Patent Application
20240089940
The present disclosure relates to an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) network and, more specifically, to resource coordination between a Mobile Termination (MT) and a Distributed Unit (DU) co-located within an IAB node.
Densification via the deployment of an increasing number of base stations, be them macro or micro base stations, is one of the mechanisms that can be employed to satisfy the ever-increasing demand for more and more bandwidth/capacity in mobile networks. Due to the availability of more spectrum in the millimeter wave (mmw) band, deploying small cells that operate in this band is an attractive deployment option for these purposes. However, deploying fiber to the small cells, which is the usual way in which small cells are deployed, can end up being very expensive and impractical. Thus, employing a wireless link for connecting the small cells to the operator's network is a cheaper and practical alternative with more flexibility and shorter time-to-market. One such solution is an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) network, where the operator can utilize part of the radio resources for the backhaul link.
In
Furthermore, as shown in
As one major difference of the IAB architecture compared to a 3GPP Release 10 Long Term Evolution (LTE) relay (besides lower layer differences) is that the IAB architecture adopts the Central-Unit/Distributed-Unit (CU/DU) split of NR base stations (gNBs) in which time-critical functionalities are realized in the DU closer to the radio, whereas the less time-critical functionalities are pooled in the CU with the opportunity for centralization. Based on this architecture, an IAB-donor contains both CU and DU functions. In particular, it contains all CU functions of the IAB nodes under the same IAB-donor. Each IAB node then hosts the DU function(s) of a gNB. In order to be able to transmit/receive wireless signals to/from the upstream IAB node or IAB-donor, each IAB node has a mobile termination (MT), a logical unit providing a necessary set of UE-like functions. Via the DU, the IAB node establishes Radio Link Control (RLC) channels to UEs and/or to MTs of the connected IAB node(s). Via the MT, the IAB node establishes the backhaul radio interface towards the serving IAB node or IAB-donor.
Wireless backhaul links are vulnerable to blockage, e.g., due to moving objects such as vehicles, due to seasonal changes (foliage), severe weather conditions (rain, snow, or hail), or due to infrastructure changes (new buildings). Such vulnerability also applies to IAB nodes. Also, traffic variations can create uneven load distribution on wireless backhaul links leading to local link or node congestion. In view of those concerns, the IAB topology supports redundant paths as another difference compared to the Release 10 LTE relay.
The following topologies are considered in IAB as shown in
In regard to resource configuration and, in particular, time-domain resource coordination, in case of in-band operation, the IAB node is typically subject to the half-duplex constraint, i.e., an IAB node can only be in either transmission or reception mode at a time. Release 16 IAB mainly considers the time-division multiplexing (TDM) case where the MT and DU resources of the same IAB node are separated in time. Based on this consideration, the following resource types have been defined for IAB MT and DU, respectively.
From an IAB node MT point-of-view, as in Release 15, the following time-domain resources can be indicated for the parent link:
From an IAB node DU point-of-view, the child link has the following types of time resources:
Each of the downlink, uplink, and flexible time-resource types of the DU child link can belong to one of two categories:
The IAB DU resources are configured per cell, and the H/S/NA attributes for the DU resource configuration are explicitly indicated per-resource type (D/U/F) in each slot. As a result, the semi-static time-domain resources of the DU part can be of seven types in total: Downlink-Hard (DL-H), Downlink-Soft (DL-S), Uplink-Hard (UL-H), Uplink-Soft (UL-S), Flexible-Hard (F-H), Flexible-Soft (F-S), and Not-Available (NA). The coordination relation between MT and DU resources are listed in Table 1.
Furthermore, a DU function may correspond to multiple cells, including cells operating on different carrier frequencies. Similarly, an MT function may correspond to multiple carrier frequencies. This can either be implemented by one MT unit operating on multiple carrier frequencies, or be implemented by multiple MT units, each operating on different carrier frequencies. The H/S/NA attributes for the per-cell DU resource configuration should take into account the associated MT carrier frequency(ies).
