrier served by a non-terrestrial network node and one or more additional carriers. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of SSB SMTCs for the one or more additional carriers. The method further comprises determining a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers. The method further comprises applying a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs. The method further comprises performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to the scaled subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

In particular embodiments, each of the SMTCs may comprise a duration. In particular embodiments, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise scaling the duration. In particular embodiments, each of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise a periodicity. In particular embodiments, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise scaling the periodicity. In particular embodiments, each of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise a time offset with respect to a reference time. In particular embodiments, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise scaling the time offset. In particular embodiments, the SMTCs may comprise any combination of the duration, the periodicity, and the time offset with respect to the reference time. In particular embodiments, the applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise scaling any combination of the duration, the periodicity, and the time offset with respect to the reference time.

In particular embodiments, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise applying a first scaling factor to some of the SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs and applying a second scaling factor to the other SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs. In particular embodiments, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise applying a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, a floor, or any combination thereof function on the subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

In particular embodiments, a number of SMTCs in the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may be determined based at least on a capability of the wireless device and a configuration of the non-terrestrial network node.

In particular embodiments, the plurality of SMTCs may be configured by SIB.

In particular embodiments, determining the subset of the plurality of SMTCs for use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers may comprise applying an equation: N_SMTC,#i = F(K1, N_UE, N_NTN,#i) , where N_UE is the maximum number of SMTCs supported by a capability of the wireless device, N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i, KI is the scaling factor, the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and F is a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, a floor, or any combination thereof function.

In particular embodiments, a number of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs to be measured may be determined according to min(NuE, N_NTN,#i) , where the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i.

In particular embodiments, if two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured with overlap, only one of the two SMTCs may be measured. In particular embodiments, if the two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured non-overlapped, the two SMTCs may be measured.

In particular embodiments, the one or more additional carriers may belong to a RAT of a serving carrier frequency. In particular embodiments, the one or more additional carriers may be non-serving carriers.

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

Also disclosed is a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the wireless device described above. Another computer program product comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the network node described above.

Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages. For example, particular embodiments provide clear UE measurement behavior in NTN Idle/Inactive mode, when the UE is configured with multiple SMTCs.

Particular embodiments enable a UE to measure for mobility and cell reselection in NTN Idle/Inactive mode, therefore power consumption of UE may be similar to UE in TN Idle/Inactive mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the disclosed embodiments and their features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates an example architecture of a satellite network with bent pipe transponders;

FIGURE 2 is an example of UE behavior in Idle mode;

FIGURE 3 illustrates SSB, SMTC window, and measurement gap;

FIGURE 4 illustrates an example of UE behaviors for multiple SMTCs in NTN;

FIGURE 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example wireless network;

FIGURE 6 illustrates an example user equipment, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 7 illustrates an example virtualization environment, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 8 illustrates an example telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 9 illustrates an example host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments; FIGURE 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a wireless device, according to certain embodiments;

FIGURE 15 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a network node, according to certain embodiments; and

FIGURE 16 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a wireless device and a network node in a wireless network, according to certain embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The term “satellite” may be used herein for brevity when a more appropriate term may be “gNB associated with the satellite”. The term “satellite” may also be referred to as a satellite node, an NTN node, node in space, etc. Here, gNB associated with a satellite might include both a regenerative satellite, where the gNB is the satellite payload, i.e. the gNB is integrated with the satellite, or a transparent satellite, where the satellite payload is a relay and gNB is on the ground (i.e., the satellite relays the communication between the gNB on the ground and the UE).

Time period or duration over which a UE can maintain connection, or can camp on, or can maintain communication, and so on to a satellite or a gNB by UE is referred to as term "coverage time" or "serving time" or “network availability” or “sojourn time” or “dwell time” etc. The term “Non-coverage time”, also known as "non-serving time" or “network unavailability”, or “non-sojourn time” or “non-dwell time” refers to a period of time during which a satellite or gNB cannot serve or communicate or provide coverage to a UE. Another way to interpret the availability is that it is not about a satellite/network strictly not able to serve the UE due to lack of coverage but that UE does not need to measure certain “not likely to be serving cell (satellite via which serving cell is broadcasted)”. In this case, the terminology may still be as in no coverage case or it may be different, e.g. “no need to measure”.

The term node is used which can be a network node or a user equipment (UE). Examples of network nodes are NodeB, base station (BS), multi-standard radio (MSR) radio node such as MSR BS, eNodeB, gNodeB, MeNB, SeNB, location measurement unit (LMU), integrated access backhaul (IAB) node, network controller, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), relay, donor node controlling relay, base transceiver station (BTS), Central Unit (e.g. in a gNB), Distributed Unit (e.g. in a gNB), Baseband Unit, Centralized Baseband, C-RAN, access point (AP), transmission points, transmission nodes, transmission reception point (TRP), RRU, RRH, nodes in distributed antenna system (DAS), core network node (e.g. MSC, MME, etc.), O&M, OSS, SON, positioning node (e.g. E-SMLC), etc.

The non-limiting term UE refers to any type of wireless device communicating with a network node and/or with another UE in a cellular or mobile communication system. Examples of UE are target device, device-to-device (D2D) UE, vehicular-to-vehicular (V2V), machine type UE, MTC UE or UE capable of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, PDA, tablet, mobile terminals, smartphone, laptop embedded equipment (LEE), laptop mounted equipment (LME), USB dongles, etc.

The term radio access technology, or RAT, may refer to any RAT e.g. UTRA, E-UTRA, narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT), WiFi, Bluetooth, next generation RAT, New Radio (NR), 4G, 5G, etc. Any of the equipment denoted by the term node, network node, or radio network node may be capable of supporting a single or multiple RATs.

The term signal or radio signal used herein can be any physical signal or physical channel. Examples of downlink physical signals are reference signal (RS) such as PSS, SSS, CSLRS, DMRS signals in SS/PBCH block (SSB), discovery reference signal (DRS), CRS, PRS etc. RS may be periodic e.g. RS occasion carrying one or more RSs may occur with certain periodicity e.g. 20 ms, 40 ms, etc. The RS may also be aperiodic. Each SSB carries NR-PSS, NR-SSS, and NR-PBCH in 4 successive symbols. One or multiple SSBs are transmitted in one SSB burst which is repeated with certain periodicity e.g. 5 ms, 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, 80 ms, and 160 ms.

