Patent Application
20240397479
The present disclosure relates generally to a wireless device and methods performed thereby for handling a carrier to monitor paging. The present disclosure further relates generally to a first network node, and methods performed thereby for handling the carrier to monitor paging. The present disclosure further relates generally to a second network node, and methods performed thereby for handling the carrier to monitor paging.
Wireless devices within a wireless communications network may be e.g., User Equipments (UE), stations (STAs), mobile terminals, wireless terminals, terminals, and/or Mobile Stations (MS). Wireless devices are enabled to communicate wirelessly in a cellular communications network or wireless communication network, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system, cellular system, or cellular network. The communication may be performed e.g., between two wireless devices, between a wireless device and a regular telephone and/or between a wireless device and a server via a Radio Access Network (RAN) and possibly one or more core networks, comprised within the wireless communications network. Wireless devices may further be referred to as mobile telephones, cellular telephones, laptops, or tablets with wireless capability, just to mention some further examples. The wireless devices in the present context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the RAN, with another entity, such as another terminal or a server.
The wireless communications network covers a geographical area which may be divided into cell areas, each cell area being served by a network node, which may be an access node such as a radio network node, radio node or a base station, e.g., a Radio Base Station (RBS), which sometimes may be referred to as e.g., gNB, evolved Node B (“eNB”), “eNodeB”, “NodeB”, “B node”, Transmission Point (TP), or BTS (Base Transceiver Station), depending on the technology and terminology used. The base stations may be of different classes such as e.g., Wide Area Base Stations, Medium Range Base Stations, Local Area Base Stations, Home Base Stations, pico base stations, etc. . . . , based on transmission power and thereby also cell size. A cell is the geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the base station or radio node at a base station site, or radio node site, respectively. One base station, situated on the base station site, may serve one or several cells. Further, each base station may support one or several communication technologies. The base stations communicate over the air interface operating on radio frequencies with the terminals within range of the base stations. The wireless communications network may also be a non-cellular system, comprising network nodes which may serve receiving nodes, such as wireless devices, with serving beams. In 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), base stations, which may be referred to as eNodeBs or even eNBs, may be directly connected to one or more core networks. In the context of this disclosure, the expression Downlink (DL) may be used for the transmission path from the base station to the wireless device. The expression Uplink (UL) may be used for the transmission path in the opposite direction i.e., from the wireless device to the base station.
A network node may also be a core network node, that is, a node comprised in a core network of the wireless communications network.
The standardization organization 3GPP is currently in the process of specifying a New Radio Interface called NR or 5G-UTRA, as well as a Fifth Generation (5G) Packet Core Network, which may be referred to as Next Generation (NG) Core Network, abbreviated as NG-CN, NGC or 5G CN.
The Internet of Things (IoT) may be understood as an internetworking of communication devices, e.g., physical devices, vehicles, which may also be referred to as “connected devices” and “smart devices”, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that may enable these objects to collect and exchange data. The IoT may allow objects to be sensed and/or controlled remotely across an existing network infrastructure.
“Things,” in the IoT sense, may refer to a wide variety of devices such as heart monitoring implants, biochip transponders on farm animals, electric clams in coastal waters, automobiles with built-in sensors, DNA analysis devices for environmental/food/pathogen monitoring, or field operation devices that may assist firefighters in search and rescue operations, home automation devices such as the control and automation of lighting, heating, e.g. a “smart” thermostat, ventilation, air conditioning, and appliances such as washer, dryers, ovens, refrigerators or freezers that may use telecommunications for remote monitoring. These devices may collect data with the help of various existing technologies and then autonomously flow the data between other devices.
It is expected that in a near future, the population of IoT devices will be very large. Various predictions exist, among which one assumes that there will be >60000 devices per square kilometer, and another assumes that there will be 1000000 devices per square kilometer. A large fraction of these devices is expected to be stationary, e.g., gas and electricity meters, vending machines, etc.
Machine Type Communication (MTC) has in recent years, especially in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), shown to be a growing segment for cellular technologies. An MTC device may be a communication device, typically a wireless communication device or simply user equipment, that is a self and/or automatically controlled unattended machine and that is typically not associated with an active human user in order to generate data traffic. An MTC device may be typically simpler, and typically associated with a more specific application or purpose, than, and in contrast to, a conventional mobile phone or smart phone. MTC involves communication in a wireless communication network to and/or from MTC devices, which communication typically may be of quite different nature and with other requirements than communication associated with e.g. conventional mobile phones and smart phones. In the context of and growth of the IoT, it is evident that MTC traffic will be increasing and thus needs to be increasingly supported in wireless communication systems.
Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) may be understood as a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) radio technology standard developed by 3GPP to enable a wide range of cellular devices and services. NB-IoT may be understood to focus on indoor coverage, low cost, long battery life, and high connection density.
For NB-IoT, different coverage enhancement techniques have been defined to support use cases which may require radio reception in poor coverage. One such technique may be the use of repetitions when transmitting data and/or messages on different radio channels. The terminology Coverage Enhancement (CE) level may be commonly used in the literature to describe the coverage of an NB-IoT UE in IDLE mode and may be as specified by 3GPP in, e.g., 36.321, v. 16.0.0, section 5.1.1. The UE may be typically said to be in a specific CE level based on its Narrowband Reference Signal Received Power (NRSRP) measurements that may be compared with thresholds broadcasted by the eNB in the NB-IoT cell. There may be up to 3 CE levels per cell: denoted CE level 0 to CE level 2. CE level 0 may be understood to correspond to normal/good coverage, and CE level 2 to the worst case, where the coverage may be assumed to be very poor. One aspect of the different CE levels may be understood to be that the data and/or message transmissions on various radio channels may have to be repeated several times, especially for the higher CE levels 1-2, in order to be successfully received by UEs and/or eNBs.
At the RAN plenary meeting #86 on Dec. 9-12, 2019, a new Work Item (WI) entitled “Rel-17 enhancements for NB-IoT and LTE-MTC” was agreed, see RP-193264. One of its objectives consists in specifying the introduction of NB-IoT carrier selection based on the coverage level as stated in the Work Item Description (WID): “Introduce support for NB-IoT carrier selection based on the coverage level, and associated carrier specific configuration (e.g. maximum repetitions UL/DL, DRX configurations, etc.). [NB-IoT] [RAN2, RAN3]”
In Rel-13, Random Access (RA) and Paging may be only in the anchor carrier.
Multicarrier operation in NB-IoT has been supported since Rel-14. In Rel-14, multi-Physical Resource Block (PRB) operation may be enhanced such that UEs may both perform Random Access (RA) and monitoring of paging on non-anchor carriers. This may provide a capacity increase both for Random Access and Paging transmissions. The NW may configure and provide which carriers the UE may be required to use for paging in SIB22-NB. Non-anchor carrier configurations for RA and paging may be provided in a new System Information Block (SIB) SIB22-NB since they may be understood to need to be known to UEs in Radio Resource Control (RRC) Idle mode. Maximum number for paging and Random Access Channel (RACH) carriers may be maxNonAnchorCarriers-NB-r14+1, which may equal to 16.
For Paging as specified in 36.304, v16.0.0, the paging related parameters and static parameter such as the UE identity (UE_ID) may be used for selecting a paging carrier. For example, as stated in TS 36.304, v16.0.0, if a Paging-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (P-RNTI) is monitored on Narrowband Physical Downlink Control Channel (NPDCCH) and the UE supports paging on a non-anchor carrier, and if paging configuration for non-anchor carrier is provided in system information, then the paging carrier may be determined by the paging carrier with smallest index n (0≤n≤Nn−1) fulfilling the following equation:
Thus, paging carrier as such may be understood to be deterministic from the network and the UE perspective as it may involve a static attribute such as UE_ID and paging carrier weights.
That a paging carrier is deterministic may be understood to mean there is no ambiguity between the network and a UE. The network may be understood to be aware of where the UE may be listening for paging and the UE may be aware where the network may be expecting the UE to listen for paging.
Existing methods for paging use resources inefficiently, and may result in unnecessary waste of both, capacity and power consumption.
As part of the development of embodiments herein, one or more challenges with the existing technology will first be identified and discussed.
Rel-14 may allow NB-IoT UE monitoring of paging on a non-anchor carrier, but the non-anchor paging carrier may need to be used by all NB-IoT UEs, regardless of coverage condition, camped on the cell. If the maximum number of repetitions for paging, or paging Rmax, for NPDCCH is very large, the UEs in good coverage may experience large delays due to paging transmissions to UEs in poor coverage. A UE in good coverage may need to wait for a large number of paging NPDCCH repetitions to finish before starting to decode the paging message transmitted on the Narrowband Physical Downlink Shared Channel (NPDSCH).