One example of such DU configuration is in
In regard to resource configuration and, in particular, frequency-domain resource configuration, one of the objectives in the Release 17 IAB Work Item Description (WID) RP-201293 is to have “specification of enhancements to the resource multiplexing between child and parent links of an IAB node, including: support of simultaneous operation (transmission and/or reception) of IAB node's child and parent links (i.e., MT Tx/DU Tx, MT Tx/DU Rx, MT Rx/DU Tx, MT Rx/DU Rx).”
One idea for such enhancement is to provide frequency-domain resource configuration. Comparing to the time-domain counterpart, one example of the frequency-domain DU resource configuration is shown in
Systems and methods for configuration of Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) frequency-domain resource utilization are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a network node that implements a centralized network function unit for frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node comprises determining a configurable frequency part size(s) for a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node and determining a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node, the available bandwidth being divided into the plurality of frequency parts in accordance with the configurable frequency part size(s). The method further comprises sending the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration to the IAB node, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising information that indicates the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node. In this manner, high flexibility for configuring frequency-domain resource utilization at an IAB node to enable efficient frequency multiplexing is provided.
In one embodiment, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node comprises one or more of a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration for a Distributed Unit (DU) of the IAB node, a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration for a Mobile Termination (MT) of the IAB node, or a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration for an access link between the IAB node and a User Equipment (UE).
In one embodiment, determining the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node comprises determining the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node, and the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprises information that indicates the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, for each frequency part of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node, the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for the frequency part is either Hard, Soft, or Not Available.
In one embodiment, determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node comprises determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node such that the configurable frequency part size is a multiple of a size of a frequency part used for communication among the network node, a parent IAB node of the IAB node, a MT of the IAB node, a child IAB node of the IAB node, and/or a wireless communication device in a respective cellular communications system.
In one embodiment, determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node comprises determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node such that the configurable frequency part size is a multiple of a size of a resource block group (RBG).
In one embodiment, determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node comprises determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node such that the configurable frequency part size is one or more consecutive resource blocks in the frequency-domain.
In one embodiment, determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node comprises determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node based on information about a frequency-domain resource condition between the MT of the IAB node and a DU of the IAB node. In one embodiment, the MT of the IAB node establishes a communication interface or channel towards a parent IAB node and the DU of the IAB node establishes a communication interface or channel to a wireless communication device and/or establishes a communication interface or channel to the MT of a child IAB node.
In one embodiment, determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node comprises determining the configurable frequency part size for the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node based on information about a desired configurable frequency part size of the IAB node.
Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a network node that implements a centralized network function unit for frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node is adapted to determine a configurable frequency part size(s) for a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node and determine a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node, the available bandwidth being divided into the plurality of frequency parts in accordance with the configurable frequency part size(s). The network node is further adapted to send the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration to the IAB node, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising information that indicates the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, a network node that implements a centralized network function unit for frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node comprises processing circuitry configured to cause the network node to determine a configurable frequency part size(s) for a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node and determine a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node, the available bandwidth being divided into the plurality of frequency parts in accordance with the configurable frequency part size(s). The processing circuitry is further configured to cause the network node to send the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration to the IAB node, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising information that indicates the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node.
Embodiments of a method performed by an IAB node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by an IAB node comprises receiving a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration from a network node, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising information that indicates a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node. The method further comprises determining a frequency-domain resource usage of a MT of the IAB node and a DU of the IAB node based on the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration.
In one embodiment, the MT of the IAB node establishes a communication interface or channel towards a parent IAB node, and the DU of the IAB node establishes a communication interface or channel to a wireless communication device and/or establishes a communication interface or channel to a MT of a child IAB node.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises operating in accordance with the determined frequency-domain resource usage.
In one embodiment, for each frequency part of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node, the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for the frequency part is either Hard, Soft, or Not Available.
In one embodiment, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprises information that indicates the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, a size of the plurality of frequency parts is configurable.