The UE is configured with information about SSB on cells of certain carrier frequency by one or more SS/PBCH block measurement timing configuration (SMTC) configurations. The SMTC configuration comprises parameters such as SMTC periodicity, SMTC occasion length in time or duration, SMTC time offset with respect to reference time (e.g., serving cell’s SFN) etc. Therefore, SMTC occasion may also occur with a certain periodicity, e.g. 5 ms, 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, 80 ms, and 160 ms.

Examples of uplink physical signals are reference signal such as SRS, DMRS, etc. The term physical channel refers to any channel carrying higher layer information e.g. data, control etc. Examples of physical channels are PBCH, NPBCH, PDCCH, PDSCH, sPUCCH, sPDSCH, sPUCCH, sPUSCH, MPDCCH, NPDCCH, NPDSCH, E-PDCCH, PUSCH, PUCCH, NPUSCH, etc.

Particular embodiments are described with respect to a scenario where at least one UE is operating in a first cell (celll) served by an NTN node (NTN1), and performing measurements on one or more serving cell(s) and one or more neighbor cells or neighbor frequencies, e.g. on the serving carrier and/or one or more additional carriers configured for measurements. Any additional carrier may belong to the RAT of the serving carrier frequency. If an additional carrier is a non-serving carrier, then the additional carrier is referred to as an inter-frequency carrier.

The UE is further configured to detect/measure/evaluate the quality of the serving cell, intra-frequency and inter-frequency (RSRP/RSRQ) to initiate the cell selection/reselection procedures.

The embodiments described herein may also be implemented in any combination. The UE embodiments comprise at least the following:

• Step 1: UE determines the number of SMTCs to be measured based on UE’ s capability and NTN’s configuration.

• Step 2: UE performs and fulfills measurement requirements.

The above steps and various actions performed in the UE and network are described below with several examples.

Step 1:

The UE may be provided with a set of carrier frequency information by the serving cell. The related SMTCs’ configurations may also be provided together with each carrier frequency by SIB information.

In one example, the SMTCs’ configurations for intra-frequency may also be configured by SIB information.

In another example, the SMTCs’ configurations for intra-frequency are not configured by the serving cell.

In some embodiments, the UE determines the number of SMTCs to be measured for carrier frequency #i by a general function N_SMTC,#i = F(K1, N_UE, N_NTN,#i) , where N_UE IS the maximum number of SMTCs supported by UE’s capability, N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for the carrier frequency #i, and KI is a scaling factor.

Capability of NuEmay vary for different SMTC configurations.

In one example, if two SMTCs are configured with overlap, the UE may only be able to measure one SMTC. If two SMTCs are configured non-overlapped, the UE may be able to measure two SMTCs.

In one example, the number of SMTCs NSMTC IO be measured by UE may be min(NuE, N_NTN,#i) .

In one specific example, UE will be configured to monitor two inter-frequencies. The relation between NTN-configured SMTCs and UE capability for each frequency is shown as follows.

Table 5: The relation between NTN-configured SMTCs and UE capability

In one example, the number of SMTCs NSMTC IO be measured by UE include functions such as maximum, average, sum, product, minimum, ceil, floor, etc., and any combinations of such functions.

In another example, the number of SMTCs NSMTCIO be measured by UE equals N_NTN,#i.

Step 2:

The UE may identify new intra-frequency cells and performs SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ measurements of the identified intra-frequency cells without an explicit intra-frequency neighbor list containing physical layer cell identities. At the same time, the UE may also be able to identify new inter-frequency cells and perform SS-RSRP or SS-RSRQ measurements of identified inter-frequency cells if carrier frequency information is provided by the serving cell, even if no explicit neighbor list with physical layer cell identities is provided.

In view of the above-described problem, to save UE power (e.g., energy, battery life, etc.) and/or avoid dramatically increasing the power consumption when UE is in NTN, a further scaling for UE measurement procedure may be applied. The term operation of a signal may comprise transmission of the signal by the UE and/or reception of the signal at the UE.

Examples of one or more criteria for UE monitoring paging and performing intra- frequency measurement, inter-frequency measurement are as follows.

In one example, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter-frequency measurement may be indicated in the table below with the scaling factor Ml, #i. The measurement time may be detecting a newly detectable cell, evaluating a cell that has been already detected, or at least the space between two measurements.

Alternatively, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter- frequency measurement may be indicated in the table below.

Alternatively, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter- frequency measurement may be indicated in the table below with the scaling factor Ml = f(N_SMTC,#i).

Examples of functions are maximum, average, sum, product, minimum, ceil, floor, etc, and any combinations of such functions.

Note 1 : Applies for UE supporting power class 2&3&4. For UE supporting power class 1, N1 = 8 for all DRX cycle length.

Note 3 : Ml = max(N_SMTC,#i) where, N_SMTC,#i is the number of SMTCs identified by UE in frequency layer #i. Alternatively, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter- frequency measurement may be indicated in the table below with the scaling factor Ml = f(N_SMTC,#i, N_sat,#i ). Where, N_sat,#i is the number of the satellites associated with SMTC N_SMTC,#i. the relationship between N_sat,#i N_SMTC,#i may be as in the following table:

Table 9: Satellite index, SMTC index

One SMTC may comprise one satellite or more than one satellite, depending on satellites’ type, position, direction, and so on. The mapping also can be categorized as term of ‘group’ or ‘set’ .

In one example, group of Satellites 1 belongs SMTC1; group of Satellites 1 and Satellite2 belongs SMTC1.

Examples of functions are maximum, average, sum, product, minimum, ceil, floor, etc., and any combinations of such functions.

In one example, Ml = max( N_sat,#i). In another example, Ml = max(N_SMTC,#i, N_sat,#i).

10: T_detect, T_measure and T_evaluate

Alternatively again, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter-frequency measurement may be indicated in the table below with the scaling factor Ml = f(N_SMTC,#i, N_sat,#i , N_cell,#i). Where, N_cell,#i is the number of the cells associated with satellite N_sat,#i. The relationship between N_sat,#i may be as in the following table:

Table 11 : Satellite index, Cell index

One satellite may comprise one cell or more than one cell, depending on satellite type, position, direction, and so on. The mapping also may be categorized as term of ‘group’ or ‘set’.

In one example, group of celll and cell2 belongs satellite 1; group of cell3 belongs satellite 2.

In one example, Ml = max(N_cell,#i). In another example, Ml = max(N_SMTC,#i, N_sat,#i, N_cell,#i)-

In another example, UE may only perform measurements for N_UE and the configured SMTCs being measured is N_NTN,#i for carrier frequency #i. The scaling factor Ml = f(Pl, N_UE, N_NTN,#i) .

