The present disclosure relates to Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback timing in a wireless network.
In Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) New Radio (NR) Releases 15 and 16, one Downlink Control Information (DCI) schedules a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) on one cell only. The DCI format which is carried on a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) typically includes information about the downlink scheduling such as New Data Indictor (NDI), Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS), Frequency Domain Resource Allocation (FDRA), Redundancy Version (RV), Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) information (number of layers, scrambling code, etc.), and time domain resource allocation that includes a slot and length indicator value (SLIV). The DCI format also includes information about the uplink resources on which the Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback information can be transmitted by the User Equipment (UE). This can also include the PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator field, the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource index, power control commands, etc. The HARQ feedback can be carried on the PUCCH or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) on a primary cell (PCell), or a PUCCH on a secondary cell (SCell).
Since NR supports carrier aggregation with multiple numerologies, the slots where PUCCH transmissions would occur are used as reference to identify the HARQ feedback timing. If the UE detects a downlink (DL) DCI scheduling a PDSCH reception ending in slot n, the UE provides HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission within slot n+k, where k is indicated by the PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator field in the DCI format. Here, k=0 corresponds to the last slot of the PUCCH transmission that overlaps with the PDSCH reception. A corresponding excerpt from 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 38.213 (see 38.213-fa0) is shown below.
An example of HARQ feedback timing for DCI scheduling PDSCH on single cells in the case of Carrier Aggregation (CA) is shown in
Systems and methods related to Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) timing for Downlink Control Information (DCI) scheduling multiple cells are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system comprises receiving, from a base station, a DCI that schedules downlink transmissions to the wireless communication device on two or more serving cells of the wireless communication device. The method further comprises receiving and decoding the downlink transmissions on the two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI. The method further comprises determining a slot in which to transmit HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on the two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI based on a single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI and a reference timing and transmitting, to the base station, HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on the two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI in the determined slot. In this manner, efficient scheduling of PDSCH on multiple cells using a single DCI is provided, with a clear and unambiguous HARQ feedback timing.
In one embodiment, the reference timing is a slot in which one of the downlink transmissions that is scheduled for a reference cell ends. In one embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions. In one embodiment, the reference cell is configured by a base station in the cellular communications system. In one embodiment, the method further comprises receiving, from the base station, information that configures the reference cell. In one embodiment, receiving the information that configures the reference cell comprise receiving the information that configures the reference cell via higher layer signaling. In another embodiment, the reference cell is predefined. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells on which the wireless communication device receives the DCI. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions that has a lowest cell index from among cell indices of the two or more serving cells. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions that has a highest cell index from among cell indices of the two or more serving cells. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions selected as a function of cell indices of the two or more serving cells.
In one embodiment, the determined slot is slot X+Y, where X is the slot in which one of the downlink transmissions that is scheduled for a reference cell ends and Y is a number of slots indicated by the single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI.
In one embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions defined by a position in which corresponding scheduling information occurs in the DCI.
In one embodiment, the reference timing is a reference slot. In one embodiment, the reference slot is a slot in which a last-ending downlink transmission from among the downlink transmissions scheduled by the DCI ends. In one embodiment, the reference slot is counted according to a numerology of one of the two or more serving cells that carries the last-ending downlink transmission. In one embodiment, the determined slot is slot X+Y, where X is the reference slot and Y is a number of slots indicated by the single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI.
In one embodiment, the downlink transmissions are Physical Downlink Shared Channels (PDSCHs).
In one embodiment, at least two of the two or more serving cells use different numerologies.
Corresponding embodiments of a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system is adapted to receive, from a base station, a DCI that schedules downlink transmissions to the wireless communication device on two or more serving cells of the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device is further adapted to receive and decode the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI. The wireless communication device is further adapted to determine a slot in which to transmit HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI based on a single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI and a reference timing and transmit, to the base station, HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI in the determined slot.
In one embodiment, a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system comprises one or more transmitters, one or more receivers, and processing circuitry associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers. The processing circuitry is configured to cause the wireless communication device to receive, from a base station, a DCI that schedules downlink transmissions to the wireless communication device on two or more serving cells of the wireless communication device. The processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to receive and decode the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI. The processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to determine a slot in which to transmit HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI based on a single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI and a reference timing and transmit, to the base station, HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI in the determined slot.