In one embodiment, a size of the plurality of frequency parts is a multiple of a size of a frequency part used for communication among the network node, a parent IAB node of the IAB node, the MT of the IAB node, a child IAB node of the IAB node and/or a wireless communication device in a respective cellular communications system.
In one embodiment, a size of the plurality of frequency parts is a multiple of a size of a RBG.
In one embodiment, each frequency part of the plurality of frequency parts is one or more consecutive resource blocks in the frequency-domain.
In one embodiment, a size of the plurality of frequency parts is based on a frequency-domain resource condition between the MT of the IAB node and the DU of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, a size of the plurality of frequency parts is based on information about a desired configurable frequency part size of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises sending, to a network node, information about a frequency-domain resource condition between the MT of the IAB node and the DU of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises sending, to a network node, information about a desired frequency part size of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, determining the frequency-domain resource usage of the MT of the IAB node and the DU of the IAB node comprises determining, based on the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration, that there is interference between the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of a frequency part at the DU and the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an adjacent frequency part at the MT, and responsive thereto, performing one or more actions to determine the frequency-domain resource usage in such a manner as to mitigate the interference. In one embodiment, for a frequency part that is indicated by the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration as a Hard resource, performing one or more actions to determine the frequency-domain resource usage in such a manner as to mitigate the interference comprises determining to use the frequency part according to its configuration as a Hard resource irrespective of an impact of such use on an ability of the MT to transmit or receive in the same frequency part only if such use does not impact an ability of the MT to transmit and receive in any other frequency part. In another embodiment, for a frequency part that is indicated by the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration as a Soft resource, performing the one or more actions to determine the frequency-domain resource usage in such a manner as to mitigate the interference comprises determining to use the frequency part according to its configuration as a Soft resource only if such use does not impact an ability of the MT to transmit or receive in any frequency part. In another embodiment, for a frequency part that is indicated by the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration as a Not Available resource, performing the one or more actions to determine the frequency-domain resource usage in such a manner as to mitigate the interference comprises determining not to use the frequency part according to its configuration as a Not Available resource. In another embodiment, for a frequency part that is indicated by the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration as a Hard resource, performing the one or more actions to determine the frequency-domain resource usage in such a manner as to mitigate the interference comprises determining to use the frequency part according to its configuration as a Hard resource irrespective of an impact of such use on an ability of the MT to transmit or receive in any frequency part. In another embodiment, for a frequency part that is indicated by the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration as a Soft resource, performing the one or more actions to determine the frequency-domain resource usage in such a manner as to mitigate the interference comprises determining to use the frequency part according to its configuration as a Soft resource only if such use does not impact an ability of the MT to transmit or receive in the same frequency part.
In one embodiment, performing the one or more actions to determine the frequency-domain resource usage in such a manner as to mitigate the interference comprises sending, to the network node or a parent node of the IAB node, information about one or more desired guard bands that mitigate the interference and receiving, from the network node or the parent node of the IAB node, information about one or more provided guard bands that are based on the one or more desired guard bands. Determining the frequency-domain resource usage of the MT of the IAB node and the DU of the IAB node comprises determining the frequency-domain resource usage of the MT of the IAB nod and the DU of the IAB node comprises based on the information about the one or more provided guard bands.
Corresponding embodiments of an IAB node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, an IAB node is adapted to receive a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration from a network node, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising information that indicates a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node. The IAB node is further adapted to determine a frequency-domain resource usage of MT of the IAB node and a DU of the IAB node based on the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration.
In one embodiment, an IAB node comprises processing circuitry configured to cause the IAB node to receive a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration from a network node, the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising information that indicates a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node. The processing circuitry is further configured to cause the IAB node to determine a frequency-domain resource usage of MT of the IAB node and a DU of the IAB node based on the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration.