Moreover, in order to avoid paging occasion (PO) overlap, paging parameters in SIB22-NB may need to be set properly. Since the paging carrier may be used for all NB-IoT UEs regardless of coverage conditions, Rmax for this paging carrier may usually be large in order to cover UEs in poor coverage, which may be understood to mean that there may usually be a large timing difference between Paging Occasions (POs). Thus, it may further introduce paging delays for UEs in good coverage.
Another problem with the current solution may be understood to be that all paging carriers in a NB-IoT cell may typically need to be configured so that all UEs in a cell may be paged successfully to the coverage limit. In many cases certain carriers may be more suitable to be used for transmitting paging to UEs in poor coverage compared to other carriers due to, for example, a power difference or different interference levels. An anchor carrier may provide the Narrowband Primary Synchronization Signal (NPSS) and Narrowband Secondary Synchronization Signal (NSSS), whereas both anchor and non-anchor may be used for paging and random access. An Anchor carrier may be power boosted compared to a non-anchor carrier, as it may also carry synchronization signal which may need to be used by a UE also camped on a non-anchor carrier. Because of power boosting, the coverage of the anchor carrier as such may be larger than the one of the non-anchor carrier. As a simple example, an NB-IoT cell with 2 carriers may be considered, where one of the carriers, typically the anchor carrier, may be power boosted and may thus have 6 dB higher power than the non-anchor carrier. If it is assumed that X repetitions are needed on the NPDCCH to reach a 1% Block Error Rate (BLER) on the anchor carrier for a paging message then 4*X repetitions would be needed to achieve the same decoding performance when the non-anchor carrier is used, assuming that each doubling of repetitions achieve a 3 dB gain. This may be understood to imply that the Rmax on the non-anchor carrier may typically need to be set four times larger compared to the value used on the anchor carrier to be able to sustain a certain max coverage of a cell, e.g., Maximum Coupling Loss (MCL) equal to 164 dB if max coverage enhancement is used in the cell. This may result in that when poor coverage UEs are paged on the non-anchor carrier compared to on the anchor carrier, more radio resources are wasted, and the UE power consumption is larger, due to the fact that its receiver may need to be turned on during a longer time duration and more amount of data may need to be accumulated/combined in the decoding process for a successful reception.
Due to the above, both unnecessary capacity and power consumption is wasted as a result of only using the static UE identity for selecting/determining the paging carrier used in an NB-IoT cell.
In 3GPP/RAN2, various discussions have been held on how the coverage condition of the UE may be used in the paging carrier selection. There are various problems related to having the carrier selection based only on the UE coverage measurements, refer to for example R2-166279, section 2.4. One solution to this, see R2-2006835 may be that the UE informs the network (NW) if it has changed CE level or selected a new carrier; however, this may lead to excessive signaling and UE power consumption and may be understood to thus not be a good solution.
Another solution being discussed is to have the paging carrier selection done by the UE based on the static UE identity but let the NW control the used paging carrier based on dynamic information such as coverage level and/or additional information such as load, see PCT/EP2017/075268, R2-166279, section 2.4, and R2-167624, section 2.3.
The latter approach lacks some detailed aspects on how to get a robust paging operation working in a NB-IoT system when, for example, the UE coverage level may change, or the UE may move out and/or in of coverage of a cell. Thus, additional rules and mechanisms may be needed so that paging may be done efficiently to meet both static and dynamic based criteria.
It is an object of embodiments herein to improve the handling of a carrier to monitor paging.
According to a first aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method, performed by a wireless device. The method is for handling a carrier to monitor paging. The wireless device operates in a wireless communications network. The wireless device obtains first information. The first information indicates how to determine a carrier to be used to monitor paging based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change in at least one of: a coverage condition and a cell to camp on. The wireless device also determines the carrier to monitor paging based on the obtained first information.
According to a second aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method, performed by a first network node. The method is for handling a carrier to monitor paging. The first network node operates in the wireless communications network. The first network node sends the first information. The first information indicates, to the wireless device operating in the communications network, how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging based on the change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change, for the wireless device, in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
According to a third aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method, performed by the second network node. The method is for handling a carrier to monitor paging. The second network node operates in the wireless communications network. The second network node obtain a first indication indicating a capability of the wireless device operating in the wireless communications network. The capability is to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on. The second network node also sends the second indication to one of the first network node, or another network node. The second indication indicates the indicated capability.
According to a fourth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the wireless device, for handling the carrier to monitor paging. The wireless device is configured to operate in the wireless communications network. The wireless device is further configured to obtain the first information configured to indicate how to determine the carrier configured to be used to monitor paging based on the change in coverage due to the change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on. The wireless device is further configured to determine the carrier to monitor paging based on the first information configured to be obtained.
According to a fifth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the first network node, for handling the carrier to monitor paging. The first network node is configured to operate in the wireless communications network. The first network node is further configured to send the first information. The first information is configured to indicate, to the wireless device configured to operate in the communications network, how to determine a carrier. The carrier is to be used to monitor paging based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is due to a change, for the wireless device, in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
According to a sixth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the second network node, for handling the carrier to monitor paging. The second network node is configured to operate in the wireless communications network. The second network node is further configured to obtain the first indication configured to indicate the capability of the wireless device configured to operate in the wireless communications network. The capability is configured to be to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage. The change in coverage is configured to be due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on. The second network node is further configured to send the second indication to one of a first network node, or another network node. The second indication is configured to indicate the capability configured to be indicated.
By the first network node sending and the wireless device obtaining the first information, the wireless device may be enabled to then know how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging whenever a change in coverage may happen due to a change in the coverage condition or the cell to camp on.
By determining the carrier to monitor based on the first information, the wireless device may be configured to flexibly select the carrier to be used for paging based on coverage levels, so that, for example, if the wireless device is in good coverage, the wireless device may be configured to monitor paging on a carrier configured with relatively less NPDCCH repetitions required to decode the message, whereas if the wireless device is in poor coverage, it may be configured to monitor paging on a power boosted carrier or a carrier configured with relatively more NPDCCH repetitions required to decode the message. Hence, the number of repetitions that may be required to decode the paging control channel, NPDCCH, and paging message, NPDSCH, may be less, and thus power consumption by the wireless device during paging may be thereby reduced.
Accordingly, paging delay may be reduced and paging may be deterministic. That is, there may be as a result be no ambiguity between the first network node and wireless device in terms of where to page and where to monitor for paging respectively; since the wireless device may obtain the rules on how to determine the carrier ahead of the time, the change may take place, so that the wireless device may not be required to inquire about what carrier to use whenever a change in coverage may occur, and when potentially the coverage may be poor.
Furthermore, specific paging carrier configuration may be understood to be helpful for capacity increase and paging load control since paging in non-anchor carrier(s) may alleviate the reliance upon e.g., an anchor carrier, and may free up resources in the anchor carrier and further provide a means to handle increased paging load, if any.
For example, for an NB-IoT cell with the anchor carrier being power-boosted, by for example 6 dB, and non-anchor carriers not being power-boosted, which may be understood to be a typical deployment today, all, or a very large part, of the good coverage UEs may be configured to be monitoring paging on the non-anchor carriers and the poor coverage UEs may be configured to monitor paging on the anchor carrier. This coverage level-based paging approach may be understood to save both UE power and spectrum resources, as less radio resources may be needed to page the poor coverage UEs since the number of repetitions may be understood to be less, and for example, for UEs which may be in good coverage, then paging multiplexing to multiple UEs on the non-anchor carrier may be performed, which may be more efficient.
By obtaining the first indication, the second network node may be enabled to know whether or not the wireless device may support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in coverage condition or cell to camp on. By then sending the second indication indicating the capability to the first network node or the another network node, the recipients may be enabled to know whether or not the wireless device may support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in coverage condition or cell to camp on and instruct the wireless device accordingly.
Examples of embodiments herein are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, according to the following description.
Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. Embodiments herein may be generally understood to relate to different aspects of providing methods for deterministic paging whilst considering dynamic attributes, such as coverage condition. Embodiments herein may be understood to provide mechanisms to improve the flexibility to configure paging resources based on paging carrier characteristics, e.g. power boosting level, and the coverage situation of a UE.
With the existing methods, paging may be provided only by means of static parameters, such as UE ID and preconfigured/known paging parameters. With the new mechanisms, the NW may configure the paging carrier with regards to dynamic attributes, such as based upon prevailing NRSRP, and rules in the UE for how to act upon coverage, e.g., NRSRP, changes when moving out of coverage of a configured paging carrier. The legacy paging mechanism may be also termed as static. The new mechanism defined according to embodiments herein may be termed as dynamic or coverage condition-based paging.
Some of the embodiments contemplated will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples are shown. In this section, the embodiments herein will be illustrated in more detail by a number of exemplary embodiments. 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. It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments.
Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) TDD, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network, GSM/Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) network, Ultra-Mobile Broadband (UMB), EDGE network, network comprising of any combination of Radio Access Technologies (RATs) such as e.g. Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) base stations, multi-RAT base stations etc., any 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) cellular network, WiFi networks, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), or any cellular network or system. Thus, although terminology from 5G/NR and LTE may be used in this disclosure to exemplify embodiments herein, this should not be seen as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein to only the aforementioned system.
The wireless communications network 100 may comprise a plurality of network nodes, whereof a first network node 111, is depicted in the non-limiting examples of panels a) and b) in
The second network node 112 may be a core network node having a capability to manage mobility for a wireless device such as the wireless device 130 described below. For example, the second network node 112 may have a capability to manage paging, e.g., paging events, such as having a capability to send paging requests. The second network node 112 may be, for example, a Mobility Management Entity (MME).
The wireless communications network 100 may cover a geographical area, which in some embodiments may be divided into cell areas, wherein each cell area may be served by a radio network node, although, one radio network node may serve one or several cells. The wireless communications network 100 may comprise a first cell 121, as depicted in panel a). In some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may further comprise one or more other cells 122. The one or more other cells 122 may comprise another cell 123, which may be referred to as a new cell. In panel a) only the another cell 123 is depicted as being comprised in the one or more cells 122. In panel b), three cells are depicted as being comprised in the one or more cells 122. This may be understood to be for illustrative purposes. It may be understood that any number of cells may be comprised in the one or more other cells 122. In the non-limiting example of
A plurality of wireless devices may be located in the wireless communication network 100, whereof a wireless device 130, is depicted in the non-limiting examples of
The wireless device 130 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communications network 100 in the first cell 121 with the first network node 111 over a first link 141, e.g., a radio link. The wireless device 130 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communications network 100 in the one or more other cells 122, respectively, over a respective second link 142, e.g., a radio link. The second link 142 may be understood to be between the wireless device 130 and the respective another network node 113 serving, respectively, one or more other cells 122, e.g., the first network node 111, as depicted in panel a), or the another node 113, as depicted in panel b). The first network node 111 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communications network 100 with the second network node 112 over a third link 143, e.g., a radio link or a wired link. The second network node 112 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communications network 100 with the another network node 113 over a fourth link 144, e.g., a radio link or a wired link. The wireless device 130 may move in the direction of the thick dashed arrows.
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.
In general, the usage of “first”, “second”, “third”, “fourth”, and/or “fifth”, etc. . . . herein may be understood to be an arbitrary way to denote different elements or entities and may be understood to not confer a cumulative or chronological character to the nouns they modify, unless otherwise noted, based on context.
Some embodiments herein will now be further described with some non-limiting examples.
Several embodiments are comprised herein. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments.
In the following description, any reference to a/the UE, or simply “UE” may be understood to equally refer the wireless device 130; any reference to a/the gNB, may be understood to equally refer to the first network node 111 or the another network node 113, based on context; any reference to a/the gNB, a/the NW and/or a/the network may be understood to equally refer to the first network node 111, the another network node 113 or the second network node 112, based on context.
In the section below, the embodiments disclosed herein are elaborated and illustrated focusing to support deterministic paging.
More specifically, the following are embodiments related to a wireless device, such as the wireless device 130, e.g., a 5G UE or a UE, embodiments related to a first network node, such as the first network node 111, e.g., a gNB, and embodiments related to a second network node, such as the second network node 112, e.g., an MME.
Embodiments of a method, performed by the wireless device 130, will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in
In some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may support at least one of: New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for Machines (LTE-M), enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), and Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT).
The method may be understood to be a computer-implemented method.
The method may comprise some of the following actions. In some embodiments, all the actions may be performed. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. A non-limiting example of the method performed by the wireless device 130 is depicted in
In the course of operations in the wireless communications network 100, the wireless device 130 may experience a change in coverage, e.g., due to mobility. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may be configured with a specific paging carrier, e.g., as described in PCT/EP2017/075268 during CONNECTED mode, or in the transition from IDLE mode to CONNECTED mode, e.g., as part of Msg4. Hereafter, this carrier may be referred to as a/the dedicated paging carrier. It may be also assumed that the dedicated paging carrier may be valid in the wireless device 130 until the next time the wireless device 130 may enter CONNECTED mode.
Some mechanisms may be needed for how the wireless device 130 may need to behave in IDLE mode when the coverage situation may change after a dedicated paging carrier may have been configured. There may be two basic scenarios. In a first scenario, the coverage becomes worse, so the wireless device 130 may camp on a new cell based on re-selection criteria of the cell. In a second scenario, the coverage becomes worse so the paging reception performance on the dedicated paging carrier, based on some criteria, may become poor, but the wireless device 130 may still camp on the same cell based on the re-selection criteria of the cell.
These two scenarios are described in some more detail below.
According to the first scenario, Scenario 1, the wireless device 130 may be camping on a cell, e.g., the first cell 121, and based on its identifier, e.g., its UE_ID, the wireless device 130 may monitor paging on Carrier 1. When entering CONNECTED mode, the NW may identify that the wireless device 130 may need to be moved to a dedicated paging carrier to monitor paging that is different from Carrier 1. The NW may instruct the wireless device 130 to monitor paging on the dedicated paging carrier. The wireless device 130 may monitor paging accordingly. The wireless device 130 may re-select a new cell based on the configured cell re-selection criteria. One open question in this scenario is what paging carrier the wireless device 130 may need to use to monitor paging on.
According to the second scenario, Scenario 2, the steps in this are the same as Scenario 1 except for the last step where the coverage situation becomes worse but no new cell is selected. The same question as for the previous scenario applies here as well.
One solution to the above open questions may be that a radio network node such, e.g., an eNB, may instruct the wireless device 130, through signalling, where to monitor paging after the coverage situation changes, such as in Scenario 2, e.g., based on reaching a certain Narrowband Reference Signal Received Power (NRSRP) threshold or estimated NPDCCH BLER becoming larger than a certain percentage value, for example, 1%, or in the case of camping on a new cell, such as in Scenario 1, by one of the following options: 1) the anchor carrier or, 2) using the legacy procedure (based on UE_ID) or, 3) the dedicated paging carrier from the previous cell.
The “option 3” may be beneficial to have in case all cells belonging to the same tracking area (TA) or the same radio network node, e.g., eNB, may have the exact same paging carrier configurations. Applying the same paging configuration in the whole NW, e.g., in all Tracking Areas (TAs), may also be considered but when a wireless device 130 moves into a new TA it may anyway connect to the NW in order to be paged, through a Tracking Area Update (TAU), so then a dedicated paging carrier may be configured again.
In this Action 201, the wireless device 130 may send a first indication to the first network node 111. The first indication may indicate a capability of the wireless device 130. The capability may be to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of: a coverage condition and a cell to camp on.
The sending in this Action 201 may be, e.g., transmitting.
The sending in this Action 201 to the first network node 111 may be, e.g., via the first link 141.
By sending the first indication to the first network node 111 in this Action 201, the wireless device 130 may enable the first network node 111 to know whether or not the wireless device 130 may support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in coverage condition or cell to camp on and instruct the wireless device 130 accordingly in the next Action 202, and to identify on which carrier to send the page; that is, where the wireless device 130 may be monitoring the paging.
In this Action 202, the wireless device 130 obtains first information. The first information indicates how to determine a carrier to be used to monitor paging. The first information indicates how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging based on a change, e.g., by the wireless device 130, in coverage due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on. For example, what the wireless device 130 may need to do if it moves away from the cell where it was assigned a new paging carrier or if its coverage condition changed significantly with respect to the assigned paging carrier so it may no longer be possible to receive paging on.
How to determine may be understood to mean for the wireless device 130 how to determine.
Obtaining may comprise, receiving or retrieving. In some embodiments, the first information may be received from the first network node 111 operating in the wireless communications network 100, e.g., via the first link 141.
The first information may comprise e.g., one or more rules, and one or more thresholds, such as a first threshold and a second threshold described below.
The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage estimated by the wireless device 130. The measure or radio coverage may be, e.g., e.g., an error rate, such as e.g., BLER, in a control channel, such as e.g., the NPDCCH. The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage, e.g., estimated by the wireless device 130, e.g., using a maximum number of repetitions, on e.g., a first carrier, such as a dedicated paging carrier. Another example of the measure of radio coverage may be, e.g., measured NRSRP, or Signal to Interference Noise Ratio (SINR), etc. . . .
The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage for a given coverage level, e.g., a given number of repetitions.
The coverage condition may exclude coverage level.
That is, the coverage condition may be understood to refer to a condition of a radio channel, separate from, or independent from a number of repetitions.