In one specific example, the Ml = ceiling( N_NTN,#/_i N_UE). In another example, Ml = 2*ceiling( N_NTN,#/_i N_UE). In another example, Ml = 1.5*ceiling( N_NTN,#/_i N_UE).

The requirement for measurements may be: 12 : Tdetect, Tmeasure and Tevaluate

In another example, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter-frequency measurement can be a general function T_NTN,#i = F(M2_#i, K_carrier,NTN, T_TNM,#i below. Where,

T _TNM,#i is the measurement time over which a measurement is performed by the UE in NTN network for carrier frequency #i.

T _TNM,#i is the measurement time over which a measurement is performed by the UE in TN network for carrier frequency #i, i.e. normal measurement.

The measurement time may be detecting a newly detectable cell, evaluating a cell that has been already detected, or at least the space between two measurements.

K_{carrier ,NTN} i s the number of NR inter-frequency carriers indicated by the serving cell.

In one example, T_NTN,#i = M2_#i * T_NM,#ifor intra-frequency layer.

In one example, T_NTN,#j = max(M2_#j) * K_carrier,NTN * TNM,_#j for inter-frequency layer, where, j#i.

In another example, TNTN,_#j T_{NM #}j for inter-frequency layer,

where, j#i.

In one example, M2_#i is the scaling factor associated with the number of SMTCs NSMTC, _#i determined by UE.

In one general example, the scaling factor M2_#i = F(R1, NSMTC, _#i, N_sat,#i, N_cell,#i). In one example, M2_#i = NSMTC, #i. In another example, M2_#i = 2*N_SMTC,#i. In another example, M2_#i = ¹/2*N_SMTC,#i- In another example, M2_#i = N_cell,#i. In another example, M2_#i = N_sat,#i. In another example, M2_#i = max(NsMTC._#i, N_sat,#i, N_cell,#i).

Examples of functions applied to the number of SMTCs can also be applied for the number of cells or satellites.

In one specific example, there are three SMTCs in intra-frequency fO, three SMTCs in inter-frequency fl and two SMTCs in inter-frequency f2 in the figure below. The scaling factor M2i for intra-frequency fO is 3. The scaling factor M22 for inter-frequency fl is 3. The scaling factor M23 for inter-frequency f2 is 2. The total measurement time for each frequency layer can be T_NTN,#i = 3 * 2 * T_NM,#i for inter-frequency measurement, and T_NTN,#i = 3 * T_NM,#i for intra- frequency measurement.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an example of UE behaviors for multiple SMTCs in NTN.

In some general examples, the scaling factor M2_#i is the number of SMTCs/Cells/Satellites after merging the SMTCs for which meet the at least one signal reception proximity (SRP) condition.

The signal reception proximity (SRP) conditions are described below with examples. The SRP condition is met for SMTCs provided that one or more of the following conditions or criteria are met; otherwise, the SRP condition is not met:

• SRP is met for the SMTCs if the magnitude of the difference (T11-T21) between the starting points in time(Tl l and T21) of the individual SMTCs is within the time duration(Al).

• SRP is met for the SMTCs if the magnitude of the difference (T11-T22) between the starting point in time (Ti l) in a first SMTC and the ending point in time (T22) in a second SMTC is within the time duration(al).

• SRP is met for the SMTCs if the magnitude of the difference (T12-T21) between the ending point in time (T12) in a first SMTC and the starting point in time (T21) in a second SMTC is within the time duration(bl).

• SRP is met for the Cells if the magnitude of the difference (T11-T21) between the starting points in time (Ti l and T21) of the individual Cells is within the time duration(A2).

• SRP is met for the Cells if the magnitude of the difference (T11-T22) between the starting point in time (Ti l) of the cell in a first SMTC and the ending point in time (T22) of the cell in a second SMTC is within the time duration(a2). • SRP is met for the Cells if the magnitude of the difference (T12-T21) between the ending point in time (T12) of the cell in a first SMTC and the starting point in time (T21) of the cell in a second SMTC is within the time duration(b2).

• SRP is met for the Satellites if the magnitude of the difference (T11-T21) between the starting points in time (Ti l and T21) of the individual Satellites is within the time duration(A3).

• SRP is met for the Satellites if the magnitude of the difference (T11-T22) between the starting point in time (T11) of the satellite in a first SMTC and the ending point in time (T22) of the satellite in a second SMTC is within the time duration(a3).

• SRP is met for the Cells if the magnitude of the difference (T12-T21) between the ending point in time (T12) of the satellite in a first SMTC and the starting point in time (T21) of the satellite in a second SMTC is within the time duration(b3).

• In one specific example, there are three SMTCs in intra-frequency fO, three SMTCs in inter-frequency fl and two SMTCs in inter-frequency f2. The scaling factor M2i for intra-frequency fO is 2. The scaling factor M22 for inter-frequency fl is 2. The scaling factor M23 for inter-frequency f2 is 2. The total measurement time for each frequency layer may be T_NTN,#i = 2 * 2 * T_NM,#i for inter-frequency measurement, and T_NTN,#i = 2 * T_NM,#ifor intra-frequency measurement.

In one example, M2_#i is the scaling factor associated with the UE capability N_UE and the configured SMTCs N_NTN,#i being measured.

In one general example, the scaling factor M2_#i = F(R2, N_UE, N_NTN,#i, N_sat,#i, N_cell,#i). In one example, M2_#i = ceiling( N_NTN,#/_i N_UE). In another example, M2_#i = 2* ceiling( N_NTN,#/_iNuE). In another example, M2_#i = 1.5* ceiling( N_NTN,#/_i N_UE). In one example, M2_#i = ceiling(max( N_NTN,#i, N_sat,#i, N_cell,#i )/ N_UE). In another example, M2_#i = 2* ceiling(max( N_NTN,#i, Nsat,_#i, Nceii,_#i )/NuE). In another example, M2_#i = 1.5* ceiling(max( N_NTN,#i, N_sat,#i, N_cell,#i )/ NuE).

Examples of functions applied to the number of configured SMTCs (NNTN,_#j) may also be applied for the number of configured cells or satellites.

Examples of functions applied to the number of SMTCs of UE’s capacity (N_UE) can also be applied for the number of configured cells or satellites.

Some embodiments include methods in a UE for performing cell selection. In some embodiments, the method includes the following steps.

