Release-Independent Modifications of Network Parameters

Abstract

A UE transmits a radio access capability to a base station. The radio access capability is transmitted via an information element that comprises a bitmap in which a bit has a value that indicates, to the base station, support of a modification to at least one of a maximum power reduction or a spectrum emission requirement. According to embodiments, the base station manages the UE based on the supported modification. Such managing of the UE may include, for example, one or more of admission control, imposing scheduling restrictions, and imposing handover restrictions.

Claims

1. A method, implemented by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: transmitting, to a base station in a wireless communication network, a radio access capability of the UE; wherein the radio access capability of the UE is communicated in an information element comprising a plurality of fields; wherein the plurality of fields comprises a field operative to indicate to the base station that the UE supports a release-independent modification to an A-MPR behavior specified by an NS value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information element comprises a bitmap comprising a plurality of bit positions mapped to radio parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein: the information element comprises a vector of integers; each position in the vector is associated with a radio parameter; and the integer at each position indicates a release number of a 3GPP standard defining a modification or addition of the associated radio parameter.

4. A method, implemented by a base station in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: receiving, from a User Equipment (UE), a radio access capability of the UE, the radio access capability of the UE being comprised in an information element comprising a plurality of fields and the plurality of fields comprising a field operative to indicate that the UE supports a release-independent modification to an A-MPR behavior specified by an NS value; and managing the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein managing the UE comprises performing admission control on the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein managing the UE comprises imposing scheduling restrictions on the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein managing the UE comprises imposing restrictions on inter-band handover of the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the information element comprises a bitmap, the bitmap comprising a plurality of bit positions mapped to radio parameters in a predetermined manner.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein: the information element comprises a vector of integers; each position in the vector is associated with a radio parameter; the integer at each position indicates a release number of a 3GPP standard defining a modification or addition of the associated radio parameter.

10. A User Equipment (UE) comprising: a transceiver configured to exchange signals with a base station in a wireless communication network; processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to cause the transceiver to transmit, to the base station, a radio access capability of the UE in an information element comprising a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields comprising a field operative to indicate to the base station that the UE supports a release-independent modification to an A-MPR behavior specified by an NS value.

11. The UE of claim 10, wherein the UE further comprises a memory configured to store a data structure of the radio access capability.

12. The UE of claim 10, wherein the information element includes a bitmap comprising a plurality of bit positions mapped to radio parameters in a predetermined manner.

13. The UE of claim 10, wherein: the information element includes a vector of integers; each position in the vector is associated with a radio parameter; and the integer at each position indicates a release number of a 3GPP standard defining a modification or addition of the associated radio parameter.

14. A base station configured to operate in a wireless communication network, the base station comprising: a transceiver configured to exchange signals with a User Equipment (UE); processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to: cause the transceiver to receive, from the UE, a radio access capability of the UE in an information element comprising a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields comprising a field operative to indicate that the UE supports a release-independent modification to an A-MPR behavior specified by an NS value; and manage the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

15. The base station of claim 14, wherein to manage the UE, the processing circuitry is configured to perform admission control on the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

16. The base station of claim 14, wherein to manage the UE, the processing circuitry is configured to impose scheduling restrictions on the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

17. The base station of claim 14, wherein to manage the UE, the processing circuitry is configured to impose restrictions on inter-band handover of the UE in response to the UE's support of the release-independent modification to the A-MPR behavior specified by the NS value.

18. The base station of claim 14, wherein the information element includes a bitmap comprising a plurality of bit positions mapped to radio parameters in a predetermined manner.

19. The base station of claim 14, wherein: the information element includes a vector of integers; each position in the vector is associated with a radio parameter; and the integer at each position indicates a release number of a 3GPP standard defining a modification or addition of the associated radio parameter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. However, this invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a representative UE Radio Access Capability data structure.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of communicating in a network by a UE.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a UE and base station.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a frequency diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] It should be understood at the outset that although illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are provided below, the disclosed systems and/or methods may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or in existence. The disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary designs and implementations illustrated and described herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.

[0045] At least some aspects of a UE's radio access capability are sent by a UE to the base station and signaled as an information element, which is a data structure containing a single or multiple fields. The fields are the individual contents of an information element. In LTE, fields can be added to information elements by release or in a release independent manner.