Embodiments of a method performed by a base station for a cellular communications system are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a base station for a cellular communications system comprises transmitting, to a wireless communication device, a DCI that schedules downlink transmissions to the wireless communication device on two or more serving cells of the wireless communication device, the DCI comprising a single HARQ feedback timing indicator. The method further comprises receiving, from the wireless communication device, HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI in a particular slot, wherein the particular slot is defined based on the single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI and a reference timing.
In one embodiment, the reference timing is a slot in which one of the downlink transmissions that is scheduled for a reference cell ends. In one embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions. In one embodiment, the reference cell is configured by the base station in the cellular communications system. In one embodiment, the method further comprises transmitting, to the wireless communication device, information that configures the reference cell. In one embodiment, transmitting the information that configures the reference cell comprise transmitting the information that configures the reference cell via higher layer signaling. In another embodiment, the reference cell is predefined. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells on which the wireless communication device receives the DCI. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions that has a lowest cell index from among cell indices of the two or more serving cells. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions that has a highest cell index from among cell indices of the two or more serving cells. In another embodiment, the reference cell is one of the two or more serving cells for which the DCI schedules the downlink transmissions selected as a function (e.g., a predefined function) of cell indices of the two or more serving cells.
In one embodiment, the particular slot is slot X+Y, where X is the slot in which one of the downlink transmissions that is scheduled for a reference cell ends and Y is a number of slots indicated by the single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI.
In one embodiment, the reference timing is a reference slot. In one embodiment, the reference slot is a slot in which a last-ending downlink transmission from among the downlink transmissions scheduled by the DCI ends. In one embodiment, the reference slot is counted according to a numerology of one of the two or more serving cells that carries the last-ending downlink transmission. In one embodiment, the particular slot is slot X+Y, where X is the reference slot and Y is a number of slots indicated by the single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI.
In one embodiment, the downlink transmissions are PDSCHs.
In one embodiment, at least two of the two or more serving cells use different numerologies.
Corresponding embodiments of a base station for a cellular communications system are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a base station for a cellular communications system is adapted to transmit, to a wireless communication device, a DCI that schedules downlink transmissions to the wireless communication device on two or more serving cells of the wireless communication device, the DCI comprising a single HARQ feedback timing indicator. The base station is further adapted to receive, from the wireless communication device, HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI in a particular slot, wherein the particular slot is defined based on the single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI and a reference timing.
In one embodiment, a base station for a cellular communications system comprises processing circuitry configured to cause the base station to transmit, to a wireless communication device, a DCI that schedules downlink transmissions to the wireless communication device on two or more serving cells of the wireless communication device, the DCI comprising a single HARQ feedback timing indicator. The processing circuitry is further configured to cause the base station to receive, from the wireless communication device, HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions on two or more serving cells scheduled by the DCI in a particular slot, wherein the particular slot is defined based on the single HARQ feedback timing indicator comprised in the DCI and a reference timing.
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.
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 current exist certain challenge(s) with respect to Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) timing in a 3GPP network such as, e.g., a NR network. A UE can be configured with multiple cells. For a cell of the multiple cells, the UE can be configured to monitor one or more Downlink Control Information (DCI) scheduling a single cell and to monitor one or more DCI scheduling multiple cells. In DCI scheduling multiple cells, only a portion of the DCI may contain scheduling information relevant for each cell, and a single HARQ feedback indicator may be used. In such a case, the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) HARQ timing can become ambiguous. The DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells can be addressed to Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI), Modulation and Coding Scheme Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (MCS-C-RNTI), or Semi-Persistent Scheduling Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (SPS-C-RNTI) (which in NR may be referred as CS-RNTI or configured scheduling RNTI).
In this regard,
Thus, there currently exist certain challenge(s) in that HARQ feedback timing is defined relative to the slot in which PDSCH ends. For single DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells, HARQ feedback timing can becomes ambiguous, particularly when multiple PDSCHs end at different times or in different slots.
Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the aforementioned or other challenges. For single DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells, an unambiguous reference for HARQ feedback timing is defined or configured using one of the following options:
Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Solutions provided in present disclosure allow efficient scheduling of PDSCH on multiple cells using a single DCI, with a clear and unambiguous HARQ feedback timing.