The change in cell to camp on may be understood to refer to the fact that the wireless device 130 may be in the first cell 121, and it may then move out of the coverage of the first cell 121, and into the coverage of the one or more other cells 122, e.g., the another cell 123. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may then move back into the coverage of the first cell 122.
In some examples, the change in coverage may comprise one or more transitions from connected state to idle state, or a from idle state to connected state.
The first information may indicate to use one of: an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, e.g., a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130, and a first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
The obtained first information may be based on the sent first indication.
In some examples, the obtained first information may indicate that at least one of the following options may apply. According to one option, with the proviso that a measure of the coverage condition indicates poor coverage with respect to a first threshold, the wireless device 130 is to select a fourth carrier, e.g., an anchor carrier or another carrier different than the dedicated paging carrier. According to another option, with the proviso that the measure of the coverage condition indicates good coverage with respect to a second threshold, the wireless device 130 is to select a fifth carrier, e.g., the first carrier, such as the dedicated paging carrier. For example, for Scenario 2 some mechanisms and/or rules may need to be clearly defined for how the wireless device 130 may need to monitor a changed coverage situation. One preferred approach may be that the wireless device 130 estimates the NPDCCH BLER for a Paging Downlink Control Information (DCI), using Rmax on the dedicated paging carrier. As long as this estimated BLER is less than a threshold, that either may be hardcoded, e.g., 1%, or signaled to the wireless device 130, the dedicated paging carrier may be required to be used. The estimated BLER may need to preferably be based on internal measurements of the wireless device 130, e.g. NRSRP and/or SINR, and may be based on the same and/or similar criteria as already used for the Msg3 Channel Quality Information (CQI) reporting for NB-IoT. When the estimated BLER may become larger than the threshold, another carrier may be required to be selected. This other carrier may then either be the anchor carrier of the cell or yet another paging carrier provided by the eNB through signaling, either dedicated as part of configuring the dedicated paging carrier or through System Information (SI) broadcast, e.g. SIB22-NB.
After having moved away from the dedicated paging carrier, e.g., based on the estimated BLER exceeding a threshold, the wireless device 130 may need to, as long as it may be camping on the same cell, evaluate if the coverage situation improves, and when the estimated BLER for the dedicated paging carrier may go below the same threshold, or the second threshold, it may be required to go back and monitor paging on that dedicated paging carrier.
The obtained first information may indicate at least one of the following options. According to a first option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 enters idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling, and continue to apply the obtained first information until the wireless device 130 enters connected state, also referred to as connected mode, next time. For example, as long as the wireless device 130 is camping on the cell where it was assigned a paging carrier and its coverage level has not changed or is better, the wireless device 130 may monitor paging using the assigned paging carrier provided before it was released to idle mode. According to a second option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, and with the proviso that second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is provided, e.g., broadcasted, in the another cell 123, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the second information. Second information may be understood to be equivalent to the first information, but provided in the another cell 123. According to a third option, with the proviso that; a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent, e.g., in broadcasts, in the another cell 123, and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration, e.g., a second carrier, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the fallback configuration indicated, e.g., the second carrier, in the first information. According to a fourth option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent, e.g., in broadcasts, in the another cell 123, and c) the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration, e.g., the second carrier, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on a third carrier, e.g., a fixed carrier, such as a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130.
Another scenario that may need clear rules may be what may need to happen if the wireless device 130 makes a cell re-selection and then comes back to the original cell where a dedicated paging carrier was configured without having been in CONNECTED mode in any other cell. In this scenario, the preferred approach may be that the wireless device 130 may continue to use the dedicated paging carrier in the same way as last time it was camping on the cell, that is, when it received the configuration for the dedicated paging carrier. In accordance with this, and according to a fifth option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 receives the first information in the first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in connected mode, and then re-selects the first cell 121, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the first information, e.g., based on the first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
As part of the above rules and/or criteria, some hysteresis, e.g., time, may need to preferably also be applied to avoid the wireless device 130 jumping between paging carriers too fast. One example of such hysteresis may be that the wireless device 130 may only be allowed to change carrier at most every X paging occasion, X may be predefined or signaled. Another example may be to have, as mentioned above, separate thresholds, e.g., Y % BLER for moving away from the dedicated paging carrier, and Z % for moving back.
In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply. In some embodiments, the first information may be received in dedicated signalling or in broadcasted information, e.g., SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB, in the first cell 121. In some embodiments, the second information may be received in broadcasted information in the another cell 123.
At least one of the first information and the second information may be received in an information element, such as the SRB-ToAddMod-NB-r13 or the SystemInformationBlockType22-NB information element, examples of which are shown below.
An example of how this may be signalled through L3/RRC is provided below. This may be provided to the wireless device 130 in SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB in the new cell, e.g., the another cell 123, or via dedicated signalling in the old cell, e.g., the first cell 121.
One alternative to introduce the IE may be in SIB22-NB illustrated with bold underlined text below, where only option 1 and 3 may need to be present and the absence of the IE may mean that the legacy UE_ID based method may need to be applied.
If the IE may instead be introduced as part of dedicated signalling, all three options may be beneficial to use, e.g., the IE may then look as follows:
The IE SystemInformationBlockType22-NB may contain radio resource configuration for paging and random access procedure on non-anchor carriers.
[
[
fallBackPagingCarrier-r17 ENUMERATED {anchor, dedicated_same_TA,
dedicated_same_eNB } OPTIONAL--
Need
OR
]
]
Another non-limiting example may be as follows, wherein NPRACH indicates NB-IoT Physical Random Access Channel:
There may be several options for how the dedicated paging carrier may be signaled to the wireless device 130 through dedicated signaling. From PCT/EP2017/075268, it is already clear that any of the L3 messages RRC Connection Setup/Resume/ReEstablishment/Release may be used, but the exact details on parameters that may be used are not disclosed. It may be enough with just transmitting an Rmax and the carrier identity, e.g., E-UTRA Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (EARFCN) or offset compared to anchor carrier or a pointer and/or index to the SIB22-list of carriers.
In a group of examples, a dedicated signaling may be extended where the common configuration of a DL non-anchor carrier, e.g., the IE DL-CarrierConfigCommon-NB-r14, together with the Rmax, e.g., npdcch-NumRepetitionPaging-r13 or npdcch-NumRepetitionPaging-r14, may be used.
In an alternate group of examples, to save signaling, only the carrier Index from SIB22-NB that points to a non-anchor carrier may be used.
A choice structure may be provided as an example of signaling extension according to the following: 1) point to a pagingCarrierIndex, e.g., in SIB22, or 2) include a carrier that is not present in SIB22 and then include other parameters such as Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle and Rmax value. The wireless device 130 may select a matching carrier based upon any of these values.
Thus, other information such as DRX cycle of that carrier may also be optionally included. If they are not present, then wireless device 130 may need to either obtain it from SIB2-NB, e.g., IE RadioResourceConfigCommonSIB-NB-r13, or the SIB22-NB in case the indexed carrier may be used.
An example in Abstract Syntax Notation one (ASN.1) of the carrier in dedicated signalling is provided below.
The IE RadioResourceConfigDedicated-NB may be used to setup/modify/release Radio Bearers (RBs), to modify the Medium Access Control (MAC) main configuration, and to modify dedicated physical configuration.
[
[
pagingCarrier-r17 CHOICE {
blerThresholdTarget-r17 INTEGER {1..10} OPTIONAL, -- Need OR
pagingCarrierIndex-r17 INTEGER(0..15) OPTIONAL, -- Need OR
otherPagingCarrier-r17 SEQUNECE {
assignedCarrier-r17 DL-CarrierConfigCommon-NB-r14
npdcch-NumRepetitionPaging-r14 ENUMERATED {
r1,
r2,
r4,
r8,
r16,
r32,
r64,
r128,
r256,
r512,
r1024,
r2048,
spare4,
spare3,
spare2,
spare1}OPTIONAL,
-- Need OR
drx-Cycle-r17 CHOICE {
shortDrx
-Cycle ENUMERAED { sf256, sf512, sf1024, sf1536}
longDrx-Cycle ENUMERATED { sf2048, sf3072,
sf4096,
sf4608,
sf6144,
sf7680,
sf8192,
sf9216}
}
OPTIONAL
- Need OR
]
]
The above signaling delta, indicated in bold underlined font, may also be added on top level Msg4 or in RRC Connection Release or RRC Reconfiguration message.
Signaling details on some of the other parameters mentioned above for example multiple NPDCCH BLER thresholds and hysteresis values are not disclosed illustratively further herein, but they may be added into either dedicated signaling IEs, e.g. to the SRB-ToAddMod-NB-r13,or as part of SIB22-NB.