Embodiments of a method performed by a parent node of an IAB node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a parent node of an IAB node comprises receiving, from the IAB node, information about one or more desired guard bands of the IAB node, sending, to the IAB node, information about one or more provided guard bands for the IAB node, and explicitly indicating an availability of one or more soft resources to the IAB node.
Corresponding embodiments of a parent node of an IAB node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a parent node of an IAB node is adapted to receive, from the IAB node, information about one or more desired guard bands of the IAB node, send, to the IAB node, information about one or more provided guard bands for the IAB node, and explicitly indicate an availability of one or more soft resources to the IAB node.
In one embodiment, a parent node of an IAB node comprises processing circuitry configured to cause the parent node to receive, from the IAB node, information about one or more desired guard bands of the IAB node, send, to the IAB node, information about one or more provided guard bands for the IAB node, and explicitly indicate an availability of one or more soft resources to the IAB node.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
The embodiments set forth below represent information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure.
Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.
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.
Radio Node: As used herein, a “radio node” is either a radio access node or a wireless communication device.
Radio Access Node: As used herein, a “radio access node” or “radio network node” or “radio access network node” is any node in a Radio Access Network (RAN) of a cellular communications network that operates to wirelessly transmit and/or receive signals. Some examples of a radio access node include, but are not limited to, a base station (e.g., a New Radio (NR) base station (gNB) in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) NR network or an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNB) in a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) network), a high-power or macro base station, a low-power base station (e.g., a micro base station, a pico base station, a home eNB, or the like), a relay node, a network node that implements part of the functionality of a base station (e.g., a network node that implements a gNB Central Unit (gNB-CU) or a network node that implements a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU)) or a network node that implements part of the functionality of some other type of radio access node.
Core Network Node: As used herein, a “core network node” is any type of node in a core network or any node that implements a core network function. Some examples of a core network node include, e.g., a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or the like. Some other examples of a core network node include a node implementing an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a User Plane Function (UPF), a Session Management Function (SMF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), a Network Exposure Function (NEF), a Network Function (NF) Repository Function (NRF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), or the like.
Communication Device: As used herein, a “communication device” is any type of device that has access to an access network. Some examples of a communication device include, but are not limited to: mobile phone, smart phone, sensor device, meter, vehicle, household appliance, medical appliance, media player, camera, or any type of consumer electronic, for instance, but not limited to, a television, radio, lighting arrangement, tablet computer, laptop, or Personal Computer (PC). The communication device may be a portable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data via a wireless or wireline connection.
Wireless Communication Device: One type of communication device is a wireless communication device, which may be any type of wireless device that has access to (i.e., is served by) a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network). Some examples of a wireless communication device include, but are not limited to: a User Equipment device (UE) in a 3GPP network, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, and an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Such wireless communication devices may be, or may be integrated into, a mobile phone, smart phone, sensor device, meter, vehicle, household appliance, medical appliance, media player, camera, or any type of consumer electronic, for instance, but not limited to, a television, radio, lighting arrangement, tablet computer, laptop, or PC. The wireless communication device may be a portable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data via a wireless connection.
Network Node: As used herein, a “network node” is any node that is either part of the RAN or the core network of a cellular communications network/system.
IAB Node: As used herein, an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node is a RAN node that supports wireless access to UEs and wirelessly backhauls the access traffic. According to 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 38.300, V16.3.0, an IAB node is a RAN node that supports NR access links to UEs and NR backhaul links to parent nodes and child nodes.
IAB Donor Node: As used herein, an IAB donor node is a node that connects to the core network. According to 3GPP TS 38.300, V16.3.0, an IAB Donor Node is a gNB that provides network access to UEs via a network of backhaul and access links. The IAB donor includes a Central Unit (CU). Note that an IAB donor node may also be an IAB node. For instance, a donor IAB node is a parent IAB node, i.e., the IAB donor node serves as an upstream node for an IAB node, as depicted in
Note that the description given herein focuses on a 3GPP cellular communications system and, as such, 3GPP terminology or terminology similar to 3GPP terminology is oftentimes used. However, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to a 3GPP system.