The base stations 302 and the low power nodes 306 provide service to wireless communication devices 312-1 through 312-5 in the corresponding cells 304 and 308. The wireless communication devices 312-1 through 312-5 are generally referred to herein collectively as wireless communication devices 312 and individually as wireless communication device 312. In the following description, the wireless communication devices 312 are oftentimes UEs and as such are sometimes referred to herein as UEs 312, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Now, the description turns to details of some example embodiments of the present disclosure. DCI scheduling a single cell for downlink can be in DCI format DCI 1-0/1-1/1-2. DCI scheduling a single cell for uplink can be in DCI format DCI 0-0/0-1/0-2 for uplink. For convenience, DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells is referred to herein as DCI 1-X.
A UE 312 can be configured with multiple cells. For a cell of the multiple cells, the UE 312 can be configured to monitor one or more DCI scheduling a single cell and to monitor one or more DCI scheduling multiple cells. In DCI scheduling multiple cells, only a portion of the DCI may contain scheduling information relevant for each cell. An example of DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells is shown in
The embodiments below describe how to identify the HARQ feedback timing in case one DCI schedules PDSCH on multiple cells when the DCI contains a single PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator.
In an embodiment, a UE 312 is configured with multiple cells and is configured to monitor one DCI format (e.g., DCI 1_X) scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells. The UE 312 is configured with a reference cell for PDSCH HARQ ACK timing. The reference cell can be a PCell or a SCell. The reference cell can be one of the cells for which PDSCH is scheduled via the DCI. When DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells is received, the UE 312 determines the slot for transmission of the HARQ feedback for the PDSCHs relative to the slot in which the PDSCH of the reference cell ends. The determination of the slot for transmission of the HARQ feedback is further dependent on a single PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator field in the DCI scheduling the PDSCHs on multiple cells. The UE 312 decodes the PDSCHs and transmits the HARQ feedback on the uplink in the determined slot for transmission of the HARQ feedback.
An example is shown in
Another example is shown in
An example UE procedure is as follows. With reference to slots for PUCCH transmissions, if the UE 312 detects a DCI format 1_X scheduling PDSCH reception on the reference serving cell ending in slot n, the UE 312 provides corresponding HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission within slot n+k, where k is a number of slots and is indicated by the PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator field in the DCI format, if present, or provided by dl-DataToUL-ACK. k=0 corresponds to the last slot of the PUCCH transmission that overlaps with the PDSCH reception on the reference serving cell.
In one embodiment, the reference cell is configured via higher layers (e.g., by Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling). The reference cell can be explicitly configured as one of the cells for which PDSCH is scheduled via the single DCI scheduling PDSCHs on multiple cells. If the multi-cell DCI does not schedule the reference cell, a fallback solution is needed; in case the DCI only schedules a single cell, this cell would become the reference cell.
In one embodiment, a default reference cell can be defined. The default reference cell can be the cell where the DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells is received. If the multi-cell DCI does not schedule the reference cell, a fallback solution is needed; in case the DCI only schedules a single cell, this cell would become the reference cell.
For example, if the DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells is received on a PCell that schedules PDSCH on the PCell and an SCell, then the PCell can be the reference cell.
As another example, if the DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells is received on an SCell that schedules the SCell and the PCell, then SCell can be the reference cell.
In one embodiment, the reference cell is defined based on, e.g. cell indices of the cells scheduled by the DCI. For example, in one embodiment, the reference cell is defined as the cell among the scheduled cells with the lowest (or highest, or another function of) cell index.
In another embodiment, the reference cell can be defined via its position in the scheduling DCI, e.g. the cell carrying the PDSCH which scheduling information occurs first (or last, or at another defined position) in the DCI is the reference cell.
In an embodiment, a UE 312 is configured with multiple cells and is configured to monitor a DCI format (e.g., DCI 1_X) scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells. When DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells is received, the UE 312 determines the slot for transmission of the HARQ feedback (for the PDSCHs) relative to a reference slot. The reference slot can be the slot in which the last-ending PDSCH of the multiple PDSCHs scheduled by the DCI ends. Note that the reference slot is counted according to the numerology of the cell which carries the last-ending PDSCH. The determination of the slot for transmission of the HARQ feedback is further dependent on a single PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator field in the DCI scheduling PDSCH on multiple cells. The UE 312 decodes the PDSCHs and transmits the HARQ feedback on the uplink in the determined slot for transmission of the HARQ feedback.