Even if the above solutions/examples are provided in the context of NB-IoT, similar mechanisms may apply for other technologies such as LTE-M and NR. For example, in the former, a paging narrowband may be used and in the latter a paging Bandwidth Part (BWP) may be used in a similar way as the NB-IoT paging carrier.
Further, there may be one more approach where the NW may allocate a particular paging carrier including CE level from that carrier where the wireless device 130 may need to monitor for paging. The CE level may be associated or derived based upon the already existing NRSRP threshold values or new threshold values defined for paging purpose. Thus, the network may assign the wireless device 130 a CE level, besides a particular carrier, via dedicated signalling; an example; prior to releasing the wireless device 130 to idle or via Msg4.
If the condition changes, e.g., the wireless device 130 may find itself in a different CE level, for example requiring more repetitions, the wireless device 130 may follow the fall-back mechanism as illustrated in above example: 1) the anchor carrier or 2) using the legacy procedure, based on UE_ID, or 3) the dedicated paging carrier from the previous cell.
The network may assign a dedicated paging carrier to the wireless device 130, however if there is a need to use that carrier for another purpose in the meantime, the wireless device 130 may need to be notified. This may be done either with paging the wireless device 130 so that wireless device 130 may trigger the random-access procedure to establish a connection, or with an indication broadcasted in system information, or as part of a system information notification update that such carrier cannot be used for paging anymore and UEs impacted may need to fallback to the legacy method based on UE-ID, or as specified in previous sections.
By obtaining the first information in this Action 202, the wireless device 130 may be enabled to know how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging on a change in coverage due to a change in the coverage condition or the cell to camp on. The wireless device 130 may therefore be configured to flexibly select the carrier to be used for paging based on coverage levels, so that for example, if the wireless device 130 is in good coverage, the wireless device 130 may be configured to monitor paging in non-power boosted carrier(s) whereas if the wireless device 130 is in poor coverage, it may be configured to monitor paging in a power boosted carrier. Hence, power consumption by the wireless device 130 during paging may be thereby reduced.
Paging delay may also be reduced since, for example, the wireless device 130 may not need to wait longer to receive the PDSCH carrying the paging message, which may be scheduled by PDCCH, that is, fewer number of repetitions may be required, hence less delay.
Furthermore, specific paging carrier configuration may be understood to be helpful for capacity increase and paging load control since paging in non-anchor carrier(s) may alleviate the reliance upon e.g., an anchor carrier, and may free up resources in the anchor carrier and further provide a means to handle increased paging load if any.
For example, for an NB-IoT cell with the anchor carrier being power-boosted, by for example 6 dB, and non-anchor carriers not being power-boosted, which may be understood to be a typical deployment today, all, or a very large part, of the good coverage UEs may be configured to be monitoring paging on the non-anchor carriers and the poor coverage UEs may be configured to monitor paging on the anchor carrier. This coverage level-based paging approach may be understood to save both UE power and spectrum resources, as less radio resources may be needed to page the poor coverage UEs, and for example multiplex paging to multiple UEs on the non-anchor carrier may be performed, which may be more efficient.
According to embodiments herein, dedicated RRC configuration may be introduced to allow the first network node 111 to assign a paging carrier to the wireless device 130 other than that that may be selected based on the UE_ID.
According to embodiments herein, dedicated RRC configuration may be introduced for the wireless device 130 to use a paging carrier other than the dedicated paging carrier in case its coverage level/condition may deteriorate within the cell.
According to embodiments herein, dedicated and/or broadcasted RRC configuration may be introduced for the wireless device 130 to use a paging carrier other than the dedicated paging carrier in case a new cell may be selected.
In some of the embodiments, the wireless device 130 may have received the first information in the first cell 121, and the wireless device 130 may camp on the another cell 123, e.g., after it may have moved. In some embodiments such as these, the method may further comprise Action 203. In this Action 203, the wireless device 130 may obtain the second information in the another cell 123 indicating how to select the carrier to be used for paging in the another cell 123. The carrier may be further determined based on the obtained second information.
Obtaining may comprise, receiving or retrieving. The obtaining in this Action 203 may be in the another cell 123, e.g., by receiving via the second link 142.
By obtaining the second information in this Action 203, the wireless device 130 may be enabled to know how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging on a change in coverage due to a change in cell to camp on. Hence, paging delay may be reduced and power consumption by the wireless device 130 during paging may be thereby reduced. Furthermore, specific paging carrier configuration may be understood to be helpful for capacity increase and paging load control.
In this Action 204, the wireless device 130 determines the carrier to monitor paging based on the obtained first information in Action 202.
Determining in this Action 204 may comprise deciding or calculating.
The carrier may be further determined based on the obtained second information.
The determining in this Action 204 may be performed while the wireless device 130 may be in idle state. The idle state may be, e.g., as defined in NB-IoT or LTE or in a younger system having equivalent functionality.
By, in this Action 204, determining the carrier to monitor paging based on the obtained first information, or based on the second information, the wireless device 130 may be enabled to reduce the paging delay and the power consumption during paging may be thereby. Furthermore, the paging load may be controlled and the capacity of the wireless communications system 100 may be increased.
In this Action 205, the wireless device 130 may tune to the determined carrier to monitor paging.
Embodiments of a method, performed by the first network node 111, will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in
In some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may support at least one of: New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for Machines (LTE-M), enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), and Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT).
The method may be understood to be a computer-implemented method.
The method may comprise one or more of the following actions. In some embodiments, all the actions may be performed. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. A non-limiting example of the method performed by the first network node 111 is depicted in
The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and will thus not be repeated here to simplify the description. For example, the coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage, e.g., estimated by the wireless device 130.
In this Action 301, the first network node 111 may receive at least one of: a) the first indication from the wireless device 130, e.g., via the first link 141, and b) a second indication from the second network node 112 operating in the wireless communications network 100. The first indication or the second indication may be understood to indicate the capability of the wireless device 130 to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
In this Action 302, the first network node 111 sends the first information indicating, to the wireless device 130 operating in the communications network 100, how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging based on the change in coverage due to the change, for the wireless device 130, in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
Sending may comprise transmitting. In some embodiments, the first information may be sent to the wireless device 130. In some examples, the first information may be sent to the wireless device 130, e.g., via the first link 141.
In some embodiments, the sent first information may be based on the received first indication.
The first information may comprise e.g., the one or more rules, and the one or more thresholds, such as the first threshold and the second threshold described earlier.
How to determine may be understood to mean for the wireless device 130 how to determine.
The measure or radio coverage may be, e.g., an error rate, such as e.g., BLER, in a control channel, such as e.g., the NPDCCH. The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage, e.g., estimated by the wireless device 130, e.g., using a maximum number of repetitions, on e.g., a first carrier, such as a dedicated paging carrier.
Another example of the measure of radio coverage may be, e.g., measured NRSRP, or SINR, etc. . . .
The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage for a given coverage level, e.g., a given number of repetitions.
The coverage condition may exclude coverage level.
That is, the coverage condition may be understood to refer to a condition of a radio channel, separate from, or independent from a number of repetitions.
The change in cell to camp on may be understood to refer to the fact that the wireless device 130 may be in the first cell 121, and it may then move out of the coverage of the first cell 121, and into the coverage of the one or more other cells 122, e.g., the another cell 123. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may then move back into the coverage of the first cell 122.
In some examples, the change in coverage may comprise one or more transitions from connected state to idle state, or a from idle state to connected state.
In some embodiments, the sent first information may indicate that at least one of the following options. According to a first option, with the proviso that a measure of the coverage condition may indicate poor coverage with respect to the first threshold, the wireless device 130 may be required to select the fourth carrier, e.g., an anchor carrier or another carrier different than the dedicated paging carrier. According to a second option, with the proviso that the measure of the coverage condition may indicate good coverage with respect to the second threshold, the wireless device 130 may be required to select the fifth carrier, e.g., the first carrier, such as the dedicated paging carrier.
In some embodiments, the first information may be sent in an information element, such as the SRB-ToAddMod-NB-r13 or the SystemInformationBlockType22-NB information element, an example of which has been shown earlier in this document.
The first information may indicate to use one of: the anchor carrier, the fixed carrier, e.g., the carrier derived based on the identifier of the wireless device 130, and the first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
The sent first information may indicate at least one of the following options. According to the first option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 enters idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling, and continue to apply the obtained first information until the wireless device 130 enters connected state next time. According to the second option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, and with the proviso that the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is provided, e.g., broadcasted, in the another cell 123, the first indication may indicate that the wireless device 130 may need to determine the carrier to be used based on the second information. According to the third option, with the proviso that; a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, and b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent, e.g., in broadcasts, in the another cell 123, and c) the first information indicates the fallback configuration, e.g., the second carrier, the first indication may indicate that the wireless device 130 may need to determine the carrier to be used based on the fallback configuration indicated, e.g., the second carrier, in the first information. According to the fourth option, wherein the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration, e.g., the second carrier, and with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent, e.g., in broadcasts, in the another cell 123, the first indication may indicate that the wireless device 130 may need to determine the carrier to be used based on the third carrier, e.g., a fixed carrier, such as a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130. According to the fifth option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 receives the first information in the first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in connected mode, and then re-selects the first cell 121, the first indication may indicate that the wireless device 130 may need to determine the carrier to be used based on the first information, e.g., based on the first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply. According to a first option, the first information may be sent in dedicated signalling or in broadcasted information, e.g., SIB2-NB or SIB22-NB in the first cell 121. According to a second option, the second information may be sent in broadcasted information in the another cell 123.