• Step 1 : UE performs searches and measurements within time period T, if the UE has evaluated in N_serv consecutive DRX cycles that the serving cell does not fulfill the cell selection criterion S.

• Step 2: UE performs one or more cell selection procedures for the selected PLMN if it has not found any new suitable cell within a time period, T.

Before performing the one or more cell selection procedures, the UE may further determine the time period, T, based on a rule, which may be pre-defined or configured by a network node or autonomously determined by the UE.

Step 1 :

In this step, the UE performs normal serving cell measurements based on SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ measurements.

The time T is expressed by a general function as follows:

T = fl(b, T_d,exp, K, T_DRX)

In one example, assume b = 10 seconds and K= M1*N1*K1*S1, the T can be expressed by the following function:

T = min(T_d,exp, max(10s, M1 *N1 *K1 *S 1 *T_DRX)) where, T_d,exp is the delay between UE initiating the measurements of all neighbor cells indicated by the serving cell to the serving cell expire time T_exp.

Ml=2 if SMTC periodicity (TSMTC) > 20 ms and DRX cycle length ( T_DRX) 0.64

second, otherwise Ml=l.

N1 = 1 for FR1 serving cell. In FR2, for UE support power class 2&3&4, N1 = 8 for T_DRX =0.32S, 5 for T_DRX = 0.64s, 4 for T_DRX = 1.28s and 3 for T_DRX = 2.56s. In FR2, for UE support power class 1, Nl= 8.

KI = 6 for T_DRX = 0.32, 0.64s and 3 for T_DRX =1.28, 2.56s. S1 = f2(P 1 , N_SMTC,#i, Nsat,_#i, N_cell,#i).

In one example, S1 = max(NsMTC, _#i). In another example, S1 = 2* max(NsMTC, _#i). In another example, S1 = 1/2* max(NsMTC, _#i).

In another example,

In another example, S1 = 4. In another example assume b = 10 seconds and K= M1*N1*K1*S1, the T can be expressed by the following function:

T = max(10s, M1 *N1 *K1 *S 1 * T_DRX)

In another example, assume b = 10 seconds, the T can be expressed by the following function:

T = min( T_d,exp, max(10s, (M2*N2*K2*S2*T_DRX +J2*T_DRX)))

In another example, T = max(10s, (M2*N2*K2*S2*T_DRX +J2*T_DRX)) where, M2=2 if SMTC periodicity (TSMTC) > 20 ms and DRX cycle

0.64 second, otherwise M2=l.

N2 = 1 for FR1 serving cell. In FR2, for UE support power class 2&3&4, N2 = 8 for T_DRX =0.32S, 5 for T_DRX = 0.64s, 4 for T_DRX = 1.28s and 3 for DRX = 2.56s. In FR2, for UE support power class 1, N2= 8.

K2 = 4 for T_DRX = 0.32, 0.64s and 2 for T_DRX =1.28, 2.56s.

S2 = f2(P2, N_SMTC,_#i).

In one example, S2 = max(NsMTC, _#i). In another example, S2 = 2* max(NsMTC, _#i). In another example, S2 = 1/2* max(NsMTC, _#i).

In another example,

In another example, S2 = 4.

In another example, S2= N_cell,#i. In another example, S2 = N_sat,#i. In another example, S2= max(N_SMTC,#i, N_sat,#i, N_cell,#i).

J2 = 2.

Step 2:

In this step, the UE performs one or more cell selection procedures for the selected PLMN if the UE has not found any new suitable cell based on searches and measurements within time period, T.

Examples of cell selection procedures for the selected PLMN are:

UE scan all RF channels in the NR bands according to its capabilities to find or detect a suitable cell.

UE using stored information of frequencies and optionally also information on cell parameters from previously received measurement control information elements or from previously detected cells for selecting a cell.

Some embodiments include methods in a UE for performing measurements for cell reselection in both TN and NTN. Particular embodiments include the following steps.

• Step 1 : UE determines the number of SMTCs to be measured based on UE capability and NTN’s configuration

• Step 2: UE performs and fulfills measurement requirements

The above steps and various actions performed in the UE and network are described below with several examples:

Step 1 :

The UE may be provided with carrier frequency information by the serving cell. The related SMTCs’ configurations may be also provided together with each carrier frequency by SIB information.

In one example, the SMTCs’ configurations for intra-frequency may be configured by SIB information.

The rule for UE determining the number of SMTCs to be measured for carrier frequency #i is the same as the rules described above.

Step 2:

The UE may be able to identify new intra-frequency cells and perform SS-RSRP and SS-RSRQ measurements of the identified intra-frequency cells without an explicit intra- frequency neighbor list containing physical layer cell identities. At the same time, the UE may also be able to identify new inter-frequency cells and perform SS-RSRP or SS-RSRQ measurements of identified inter-frequency cells if carrier frequency information is provided by the serving cell, even if no explicit neighbor list with physical layer cell identities is provided.

In one example, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter-frequency measurement can be the same as described above with Ml,#i = NSMTC

Alternatively, the requirements (e.g., measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter- frequency measurement may be indicated in the table below with the scaling factor Ml = f(N_SMTC,#i) for frequency layer in NTN and Ml =1 for frequency layer in TN.

13: Tdetect, Tmeasure and Tevaluate

In one example, the requirements (e.g. measurement time) for intra-frequency and inter- frequency measurement can be a general function T_total,#i = F(M2_#i, K_carrier,NTN, K_carrier,TN, T_NTN,#i ,T_TNM,#i below. Where, T_total,#i is the measurement time over which a measurement is performed by the UE in total NTN and TN network for carrier frequency #i. T_NM,#i is the measurement time over which a measurement is performed by the UE in NTN network for carrier frequency #i. T_NM,#i is the measurement time over which a measurement is performed by the UE in TN network for carrier frequency #i, i.e. normal measurement.

The measurement time can be detecting a newly detectable cell, evaluating a cell that has been already detected, or at least the space between two measurements.

K_{carrier ,NTN} i s the number of NR inter-frequency carriers indicated by the serving cell in NTN. K_{carrier ,NT} is_N the number of NR inter-frequency carriers indicated by the serving cell in

TN.

In one example, T_total,#i = M2_#i * TNTN,_#i for intra-frequency layer if the carrier frequency belongs to NTN. Otherwise, T_total,#i = T_NM,#ifor intra-frequency layer if the carrier frequency belongs to TN.