An example is shown in
An example UE procedure is as follows. With reference to slots for PUCCH transmissions, if the UE 312 detects a DCI format 1_X scheduling PDSCH receptions with the latest PDSCH reception ending in slot n, the UE 312 provides corresponding HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission within slot n+k, where k is a number of slots and is indicated by the PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator field in the DCI format, if present, or provided by dl-DataToUL-ACK. k=0 corresponds to the last slot of the PUCCH transmission that overlaps with last symbol of PDSCH reception across the cells scheduled by DCI format 1_X.
At the wireless communication device 312, the wireless communication device 312 receives the DCI (step 808) and attempts to receive and decode the downlink transmissions scheduled by the DCI (step 810). Note that attempting to receive and decode the downlink transmissions is also referred to herein simply as “receiving and decoding” the downlink transmissions, where this receiving and decoding may be successful or unsuccessful. In order to transmit HARQ feedback for the downlink transmission scheduled by the DCI, the wireless communication device 312 determines a slot in which to transmit the HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions scheduled by the DCI based on the PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator included in the DCI and a predefined or configured reference timing (step 812). As discussed above, in one embodiment, the reference timing is a slot in which the downlink transmission for a reference cell among the cells for which the downlink transmissions are scheduled by the DCI. The reference cell may be configured, e.g., in step 804 or predefined (e.g., by 3GPP specifications), as discussed above with respect to Embodiment 1. As also discussed above with respect to Embodiment 2, in another embodiment, the reference timing is a configured or predefined reference slot. As discussed above, the reference slot may be, for example, the slot in which the last-ending downlink transmission from among the downlink transmissions scheduled by the DCI ends. The wireless communication device 312 transmits HARQ feedback for the downlink transmissions scheduled by the DCI in the determined slot (step 814).
In this example, functions 1010 of the radio access node 900 described herein (e.g., one or more functions of the base station 302 described above, e.g., with respect to
In some embodiments, a computer program including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the functionality of radio access node 900 or a node (e.g., a processing node 1000) implementing one or more of the functions 1010 of the radio access node 900 in a virtual environment according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. In some embodiments, a carrier comprising the aforementioned computer program product is provided. The carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable medium such as memory).
In some embodiments, a computer program including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the functionality of the wireless communication device 1200 according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. In some embodiments, a carrier comprising the aforementioned computer program product is provided. The carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable medium such as memory).
With reference to
The telecommunication network 1400 is itself connected to a host computer 1416, 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 1416 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 1418 and 1420 between the telecommunication network 1400 and the host computer 1416 may extend directly from the core network 1404 to the host computer 1416 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1422. The intermediate network 1422 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private, or hosted network; the intermediate network 1422, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 1422 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 1500 further includes a base station 1518 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1520 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 1502 and with the UE 1514. The hardware 1520 may include a communication interface 1522 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 1500, as well as a radio interface 1524 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 1526 with the UE 1514 located in a coverage area (not shown in
The communication system 1500 further includes the UE 1514 already referred to. The UE's 1514 hardware 1534 may include a radio interface 1536 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 1526 with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE 1514 is currently located. The hardware 1534 of the UE 1514 further includes processing circuitry 1538, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE 1514 further comprises software 1540, which is stored in or accessible by the UE 1514 and executable by the processing circuitry 1538. The software 1540 includes a client application 1542. The client application 1542 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE 1514, with the support of the host computer 1502. In the host computer 1502, the executing host application 1512 may communicate with the executing client application 1542 via the OTT connection 1516 terminating at the UE 1514 and the host computer 1502. In providing the service to the user, the client application 1542 may receive request data from the host application 1512 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1516 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 1542 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
It is noted that the host computer 1502, the base station 1518, and the UE 1514 illustrated in
In
The wireless connection 1526 between the UE 1514 and the base station 1518 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 1514 using the OTT connection 1516, in which the wireless connection 1526 forms the last segment.
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 1516 between the host computer 1502 and the UE 1514, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1516 may be implemented in the software 1510 and the hardware 1504 of the host computer 1502 or in the software 1540 and the hardware 1534 of the UE 1514, or both. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 1516 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 1510, 1540 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1516 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the base station 1518, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 1518. 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 1502's measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency, and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software 1510 and 1540 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1516 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.).
Some example embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows:
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 U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/091,699, filed Oct. 14, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2021/059475 | 10/14/2021 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63091699 | Oct 2020 | US |