In some examples, the first network node 111 may have sent the first information in the first cell 121, and the wireless device 130 may camp on another cell 123. In some examples such as such examples, the sending in Action 302 may further comprise sending the second information.
The sending of the second information may be in the another cell 123, e.g., by sending via the second link 142.
The second information may indicate how to select the carrier to be used for paging in the another cell 123.
The first network node 11 may determine the carrier for the wireless device 130 to monitor paging, e.g., based on the sent first information.
The carrier may be further determined based on the obtained second information.
In this Action 303, the first network node 111 may send third information to the second network node 112 operating in the wireless communications network 100, e.g., via the third link 143. The third information may indicate a paging carrier configured by the first network node 111 to page the wireless device 130 after a connection release.
By sending the third information in this Action 303, the first network node 111 enables the second network node 112 to know the paging carrier configured by the first network node 111 to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release. This may enable the second network node 112 to store the information and include the information for a next paging.
In this Action 304, the first network node 111 may receive a third indication from the second network node 112 operating in the wireless communications network 100, e.g., via the third link 143. The third indication may indicate a paging carrier configured by the first network node 111, or another network node 113, to page the wireless device 130, e.g., after the connection release.
Embodiments of a method, performed by the second network node 112, will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in
In some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may support at least one of: New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for Machines (LTE-M), enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), and Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT).
The method may be understood to be a computer-implemented method.
The method may comprise some of the following actions. In some embodiments, all the actions may be performed. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. A non-limiting example of the method performed by second network node 112 is depicted in
The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and will thus not be repeated here to simplify the description. For example, the coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage, e.g., estimated by the wireless device 130.
In this Action 401, the second network node 112 obtains the first indication indicating the capability of the wireless device 130 operating in the wireless communications network 100, to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
In some examples, the second network node 112 may obtain, in this Action 401, another indication indicating the first indication, such as e.g., a fourth indication.
The obtaining in this Action 401 may be of at least one of: a) the first indication originating in the wireless device 130, and b) the another indication from e.g., the first network node 111 or the second network node 112 operating in the wireless communications network 100.
Obtaining may comprise, receiving or retrieving. The first indication originating in the wireless device 130 may be received e.g., via the first link 141 and the third link 143, via the first network node 111.
The another indication may e.g., be based on or comprise, or indicate the first indication, as originally provided by the wireless device 130.
The first indication or the another indication may indicate the capability of the wireless device 130. The capability may be to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
The measure or radio coverage may be, e.g., e.g., an error rate, such as e.g., BLER, in a control channel, such as e.g., the NPDCCH. The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage, e.g., estimated by the wireless device 130, e.g., using a maximum number of repetitions, on e.g., a first carrier, such as a dedicated paging carrier.
Another example of the measure of radio coverage may be, e.g., measured NRSRP, or SINR, etc. . . .
The coverage condition may be determined based on a measure of radio coverage for a given coverage level, e.g., a given number of repetitions.
The coverage condition may exclude coverage level.
That is, the coverage condition may be understood to refer to a condition of a radio channel, separate from, or independent from a number of repetitions.
In some examples, the change in coverage may comprise one or more transitions from connected state to idle state, or a from idle state to connected state.
In this Action 402, the second network node 112 sends the second indication to one of the first network node 111, or another network node 113. The second indication indicates the indicated capability. That is, the capability indicated in the obtained first indication.
The second network node 112 may send the second indication to one of the first network node 111, e.g., via the third link 143, or another network node, e.g., the another network node 113, e.g., via the fourth link 144.
The change in cell to camp on may be understood to refer to the fact that the wireless device 130 may be in the first cell 121, and it may then move out of the coverage of the first cell 121, and into the coverage of the one or more other cells 122, e.g., the another cell 123. In some examples, the wireless device 130 may then move back into the coverage of the first cell 122.
By sending the second indication in this Action 402, the second network node 112 may enable the first network node 111 or the another network node 113 to know the capability of the wireless device 130 and thereby use it to determine the paging carrier to be used to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release, in accordance with the capability of the wireless device 130. Since paging may be performed in idle more and initiated by the second network node 112, e.g., an MME, the first network node 111, e.g., an eNB, may not be able to fetch the capability from the wireless device 130. It may be understood to have to be obtained from the second network node 112.
In this Action 403, the second network node 112 may receive the third information from the first network node 111, e.g., via the third link 143, or the another network node 113, e.g., via the fourth link 144. The third information may indicate the paging carrier configured by the first network node 111, or the another network node 113, to page the wireless device 130 after the connection release.
In this Action 404, the second network node 112 may send the third indication to one of the first network node 111, e.g., via the third link 143, or the another network node 113, e.g., via the fourth link 144. The third indication may indicate the indicated paging carrier. That is, the third indication may indicate a paging carrier to page the wireless device 130.
The coverage level of the wireless device 130, e.g., a UE, may be understood to be a dynamic attribute, and this may change if NRSRP changes. A UE autonomous carrier selection based upon coverage level may cause mismatch on the selected carrier and the assigned/configured carrier for paging from the network. Thus, any potential approach may be understood to need to follow the legacy principle of deterministic paging carrier usage. That is, there should be no mismatch between the carrier the wireless device 130 may monitor for paging and where the network may expect to reach the wireless device 130 when paged in a certain coverage condition. Paging carrier selection may remain deterministic. This may ensure there may be no mismatch between which paging carrier the wireless device 130 may be monitoring and which paging carrier the network may be expecting the wireless device 130 to monitor. One approach described in embodiments herein may be to follow the legacy principle of paging, that is, the second network node 112, e.g., an MME, may page the wireless device 130 in the last known location first, and introduce enhancements for what paging carrier the wireless device 130 may use. For example, a method may be as listed below in a sequential order:
1. The wireless device 130 may monitor for paging in accordance with the pre-Rel-17 mechanism, e.g., based on UE_ID, as default behavior.
2. The first network node 111, an eNB, may assign a new paging carrier different from the one based on UE_ID to the wireless device 130 in connected mode or during connection establishment, whose attributes, e.g., Rmax, may be provided in a dedicated message or broadcasted signaling.
3. When the wireless device 130 is released to idle mode, the first network node 111 may inform the second network node 112, e.g., an MME about the assigned paging carrier and the wireless device 130 may monitor paging using the assigned carrier when it may camp on the same cell where it was released and may experience similar coverage conditions.
4. If the wireless device 130 moves away from the cell or the coverage situation/condition changes in the same cell, the wireless device 130 may monitor paging based on what may be signaled by the network to avoid any mismatch.
As a summarized overview of the foregoing, UE behavior may be specified according to embodiments herein, in order to ensure deterministic paging so that in case of mobility, e.g., cell change, or a coverage condition change, as a result of degraded and/or improved signal quality, the NW may still page the UE by signaling well defined rules, that is, UE behavior, whilst providing flexibility to include dynamic attributes for paging carrier selection.
Certain embodiments disclosed herein may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s), which may be summarized as follows. Paging delay may be understood to be reduced and UE power consumption during paging may be reduced for UEs. Specific paging carrier configuration may be helpful for capacity increase and paging load control.
Several embodiments are comprised herein. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and will thus not be repeated here. For example, in some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may support at least one of: New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for Machines (LTE-M), enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), and Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT).
In
The wireless device 130 is configured to perform the obtaining of Action 202, e.g. by means of an obtaining unit 801 within the wireless device 130, configured to obtain the first information configured to indicate how to determine the carrier configured to be used to monitor paging based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
The wireless device 130 is configured to perform the determining of Action 204, e.g. by means of a determining unit 802, configured to determine the carrier to monitor paging based on the first information configured to be obtained.
In some embodiments, the first information configured to be obtained may be configured to indicate at least one of the following options. According to a first option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 enters idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier configured to be assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling, and continue to apply the first information configured to be obtained until the wireless device 130 enters connected state next time. According to a second option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, and with the proviso that second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is provided in the another cell 123, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the second information. According to a third option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the another cell 123, and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the fallback configuration configured to be indicated in the first information. According to a fourth option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the another cell 123, and c) the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the third carrier, such as a carrier configured to be derived based on an identifier of the wireless device 130. According to a fifth option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 receives the first information in a first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in connected mode, and then re-selects the first cell 121, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the first information.