Note that, in the description herein, reference may be made to the term “cell”; however, particularly with respect to 5G NR concepts, beams may be used instead of cells and, as such, it is important to note that the concepts described herein are equally applicable to both cells and beams.
There currently exist certain challenge(s) in regard to Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) networks in 3GPP. In Release 16, time-domain Hard (H)/Soft (S)/Not Available (NA) attributes are indicated per-resource type (Downlink (D)/Uplink (U)/Flexible (F)) in each slot. It has been envisioned in Release 17 IAB enhancement that configuring frequency-domain H/S/NA is advantageous to allow for greater flexibility, reduced cross-link interference (CLI), and reduced latency. However, how to indicate such frequency-domain resource utilization is not defined.
Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the aforementioned or other challenges. Embodiments of a method for a centralized network function unit (e.g., Central Unit (CU) of an IAB donor (i.e., an “IAB-donor-CU”) to indicate frequency-domain resource utilization in terms of H/S/NA to an IAB node are disclosed. Some embodiments also provide methods for an IAB node to treat the configured frequency-domain H/S/NA resources. Corresponding embodiments of a centralized network function unit and an IAB node are also disclosed.
There are, proposed herein, various embodiments which address one or more of the issues disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method performed by a network node that implements a centralized network function unit for frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node comprises one or more of the following: determining a configurable frequency part size(s) for a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node; determining a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node, wherein the available bandwidth is divided into the plurality of frequency parts in accordance with the configurable frequency part size(s); and sending the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration to the IAB node, wherein the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprises information that indicates the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node.
In one embodiment, a method performed by an IAB node comprises one or more of the following: receiving a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration from a network node, wherein the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprises information that indicates a mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node, and determining a frequency-domain resource usage of an IAB-MT of the IAB node and an IAB-DU of the IAB node based on the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration.
In one embodiment, a method performed by a parent node of an IAB node comprises one or more of the following: receiving, from the IAB node, information about one or more desired guard bands of the IAB node, sending, to the IAB node, information about one or more provided guard bands for the IAB node, and explicitly indicating an availability of one or more soft resources to the IAB node.
Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Embodiments of the solution(s) disclosed herein may provide high flexibility for configuring frequency-domain resource utilization at an IAB node to enable efficient frequency multiplexing between a Mobile Termination (MT) of an IAB node (i.e., an “IAB-MT”) and a Distributed Unit (DU) of the IAB node (i.e., an “IAB-DU”). Meanwhile, the complexity of fulfilling such configuration is low. Embodiments disclosed herein are compatible to the frequency allocation scheme used by a network device (e.g., a UE) so that the configured resource utilization at an IAB-DU can be effectively used to communicate with both a child IAB node or a served UE.
Some or all of the IAB nodes 704 (and the IAB donor node 702) are, in the embodiments described herein, capable of frequency-domain multiplexing (FDM). For an IAB node 704 that is capable of FDM, the IAB-MT 710 and the IAB-DU 712 can use time-domain resources simultaneously but need coordination on the usage of frequency-domain resources. It has been proposed to configure an FDM-capable IAB node 704 with frequency-domain H/S/NA. This configuration provides the IAB-MT 710 and the IAB-DU 712 with different priorities regarding different frequency-domain resources, and thereby introduces higher scheduling flexibility to the IAB network. Systems and methods are disclosed herein that provide ways of indicating such a configuration and how the configured resource should be treated at the IAB node 704.
Typically, in NR, the frequency-domain resource is processed per resource block (RB). If frequency-domain H/S/NA is also indicated per RB, however, the complexity of both resource configuration at the IAB-donor-CU 706 and resource utilization at the IAB node 704 is high. Another issue is the compatibility to an access UE frequency-domain resource allocation as specified in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 38.214 (e.g., V16.3.0), clause 5.1.2.2 for DL and clause 6.1.2.2 for UL, the granularity of which is in resource block groups (RBGs). Given allocation type 0, for example, the minimum RBG size allocated for a UE is two RBs. If H/S/NA is indicated per RB, it is likely that a given RBG that should have been allocated to a UE has half configured as Hard and half configured as NA at the IAB-DU 712. As a result, the whole RBG cannot be used by the UE. This largely limits the frequency-domain resources available for access links. Such conflict should be avoided when indicating frequency-domain H/S/NA to an IAB-DU 712.