In one example, T_total,#i = max(M2_#j) * K_{carrier ,NTN} * T_NTN,#i+ K_{carrier ,NT} *_N TNM,_#j for inter- frequency layer, where, j# i for NTN frequency layers.

In another example, T_total,#i = ∑_Kcarrier M2_#j * T_N™,_#i + K_{carrier ,NT} *_N TNM,_#j for inter- frequency layer, where, j# i for NTN frequency layers.

In another example, T_total,#i = (max(M2_#j) * Kcarrier, N™ + K_{carrier ,N})_TN * TNM,_#j for inter- frequency layer, where, j_# i for NTN frequency layers.

In another example, T_total,#i = ( ∑_Kcarrier M2_#j + K_{carrier ,N})_T*_N TNM,_#j for inter-frequency layer, where, j_# i for NTN frequency layers.

M2_#i is the scaling factor associated with the function of number of SMTCs(N_SMTC,#i), the number of cells( N_cell,#i ) and the number of satellites(N_sat,#i) determined by UE for NTN frequency layers which follows the same as the rules described above.

FIGURE 5 illustrates an example wireless network, according to certain embodiments. The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wireless network may be configured to operate according to specific standards or other types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of the wireless network may implement communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network 106 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

Network node 160 and WD 110 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together to provide network node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments, the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, 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.

As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the wireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the wireless 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)). Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations.

A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodes include 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), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs.

As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged, and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with access to the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless device that has accessed the wireless network.

In FIGURE 5, network node 160 includes processing circuitry 170, device readable medium 180, interface 190, auxiliary equipment 184, power source 186, power circuitry 187, and antenna 162. Although network node 160 illustrated in the example wireless network of FIGURE 5 may represent a device that includes the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise network nodes with different combinations of components.

It is to be understood that a network node comprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Moreover, while the components of network node 160 are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 180 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node 160 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 network node 160 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 NodeB’s. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node.

In some embodiments, network node 160 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 180 for the different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 162 may be shared by the RATs). Network node 160 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 160, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, 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 160. Processing circuitry 170 is configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 170 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 170 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.

Processing circuitry 170 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 160 components, such as device readable medium 180, network node 160 functionality.

For example, processing circuitry 170 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 180 or in memory within processing circuitry 170. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include a system on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 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 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or other such network device may be performed by processing circuitry 170 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 180 or memory within processing circuitry 170. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 170 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 170 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 170 alone or to other components of network node 160 but are enjoyed by network node 160 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.

Device readable medium 180 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 processing circuitry 170. Device readable medium 180 may store any suitable instructions, data or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 170 and, utilized by network node 160. Device readable medium 180 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 170 and/or any data received via interface 190. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 and device readable medium 180 may be considered to be integrated.

Interface 190 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between network node 160, network 106, and/or WDs 110. As illustrated, interface 190 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 194 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 106 over a wired connection. Interface 190 also includes radio front end circuitry 192 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 162.

Radio front end circuitry 192 comprises filters 198 and amplifiers 196. Radio front end circuitry 192 may be connected to antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front end circuitry 192 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 192 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 198 and/or amplifiers 196. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 162. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 162 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 192. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 170. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, network node 160 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 192, instead, processing circuitry 170 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 162 without separate radio front end circuitry 192. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 172 may be considered a part of interface 190. In still other embodiments, interface 190 may include one or more ports or terminals 194, radio front end circuitry 192, and RF transceiver circuitry 172, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 190 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 174, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

Antenna 162 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 162 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 192 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 162 may comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna may be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In certain embodiments, antenna 162 may be separate from network node 160 and may be connectable to network node 160 through an interface or port.

Antenna 162, interface 190, and/or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 162, interface 190, and/or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

Power circuitry 187 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 160 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 187 may receive power from power source 186. Power source 186 and/or power circuitry 187 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 160 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 186 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 187 and/or network node 160.

For example, network node 160 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry 187. As a further example, power source 186 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 187. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

Alternative embodiments of network node 160 may include additional components beyond those shown in FIGURE 5 that may be responsible 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, network node 160 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 160 and to allow output of information from network node 160. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 160.

As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, the term WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE). Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information through air.

In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the network.

Examples of a WD include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a tablet, a laptop, a laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc. A WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device.

As yet another specific example, in an Internet of Things (loT) scenario, a WD 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 WD and/or a network node. The WD may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one example, the WD may be a UE implementing the 3 GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard. Examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.).

In other scenarios, a WD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. A WD as described above may represent the endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described above may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.

As illustrated, wireless device 110 includes antenna 111, interface 114, processing circuitry 120, device readable medium 130, user interface equipment 132, auxiliary equipment 134, power source 136 and power circuitry 137. WD 110 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 110, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or set of chips as other components within WD 110.

Antenna 111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 114. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 111 may be separate from WD 110 and be connectable to WD 110 through an interface or port. Antenna 111, interface 114, and/or processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a network node and/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 111 may be considered an interface.

As illustrated, interface 114 comprises radio front end circuitry 112 and antenna 111. Radio front end circuitry 112 comprise one or more filters 118 and amplifiers 116. Radio front end circuitry 112 is connected to antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120 and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120. Radio front end circuitry 112 may be coupled to or a part of antenna 111. In some embodiments, WD 110 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 112; rather, processing circuitry 120 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 111. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be considered a part of interface 114.

Radio front end circuitry 112 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 112 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 118 and/or amplifiers 116. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 111. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 111 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 112. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 120. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

Processing circuitry 120 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 WD 110 components, such as device readable medium 130, WD 110 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 120 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 130 or in memory within processing circuitry 120 to provide the functionality disclosed herein. As illustrated, processing circuitry 120 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126. In other embodiments, the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitry 120 of WD 110 may comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126 may be on separate chips or sets of chips.

In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry 124 and application processing circuitry 126 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In still alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 and baseband processing circuitry 124 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 126 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be a part of interface 114. RF transceiver circuitry 122 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 120.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processing circuitry 120 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 130, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 120 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner.

In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 120 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 120 alone or to other components of WD 110, but are enjoyed by WD 110, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.

Processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, as performed by processing circuitry 120, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 120 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 110, 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.

Device readable medium 130 may be operable to store a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 120. Device readable medium 130 may include computer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., 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 processing circuitry 120. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 120 and device readable medium 130 may be integrated.

User interface equipment 132 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 110. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 132 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 110. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 132 installed in WD 110. For example, if WD 110 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 110 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected).