In some embodiments, the first information configured to be obtained may be configured to indicate that at least one of the following options. According to one option, with the proviso that a measure of the coverage condition indicates poor coverage with respect to the first threshold, the wireless device 130 is to select the fourth carrier. According to another option, with the proviso that the measure of the coverage condition indicates good coverage with respect to the second threshold, the wireless device 130 is to select the fifth carrier.
In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply. In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be received in dedicated signalling or in broadcasted information in the first cell 121. In some embodiments, the second information may be configured to be received in broadcasted information in the another cell 123.
In some embodiments, at least one of the first information and the second information may be configured to be received in an information element.
In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to indicate to use one of: the anchor carrier, the fixed carrier, and the first carrier configured to be assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be received from the first network node 111 configured to be operating in the wireless communications network 100.
The wireless device 130 may be configured to perform the sending of Action 201, e.g. by means of a sending unit 803, configured to send the first indication to the first network node 111. The first indication may be configured to indicate the capability of the wireless device 130 to support the change of paging carrier based on the change in coverage due to the change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on. The first information configured to be obtained may be configured to be based on the first indication configured to be sent.
In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 may be further configured to, having received the first information in the first cell 121, and camping on another cell 123, The wireless perform the obtaining of Action 203, e.g. by means of the obtaining unit 801, configured to, obtain the second information in the another cell 123 configured to indicate how to select the carrier to be used for paging in the another cell 123. The carrier may be further configured to be determined based on the second information configured to be obtained.
In some embodiments, the coverage condition may be configured to be determined based on the measure of radio coverage configured to be estimated by the wireless device 130.
The wireless device 130 may be configured to perform the tuning of Action 205, e.g. by means of a tuning unit 804 within the wireless device 130, configured to, tune to the carrier configured to be determined to monitor paging.
Other units 805 may be comprised in the wireless device 130.
The embodiments herein in the wireless device 130 may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 806 in the wireless device 130 depicted in
The wireless device 130 may further comprise a memory 807 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 807 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the wireless device 130.
In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 may receive information from, e.g., the first network node 111, the second network node 112, and/or the another network node 113, through a receiving port 808. In some embodiments, the receiving port 808 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in wireless device 130. In other embodiments, the wireless device 130 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communications network 100 through the receiving port 808. Since the receiving port 808 may be in communication with the processor 806, the receiving port 808 may then send the received information to the processor 806. The receiving port 808 may also be configured to receive other information.
The processor 806 in the wireless device 130 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the first network node 111, the second network node 112, the another network node 113, and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100, through a sending port 809, which may be in communication with the processor 806, and the memory 807.
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the different units 801-805 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital modules, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 806, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).
Also, in some embodiments, the different units 801-805 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors such as the processor 806.
Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the wireless device 130 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 810 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 806, cause the at least one processor 806 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the wireless device 130. The computer program 810 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 811. The computer-readable storage medium 811, having stored thereon the computer program 810, may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 806, cause the at least one processor 806 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the wireless device 130. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 811 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 810 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 810 just described, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 811, as described above.
The wireless device 130 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communications between the wireless device 130 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the first network node 111, the second network node 112, the another network node 113, and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100. The interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.
In other embodiments, the wireless device 130 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in
Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the wireless device 130 comprising the processing circuitry 806 and the memory 807, said memory 807 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 806, whereby the wireless device 130 is operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the wireless device 130, e.g., in
Several embodiments are comprised herein. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and will thus not be repeated here.
For example, in some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may support at least one of: New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for Machines (LTE-M), enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), and Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT).
In
The first network node 111 is configured to perform the sending of Action 302, e.g. by means of a sending unit 901 within the first network node 111, configured to send the first information configured to indicate, to the wireless device 130 configured to operate in the communications network 100, how to determine the carrier to be used to monitor paging based on a change in coverage due to a change, for the wireless device 130, in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
In some embodiments, the first information configured to be sent may be configured to indicate at least one of the following options. According to a first option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 enters idle mode, the wireless device 130 may be required to use the first carrier configured to be assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling, and continue to apply the first information configured to be obtained until the wireless device 130 enters connected state next time. According to a second option, with the proviso that the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, and with the proviso that the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is provided in the another cell 123, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the second information. According to a third option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the another cell 123, and c) the first information indicates a fallback configuration, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the fallback configuration configured to be indicated in the first information. According to a fourth option, wherein the first information lacks an indication of the fallback configuration and with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 camps on another cell 123, b) the second information on how to select the carrier to be used for paging is absent in the another cell 123, and, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the third carrier. According to a fifth option, with the proviso that: a) the wireless device 130 receives the first information in a first cell 121, camps on one or more other cells 122 without being in connected mode, and then re-selects the first cell 121, the wireless device 130 may be required to determine the carrier to be used based on the first information.
In some embodiments, the first information configured to be sent may be configured to indicate that at least one of the following options. According to one option, with the proviso that a measure of the coverage condition indicates poor coverage with respect to the first threshold, the wireless device 130 is to select the fourth carrier. According to another option, with the proviso that the measure of the coverage condition indicates good coverage with respect to the second threshold, the wireless device 130 is to select the fifth carrier.
In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply. In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be sent in dedicated signalling or in broadcasted information in the first cell 121. In some embodiments, the second information may be configured to be broadcasted information in the another cell 123.
In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be sent in an information element.
In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to indicate to use one of: the anchor carrier, the fixed carrier, and the first carrier configured to be assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
In some embodiments, the first information may be configured to be sent to the wireless device 130.
The first network node 111 may be configured to perform the receiving of Action 301, e.g. by means of a receiving unit 902, configured to receive at least one of: a) the first indication from the wireless device 130 and b) the second indication from the second network node 112 configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100. The first indication or the second indication may be configured to indicate the capability of the wireless device 130 to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on. The first information configured to be sent may be configured to be based on the first indication configured to be received.
The coverage condition may be configured to be determined based on the measure of radio coverage configured to be estimated by the wireless device 130.
The first network node 111 may be configured to perform the sending of Action 303, e.g. by means of the sending unit 901 within the first network node 111, configured to send the third information to the second network node 112 configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100. The third information may be further configured to indicate the paging carrier configured by the first network node 111 to page the wireless device 130 after a connection release.
The first network node 111 may be configured to perform the receiving of Action 304, e.g. by means of the receiving unit 902 within the first network node 111, configured to receive the third indication from the second network node 112 configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100. The third indication may be configured to indicate the paging carrier configured by the first network node 111, or another network node 113, to page the wireless device 130.
Other units 903 may be comprised in the first network node 111.
A processor, as used herein, may be understood to be a hardware component. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the first network node 111. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the first network node 111.
The first network node 111 may further comprise a memory 905 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 905 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the first network node 111.
In some embodiments, the first network node 111 may receive information from, e.g., the wireless device 130, the second network node 112 and/or the another network node 113 through a receiving port 906. In some embodiments, the receiving port 906 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in first network node 111. In other embodiments, the first network node 111 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communications network 100 through the receiving port 906. Since the receiving port 906 may be in communication with the processor 904, the receiving port 906 may then send the received information to the processor 904. The receiving port 906 may also be configured to receive other information.
The processor 904 in the first network node 111 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the wireless device 130, the second network node 112, the another network node 113, and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100, through a sending port 907, which may be in communication with the processor 904, and the memory 905.
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the different units 901-903 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital modules, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 904, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).
Also, in some embodiments, the different units 901-903 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors such as the processor 904.
Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the first network node 111 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 908 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 904, cause the at least one processor 904 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the first network node 111. The computer program 908 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 909. The computer-readable storage medium 909, having stored thereon the computer program 908, may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 904, cause the at least one processor 904 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the first network node 111. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 909 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 908 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 908 just described, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 909, as described above.
The first network node 111 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communications between the first network node 111 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the wireless device 130, the second network node 112, the another network node 113, and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100. The interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.
In other embodiments, the first network node 111 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in
Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the first network node 111 comprising the processing circuitry 904 and the memory 905, said memory 905 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 904, whereby the first network node 111 is operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the first network node 111, e.g., in
Several embodiments are comprised herein. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and will thus not be repeated here.
For example, in some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may support at least one of: New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE for Machines (LTE-M), enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), and Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT).
In
The second network node 112 may be configured to perform the obtaining of Action 401, e.g. by means of an obtaining unit 1001, configured to obtain the first indication configured to indicate the capability of the wireless device 130 configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100, to support a change of paging carrier based on a change in coverage due to a change in at least one of: the coverage condition and the cell to camp on.