Another different aspect between time-domain and frequency-domain resources is the interference between adjacent resources. In the TDM case, if the IAB-DU 712 uses Slot 1 and the IAB-MT 710 uses Slot 2, there is no interference between the IAB-DU 712 and the IAB-MT 710. But in the FDM case, if the IAB-DU 712 uses frequency-resource 1 and the IAB-MT 710 uses frequency-resource 2 with frequency-resource 1 and frequency-resource 2 being next to each other, there might still be interference between the IAB-DU 712 and the IAB-MT 710. This issue should be considered when defining frequency-domain H/S in terms of the usage of certain resource at the IAB-DU/MT and the impact on the IAB-MT/DU.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a centralized network function unit (e.g., the IAB-donor-CU 706) responsible for semi-static frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an IAB node 704 performs the method as illustrated in
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an IAB node 704 comprising an IAB-MT 710 and an IAB-DU 712 operates to perform the method illustrated in
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a parent-node comprising a parent IAB-MT and a parent IAB-DU operates in accordance with the method of
With reference to
The telecommunication network 1700 is itself connected to a host computer 1716, 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. The host computer 1716 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 1718 and 1720 between the telecommunication network 1700 and the host computer 1716 may extend directly from the core network 1704 to the host computer 1716 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1722. The intermediate network 1722 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private, or hosted network; the intermediate network 1722, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 1722 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).
The communication system of
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
The communication system 1800 further includes a base station 1818 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1820 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 1802 and with the UE 1814. The hardware 1820 may include a communication interface 1822 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 1800, as well as a radio interface 1824 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 1826 with the UE 1814 located in a coverage area (not shown in
The communication system 1800 further includes the UE 1814 already referred to. The UE's 1814 hardware 1834 may include a radio interface 1836 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 1826 with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE 1814 is currently located. The hardware 1834 of the UE 1814 further includes processing circuitry 1838, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE 1814 further comprises software 1840, which is stored in or accessible by the UE 1814 and executable by the processing circuitry 1838. The software 1840 includes a client application 1842. The client application 1842 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE 1814, with the support of the host computer 1802. In the host computer 1802, the executing host application 1812 may communicate with the executing client application 1842 via the OTT connection 1816 terminating at the UE 1814 and the host computer 1802. In providing the service to the user, the client application 1842 may receive request data from the host application 1812 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1816 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 1842 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
It is noted that the host computer 1802, the base station 1818, and the UE 1814 illustrated in
In
The wireless connection 1826 between the UE 1814 and the base station 1818 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 the UE 1814 using the OTT connection 1816, in which the wireless connection 1826 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve, e.g., latency and thereby provide benefits such as, e.g., reduced user waiting time and better responsiveness.
A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of 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 the OTT connection 1816 between the host computer 1802 and the UE 1814, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1816 may be implemented in the software 1810 and the hardware 1804 of the host computer 1802 or in the software 1840 and the hardware 1834 of the UE 1814, or both. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 1816 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 the software 1810, 1840 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1816 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the base station 1818, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 1818. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating the host computer 1802's measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency, and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software 1810 and 1840 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1816 while it monitors propagation times, errors, etc.
Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include Digital Signal Processor (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 (RAM), 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 some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
While processes in the figures may show a particular order of operations performed by certain embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that such order is exemplary (e.g., alternative embodiments may perform the operations in a different order, combine certain operations, overlap certain operations, etc.).
Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/136,475, filed Jan. 12, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/050498 | 1/12/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63136475 | Jan 2021 | US |