User interface equipment 132 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 132 is configured to allow input of information into WD 110 and is connected to processing circuitry 120 to allow processing circuitry 120 to process the input information. User interface equipment 132 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipment 132 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 110, and to allow processing circuitry 120 to output information from WD 110. User interface equipment 132 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment 132, WD 110 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

Auxiliary equipment 134 is operable to provide more specific functionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This may comprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliary equipment 134 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.

Power source 136 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or power cells, may also be used. WD 110 may further comprise power circuitry 137 for delivering power from power source 136 to the various parts of WD 110 which need power from power source 136 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry 137 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry.

Power circuitry 137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 110 may be connectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Power circuitry 137 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 136. This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 136. Power circuitry 137 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 136 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 110 to which power is supplied.

Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in any appropriate type of system using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wireless network, such as the example wireless network illustrated in FIGURE 5. For simplicity, the wireless network of FIGURE 5 only depicts network 106, network nodes 160 and 160b, and WDs 110, 110b, and 110c. In practice, a wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable to support communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other network node or end device. Of the illustrated components, network node 160 and wireless device (WD) 110 are depicted with additional detail. The wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices’ access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wireless network.

FIGURE 6 illustrates an example user equipment, according to certain embodiments. As used herein, a user equipment or 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). UE 200 may be any UE identified by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-IoT UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. UE 200, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, is one example of a WD configured for communication in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP’s GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, the term WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although FIGURE 6 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.

In FIGURE 6, UE 200 includes processing circuitry 201 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 205, radio frequency (RF) interface 209, network connection interface 211, memory 215 including random access memory (RAM) 217, read-only memory (ROM) 219, and storage medium 221 or the like, communication subsystem 231, power source 213, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 includes operating system 223, application program 225, and data 227. In other embodiments, storage medium 221 may include other similar types of information. Certain UEs may use all the components shown in FIGURE 6, or only a subset of the components. 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.

In FIGURE 6, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 201 may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program, 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 201 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 205 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device. UE 200 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 205.

An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE 200. The output device may be 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.

UE 200 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 205 to allow a user to capture information into UE 200. The input device may 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, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

In FIGURE 6, RF interface 209 may be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface 211 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 243a. Network 243a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 243a may comprise a Wi-Fi network. Network connection interface 211 may be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate with one or more other devices over a communication network according to one or more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM, or the like. Network connection interface 211 may implement receiver and transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

RAM 217 may be configured to interface via bus 202 to processing circuitry 201 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as the operating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 219 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 201. For example, ROM 219 may be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions such as basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokes from a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory.

Storage medium 221 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, or flash drives. In one example, storage medium 221 may be configured to include operating system 223, application program 225 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application, and data file 227. Storage medium 221 may store, for use by UE 200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

Storage medium 221 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, 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 a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 may allow UE 200 to access computer-executable instructions, application programs or 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 in storage medium 221, which may comprise a device readable medium. In FIGURE 6, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with network 243b using communication subsystem 231. Network 243a and network 243b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks. Communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 243b. For example, communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.2, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver may include transmitter 233 and/or receiver 235 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 233 and receiver 235 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of communication subsystem 231 may include 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. For example, communication subsystem 231 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. Network 243b may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 243b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near-field network. Power source 213 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 200.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 200 or partitioned across multiple components of UE 200. Further, the features, benefits, and/or functions described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware. In one example, communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 202. In another example, any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 201 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 201 and communication subsystem 231. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 300 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 a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or to a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device) 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 (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines or containers executing on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 300 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 330. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may be entirely virtualized.

The functions may be implemented by one or more applications 320 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications 320 are run in virtualization environment 300 which provides hardware 330 comprising processing circuitry 360 and memory 390. Memory 390 contains instructions 395 executable by processing circuitry 360 whereby application 320 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment 300, comprises general-purpose or special-purpose network hardware devices 330 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 360, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or special purpose processors. Each hardware device may comprise memory 390-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 395 or software executed by processing circuitry 360. Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 370, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 380. Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media 390-2 having stored therein software 395 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 360. Software 395 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 340 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.

Virtual machines 340, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 350 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 320 may be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 340, and the implementations may be made in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry 360 executes software 395 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 350, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 350 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 340.

As shown in FIGURE 7, hardware 330 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 330 may comprise antenna 3225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 330 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 3100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 320.

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. In the context of NFV, virtual machine 340 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 virtual machines 340, and that part of hardware 330 that executes that virtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/or hardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtual machines 340, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).

Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more virtual machines 340 on top of hardware networking infrastructure 330 and corresponds to application 320 in Figure 18.

In some embodiments, one or more radio units 3200 that each include one or more transmitters 3220 and one or more receivers 3210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 3225. Radio units 3200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 330 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 effected with the use of control system 3230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 330 and radio units 3200.

With reference to FIGURE 8, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 410, such as a 3 GPP -type cellular network, which comprises access network 411, such as a radio access network, and core network 414. Access network 411 comprises a plurality of base stations 412a, 412b, 412c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 413a, 413b, 413c. Each base station 412a, 412b, 412c is connectable to core network 414 over a wired or wireless connection 415. A first UE 491 located in coverage area 413c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 412c. A second UE 492 in coverage area 413a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 412a. While a plurality of UEs 491, 492 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 412.

Telecommunication network 410 is itself connected to host computer 430, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 430 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 421 and 422 between telecommunication network 410 and host computer 430 may extend directly from core network 414 to host computer 430 or may go via an optional intermediate network 420. Intermediate network 420 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 420, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 420 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of FIGURE 8 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 491, 492 and host computer 430. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 450. Host computer 430 and the connected UEs 491, 492 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 450, using access network 411, core network 414, any intermediate network 420 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 450 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 450 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 412 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 430 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 491. Similarly, base station 412 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 491 towards the host computer 430.

FIGURE 9 illustrates an example host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection, according to certain embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment of the UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to FIGURE 9. In communication system 500, host computer 510 comprises hardware 515 including communication interface 516 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 500. Host computer 510 further comprises processing circuitry 518, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 518 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 510 further comprises software 511, which is stored in or accessible by host computer 510 and executable by processing circuitry 518. Software 511 includes host application 512. Host application 512 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 530 connecting via OTT connection 550 terminating at UE 530 and host computer 510. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 512 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 550.