The second network node 112 may be configured to perform the sending of Action 402, e.g. by means of a sending unit 902 within the second network node 112, configured to send the second indication to one of the first network node 111, or another network node 113. The second indication is configured to indicate the capability configured to be indicated.
The second network node 112 may be configured to perform the receiving of Action 403, e.g. by means of a receiving unit 1003 within the second network node 112, configured to receive the third information from the first network node 111, or another network node 113. The third information may be configured to indicate the paging carrier configured by the first network node 111, or the another network node 113, to page the wireless device 130 after a connection release.
The second network node 112 may be configured to perform the sending of Action 404, e.g. by means of the sending unit 1002 within the second network node 112, configured to send the third indication to one of the first network node 111 or the another network node 113. The third indication may be configured to indicate the paging carrier configured to be indicated.
Other units 1004 may be comprised in the second network node 112.
The embodiments herein in the second network node 112 may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 1005 in the second network node 112 depicted in
The second network node 112 may further comprise a memory 1006 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 1006 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the second network node 112.
In some embodiments, the second network node 112 may receive information from, e.g., the wireless device 130, the first network node 111 and/or the another network node 113 through a receiving port 1007. In some embodiments, the receiving port 1007 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in second network node 112. In other embodiments, the second network node 112 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communications network 100 through the receiving port 1007. Since the receiving port 1007 may be in communication with the processor 1005, the receiving port 1007 may then send the received information to the processor 1005. The receiving port 1007 may also be configured to receive other information.
The processor 1005 in the second network node 112 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the wireless device 130, the first network node 111, the another network node 113, and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100, through a sending port 1008, which may be in communication with the processor 1005, and the memory 1006.
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the different units 1001-1003 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital modules, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 1005, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).
Also, in some embodiments, the different units 1001-1003 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors such as the processor 1005.
Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the second network node 112 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 1009 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 1005, cause the at least one processor 1005 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the second network node 112. The computer program 1009 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 1010. The computer-readable storage medium 1010, having stored thereon the computer program 1009, may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 1005, cause the at least one processor 1005 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the second network node 112. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 1010 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 1009 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 1009 just described, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 1010, as described above.
The second network node 112 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communications between the second network node 112 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the wireless device 130, the first network node 111, the another network node 113, and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100. The interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.
In other embodiments, the second network node 112 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in
Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the second network node 112 comprising the processing circuitry 1005 and the memory 1006, said memory 1006 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 1005, whereby the second network node 112 is operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the second network node 112, e.g., in
Embodiments herein may be related to NR, NR_Small Data_INACTIVE, SDT, MTC and/or IoT.
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.
As used herein, the expression “at least one of: ” followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, and wherein the last alternative is preceded by the “and” term, may be understood to mean that only one of the list of alternatives may apply, more than one of the list of alternatives may apply or all of the list of alternatives may apply. This expression may be understood to be equivalent to the expression “at least one of: ” followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, and wherein the last alternative is preceded by the “or” term.
Example 1. A method performed by a wireless device (130), the method being for handling a carrier to monitor paging, the wireless device (130) operating in a wireless communications network (100), and the method comprising:
Example 2. The method according to example 1, wherein the obtained first information indicates at least one of:
Example 3. The method according to example 2, wherein the obtained first information indicates that at least one of:
Example 4. The method according to any of examples 2-3, wherein at least one of:
Example 5. The method according to example 4, wherein at least one of the first information and the second information is received in an information element.
Example 6. The method according to any of examples 1-5, wherein the first information indicates to use one of: an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, e.g., a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), and a first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
Example 7. The method according to any of examples 1-6, wherein the first information is received from a first network node (111) operating in the wireless communications network (100).
Example 8. The method according to example 7, wherein the further comprising:
Example 9. The method according to any of examples 1-8, wherein the wireless device (130) has received the first information in a first cell (121), and the wireless device (130) camps on another cell (123), and wherein the method further comprises:
Example 10. The method according to any of examples 1-9, wherein the coverage condition is determined based on a measure of radio coverage, e.g., an error rate in a control channel, estimated by the wireless device (130), e.g., using a maximum number of repetitions, on e.g., the dedicated paging carrier.
Example 11. The method to any of examples 1-10, further comprising:
Example 12. A method performed by a first network node (111), the method being for handling a carrier to monitor paging, the first network node (111) operating in a wireless communications network (100), and the method comprising:
Example 13. The method according to example 12, wherein the sent first information indicates at least one of:
Example 14. The method according to example 13, wherein the sent first information indicates that at least one of:
Example 15. The method according to any of examples 13-14, wherein at least one of:
Example 16. The method according to example 15, wherein the first information is sent in an information element.
Example 17. The method according to any of examples 12-16, wherein the first information indicates to use one of: an anchor carrier, a fixed carrier, e.g., a carrier derived based on an identifier of the wireless device (130), and a first carrier assigned as dedicated paging carrier via dedicated signalling.
Example 18. The method according to any of examples 12-17, wherein the first information is sent to the wireless device (130).
Example 19. The method according to example 18, wherein the further comprising:
Example 20. The method according to any of examples 12-19, wherein the coverage condition is determined based on a measure of radio coverage, e.g., an error rate in a control channel, estimated by the wireless device (130), e.g., using a maximum number of repetitions, on e.g., the dedicated paging carrier.
Example 21. The method according to any of examples 12-20, wherein the further comprising:
Example 22. The method according to any of examples 12-21, wherein the further comprising:
Example 23. A method performed by a second network node (112), the method being for handling a carrier to monitor paging, the second network node (112) operating in a wireless communications network (100), and the method comprising:
Example 24. The method according to example 23, wherein the further comprising:
With reference to
Telecommunication network 1110 is itself connected to host computer 1130, 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 1130 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 1121 and 1122 between telecommunication network 1110 and host computer 1130 may extend directly from core network 1114 to host computer 1130 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1120. Intermediate network 1120 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 1120, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 1120 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).
The communication system of
In relation to
Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the wireless device 130, e.g., a UE, the first network node 111, and/or the another network node 113, e.g., a base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to
Communication system 1200 further includes the first network node 111, and/or the another network node 113, exemplified in
Communication system 1200 further includes UE 1230 already referred to. Its hardware 1235 may include radio interface 1237 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 1270 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 1230 is currently located. Hardware 1235 of UE 1230 further includes processing circuitry 1238, 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 1230 further comprises software 1231, which is stored in or accessible by UE 1230 and executable by processing circuitry 1238. Software 1231 includes client application 1232. Client application 1232 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1230, with the support of host computer 1210. In host computer 1210, an executing host application 1212 may communicate with the executing client application 1232 via OTT connection 1250 terminating at UE 1230 and host computer 1210. In providing the service to the user, client application 1232 may receive request data from host application 1212 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 1250 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 1232 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
It is noted that host computer 1210, base station 1220 and UE 1230 illustrated in
In
Wireless connection 1270 between UE 1230 and base station 1220 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 1230 using OTT connection 1250, in which wireless connection 1270 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the latency, signalling overhead, and service interruption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, better responsiveness and extended battery lifetime.
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 OTT connection 1250 between host computer 1210 and UE 1230, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1250 may be implemented in software 1211 and hardware 1215 of host computer 1210 or in software 1231 and hardware 1235 of UE 1230, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 1250 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 1211, 1231 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 1250 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 1220, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 1220. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 1210′s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 1211 and 1231 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 1250 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.
The wireless device 130 embodiments relate to
The wireless device 130 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in a host computer 1210, e.g., via another link such as 1260.
The wireless device 130 may comprise an interface unit to facilitate communications between the wireless device 130 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the first network node 111, the second network node 112, the another network node 113, the host computer 1210, or any of the other nodes. In some particular examples, the interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.
The wireless device 130 may comprise an arrangement as shown in
The first network node 111 embodiments relate to
The first network node 111 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in a host computer 1210, e.g., via another link such as 1260.
The first network node 111 may comprise an interface unit to facilitate communications between the first network node 111 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the wireless device 130, the host computer 1210, or any of the other nodes. In some particular examples, the interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.
The first network node 111 may comprise an arrangement as shown in
The second network node 112 embodiments relate to
The second network node 112 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in a host computer 1210, e.g., via another link such as 1260.
The second network node 112 may comprise an interface unit to facilitate communications between the second network node 112 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the wireless device 130, the host computer 1210, or any of the other nodes. In some particular examples, the interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.
The second network node 112 may comprise an arrangement as shown in
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 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 (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.
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.
This application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national stage application of PCT International Application No. PCT/SE2021/051030 filed on Oct. 19, 2021, which in turn claims domestic priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/094,362, filed on Oct. 21, 2020, the disclosures and content of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/SE2021/051030 | 10/19/2021 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63094362 | Oct 2020 | US |