Communication system 500 further includes base station 520 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 525 enabling it to communicate with host computer 510 and with UE 530. Hardware 525 may include communication interface 526 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 500, as well as radio interface 527 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 570 with UE 530 located in a coverage area (not shown in FIGURE 9) served by base station 520. Communication interface 526 may be configured to facilitate connection 560 to host computer 510. Connection 560 may be direct, or it may pass through a core network (not shown in FIGURE 9) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 525 of base station 520 further includes processing circuitry 528, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 520 further has software 521 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system 500 further includes UE 530 already referred to. Its hardware 535 may include radio interface 537 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 570 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 530 is currently located. Hardware 535 of UE 530 further includes processing circuitry 538, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 530 further comprises software 531, which is stored in or accessible by UE 530 and executable by processing circuitry 538. Software 531 includes client application 532. Client application 532 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 530, with the support of host computer 510. In host computer 510, an executing host application 512 may communicate with the executing client application 532 via OTT connection 550 terminating at UE 530 and host computer 510. In providing the service to the user, client application 532 may receive request data from host application 512 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 550 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 532 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that host computer 510, base station 520 and UE 530 illustrated in FIGURE 9 may be similar or identical to host computer 430, one of base stations 412a, 412b, 412c and one of UEs 491, 492 of FIGURE 5, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in FIGURE 9 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE 9, OTT connection 550 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 510 and UE 530 via base station 520, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. The network infrastructure may determine the routing, which may be configured to hide from UE 530 or from the service provider operating host computer 510, or both. While OTT connection 550 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., based on load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection 570 between UE 530 and base station 520 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 530 using OTT connection 550, in which wireless connection 570 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the signaling overhead and reduce latency, which may provide faster internet access for users.

A measurement procedure may be provided for monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 550 between host computer 510 and UE 530, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 550 may be implemented in software 511 and hardware 515 of host computer 510 or in software 531 and hardware 535 of UE 530, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 550 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software 511, 531 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 550 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 520, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 520. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 510’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 511 and 531 cause messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 550 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 8 and 9. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 10 will be included in this section.

In step 610, the host computer provides user data. In substep 611 (which may be optional) of step 610, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 620, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 630 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 640 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

FIGURE 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 8 and 9. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 11 will be included in this section.

In step 710 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 720, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 730 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

FIGURE 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 8 and 9. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 12 will be included in this section.

In step 810 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally, or alternatively, in step 820, the UE provides user data. In sub step 821 (which may be optional) of step 820, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 811 (which may be optional) of step 810, the UE executes a client application that provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 830 (which may be optional), the transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 840 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

FIGURE 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 8 and 9. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 13 will be included in this section.

In step 910 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 920 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 930 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

FIGURE 14 illustrates an example flow diagram for a method 1400 for performing measurements on one or more serving cell(s) and/or one or more neighbor cells or neighbor frequencies, e.g. on serving carrier and/or one or more additional carriers configured for measurements according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of method 1400 may be performed by wireless device 110 and/or network node 160 described with respect to FIGURE 5.

The method 1400 may begin at step 1401, where the wireless receiver (e.g., wireless device 110 or network node 160) obtains a plurality of SSB SMTCs for one or more additional carriers. In particular embodiments, the wireless receiver may be operating in idle/inactive mode with a serving carrier served by a non-terrestrial network node and the one or more additional carriers.

In particular embodiments, each of the SMTCs may comprise a duration, a periodicity, and/or a time offset with respect to ta reference time.

According to the embodiments and examples described herein, the plurality of SMTCs may be configured by SIB.

According to the embodiments and examples described herein, the one or more additional carriers may belong to a RAT of a serving carrier frequency. According to the embodiments and examples described herein, the one or more additional carriers may be non- serving carriers.

At step 1402, the wireless receiver determines a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers.

For example, the wireless device may be configured with N SMTC configurations. When in idle or inactive mode, to conserve power for example, the wireless device may not measure according to all N SMTC configurations. The wireless device may select a subset of SMTCs to use for performing measurements according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. For example, in particular embodiments, a number of SMTCs in the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may be determined based at least on a capability of the wireless device (e.g., maximum number of supported SMTCs) and a configuration of the non- terrestrial network node.

In particular embodiments, determining the subset of the plurality of SMTCs for use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers may comprise applying an equation: N_SMTC,#i = F(K1, N_UE, N_NTN,#i) , where N_UE is the maximum number of SMTCs supported by a capability of the wireless device, N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i, KI is the scaling factor, the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and F is a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, a floor, or any combination thereof function. In particular embodiments, a number of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs to be measured may be according to min(NuE, N_NTN,#i) , where the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i.

At step 1403, the wireless receiver applies a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs. For example, in idle or inactive mode the wireless device may want to modify (e.g., scale) one or more of the SMTC configuration parameters to facilitate power saving. The wireless device may apply a scaling factor according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. For example, in particular embodiments, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise scaling any combination of the duration, the periodicity, and the time offset with respect to the reference time.

In particular embodiments, the wireless device may not scale all SMTCs the same. For example, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise applying a first scaling factor to some of the SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs and applying a second scaling factor to the other SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs. The first scaling factor may be different than the second scaling factor. In one example, a first scaling factor may apply to SMTCs associated with a first frequency and a second scaling factor may apply to SMTCs associated with a second frequency.

In particular embodiments, applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may comprise applying a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, a floor, or any combination thereof function on the subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

At step 1404, the wireless receiver performs measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to the scaled subset of the plurality of SMTCs. In particular embodiments, if two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured with overlap, only one of the two SMTCs may be measured. If the two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured non-overlapped, the two SMTCs may be measured. Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the method of FIGURE 14. Additionally, one or more steps in the method of FIGURE 14 may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order.

FIGURE 15 illustrates an example flow diagram for a method 1500 for providing SMTCs according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of method 1500 may be performed by wireless device 110 and/or network node 160 described with respect to FIGURE 5. The method 1500 may begin at step 1501, where the wireless receiver (e.g., wireless device 110 or network node 160) provides a plurality of SSB SMTCs for one or more additional carriers to a wireless device (e.g., wireless device 110 or network node 160), where the wireless device may be operating in idle/inactive mode with a serving carrier served by a non-terrestrial network node and the one or more additional carriers. In particular embodiments, a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers may be determined by the wireless device. In particular embodiments, a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs may be applied by the wireless device. In particular embodiments, measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to the scaled subset of the plurality of SMTCs may be performed by the wireless device.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the method of FIGURE 15. Additionally, one or more steps in the method of FIGURE 15 may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order.

FIGURE 16 illustrates a schematic block diagram of two apparatuses in a wireless network (for example, the wireless network illustrated in FIGURE 5). The apparatuses include a wireless device and a network node (e.g., wireless device 110 and network node 160 illustrated in FIGURE 5). Apparatuses 1600 and 1700 are operable to carry out the example methods described with reference to FIGURES 1-15 and possibly any other processes or methods disclosed herein. It is also to be understood that the method of FIGURES 14 and 15 are not necessarily carried out solely by apparatuses 1600 and/or 1700. At least some operations of the method may be performed by one or more other entities.

Virtual apparatuses 1600 and 1700 may comprise processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessors 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 includes 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 some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause obtaining module 1602, determining module 1604, applying module 1606, performing module 1608, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1600 to perform corresponding functions according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Similarly, the processing circuitry described above may be used to cause providing module 1702, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1700 to perform corresponding functions according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in FIGURE 16, apparatus 1600 includes obtaining module 1602 configured to obtain a plurality of SSB SMTCs for one or more additional carriers according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. Determining module 1604 is configured to determine a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. Applying module 1606 is configured to apply a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. Performing module 1608 is configured to perform measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to the scaled subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

As illustrated in FIGURE 16, apparatus 1700 includes providing module 1702 configured to provide a plurality of SSB SMTCs for one or more additional carriers to a wireless device according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.

The term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, for example, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks, procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and so on, as such as those that are described herein.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention. The components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. Moreover, the operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed by more, fewer, or other components. Additionally, operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed using any suitable logic comprising software, hardware, and/or other logic. As used in this document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the methods disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention. The methods may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order. The foregoing description sets forth numerous specific details. It is understood, however, that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of this description. Those of ordinary skill in the art, with the included descriptions, will be able to implement appropriate functionality without undue experimentation.

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

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

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method (1400) performed by a wireless device operating in idle/inactive mode with a serving carrier served by a non-terrestrial network node and one or more additional carriers, the method comprising: obtaining (1401) a plurality of synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configurations (SMTCs) for the one or more additional carriers; determining (1402) a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers; applying (1403) a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs; and performing (1404) measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to the scaled subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the SMTCs comprises a duration and applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs comprises scaling the duration.

3. The method of any one of claims 1-2, wherein each of the plurality of SMTCs comprises a periodicity, and applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs comprises scaling the periodicity.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein each of the plurality of SMTCs comprises a time offset with respect to a reference time, and applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs comprises scaling the time offset.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs comprises applying a first scaling factor to some of the SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs and applying a second scaling factor to the other SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein applying the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs comprises applying one or more of a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, and a floor function on the subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

7. The method of any one of claims 1-6, wherein a number of SMTCs in the subset of the plurality of SMTCs is determined based at least on a capability of the wireless device and a configuration of the non-terrestrial network node.

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the plurality of SMTCs is configured by system information block (SIB).

9. The method of any one of claims 1-8, wherein determining the subset of the plurality of SMTCs for use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers comprises applying an equation: N_SMTC,#i = F(K1, N_UE, N_NTN,#i) , wherein N_UE is the maximum number of SMTCs supported by a capability of the wireless device, N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i, and KI is the scaling factor, wherein the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and wherein F is a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, a floor, or any combination thereof function.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein a number of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs to be measured is min(NuE, N_NTN,#i) , wherein the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and wherein N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i.

11. The method of any one of claims 1-10, wherein if two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured with overlap, only one of the two SMTCs is measured, and wherein if the two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured non-overlapped, the two SMTCs are measured.

12. The method of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the one or more additional carriers belong to a radio access technology (RAT) of a serving carrier frequency.

13. The method of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the one or more additional carriers are non-serving carriers.

14. A wireless device (110) configured to operate in idle/inactive mode with a serving carrier served by a non-terrestrial network node and one or more additional carriers, the wireless device comprising processing circuitry (120) operable to: obtain a plurality of synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configurations (SMTCs) for the one or more additional carriers; determine a subset of the plurality of SMTCs to use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers; apply a scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs; and perform measurements on the one or more additional carriers according to the scaled subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein each of the SMTCs comprises a duration, and the processing circuitry is operable to apply the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs by scaling the duration.

16. The wireless device of any of claims 14-15, wherein each of the plurality of SMTCs comprises a periodicity, and the processing circuitry is operable to apply the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs by scaling the periodicity.

17. The wireless device of any of claims 14-16, wherein each of the plurality of SMTCs comprises a time offset with respect to a reference time, and the processing circuitry is operable to apply the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs by scaling the time offset.

18. The wireless device of any of claims 14-17, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to apply the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs by applying a first scaling factor to some of the SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs and applying a second scaling factor to the other SMTCs of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

19. The wireless device of any of claims 14-18, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to apply the scaling factor to the subset of the plurality of SMTCs by applying one or more of a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, and a floor function on the subset of the plurality of SMTCs.

20. The wireless device of any of claims 14-19, wherein a number of SMTCs in the subset of the plurality of SMTCs is determined based at least on a capability of the wireless device and a configuration of the non-terrestrial network node.

21. The wireless device of any of claims 14-20, wherein the plurality of SMTCs is configured by system information block (SIB).

22. The wireless device of any of claims 14-21, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to determine the subset of the plurality of SMTCs for use for performing measurements on the one or more additional carriers by applying an equation: N_SMTC,#i = F(K1, N_UE, N_NTN,#i) , wherein N_UE is the maximum number of SMTCs supported by a capability of the wireless device, N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i, and KI is the scaling factor, wherein the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and wherein F is a maximum, an average, a sum, a product, a minimum, a ceil, a floor, or any combination thereof function.

23. The wireless device of any of claims 14-22, wherein a number of the subset of the plurality of SMTCs to be measured is min(NuE, N_NTN,#i) , wherein the N_UE varies depending on different SMTCs, and wherein N_NTN,#i is the number of SMTCs configured for a carrier frequency #i.

24. The wireless device of any of claims 14-23, wherein if two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured with overlap, only one of the two SMTCs is measured, and wherein if the two SMTCs from among the subset of the plurality of SMTCs are configured non-overlapped, the two SMTCs are measured.

25. The wireless device of any of claims 14-24, wherein the one or more additional carriers belong to a radio access technology (RAT) of a serving carrier frequency.

26. The wireless device of any of claims 14-24, wherein the one or more additional carriers are non-serving carriers.