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a field is added to the UE radio capability indicating to the base station that a network specification release independent radio parameter—such as the NS-value—has been modified, or that the UE supports a new parameter.

[0047] FIG. 1 depicts one representative example of an information element (IE) used to signal radio access capability. The information element, denoted “UE-EUTRA-Capability,” encodes capabilities of the UE for the E-UTRA Radio Access Technology. Numerous other fields of the UE-EUTRA-Capability IE—not depicted in FIG. 1 for clarity—may signal additional UE capability to the base station, such as half Duplex, bandListEUTRA, interFreqBandList, and the like.

[0048] FIG. 1 also depicts an additional field of the UE-EUTRA-Capability IE, which may be used to indicate to the base station that the UE supports a release-independent modification to a radio parameter. In one embodiment, the additional field is denoted “NetworkSignalingVersion” and it contains a bitmap. Each bit in the bitmap can be given a meaning, e.g., that the definition of a particular NS-value has been changed in a certain version of the 3GPP specifications. In one embodiment, a UE implementing the modified version of the NS-value, or complying with an NS-value that has been added in a later release, indicates a “1” (one) for the corresponding bit. Absence of the field “NetworkSignalingVersion” implies that the UE does not support any modified or new NS-value.

[0049] If several NS-values, associated with the existing operating bands, are modified or added, more bits are used in the bitmap, which may have a predetermined size. If the UE indicates “0” (zero) for a particular bit position, then the associated NS-value is not modified. In a different embodiment, the particular bit values may have the opposite meaning.

[0050] The field “NetworkSignalingVersion” can be added to the UE radio access capability information element in any release of the 3GPP-specification and also for UE(s) that indicate support of an earlier release in its radio access capability (accessStratumRelease for E-UTRA). This allows release-independent changes of the NS-values.

[0051] Upon receipt of the UE radio access capability, including the NetworkSignalingVersion bitmap, the base station determines whether or not the UE supports a defined or modified NS-value, and adjusts its user admission and congestion control accordingly. For example, the base station may not allow attachment by a UE that does not support a modified and/or added NS-value. As another example, the base station may admit a legacy UE which does not comply with the latest NS-values, but may impose restrictions, such as scheduling, on the UE. As another example, the base station, aware that a UE does not support certain NS-value for a frequency band employed by a handover target base station, may restrict the UE from an inter-band handover.

[0052] Thus, in one embodiment, the NetworkSignalingVersion is a bitmap comprising binary values indicative of whether or not certain NS-values have been modified or not, and in which release the modification is introduced.

[0053] In another embodiment, the NetworkSignalingVersion additionally includes a vector of integers, indicating with which release of the 3GPP specification a particular NS-value complies. This provides alternative means of having the NS-value redefined multiple times at later stages of the specification, and in the order of the 3GPP release. In another embodiment, multiple fields in an information element may be added to capture the information. For example, one field for each new 3GPP release may be added, each field consisting of a bitmap corresponding to compliance with NS-values according to that particular release.

[0054] FIG. 2 depicts a method 100 of communicating acceptance of modified radio parameters in radio access capability by a UE in a wireless communication network. The UE accepts a release-independent modification of a radio parameter, such as a NS-value (block 102). This may be done as part of a software or firmware upgrade of the UE, such as Firmware Over The Air (FOTA) update or an update at a service center. The UE modifies (or accepts a modification as part of the software or firmware upgrade) a field of an information element of a radio access capability data structure to reflect acceptance of the modification (block 104). In one embodiment, the field is labeled NetworkSignalingVersion. In one embodiment, the field comprises a bitmap corresponding to a predetermined plurality of radio parameters, such as NS-values. As part of the negotiation process of attaching to a base station to join a cell of a wireless network, the UE transmits to a base station the radio access capability, including the field indicating acceptance of modified radio parameters (block 106). The base station may then manage the UE, such as performing access control, based on the UE's support of modified radio parameters. In particular, the base station may admit only UEs that accept certain modified and/or new NS-values, and refuse attachment to other UEs.

[0055] FIG. 3 depicts a representative UE 10 in wireless communication with a base station 30 (also known as a NodeB or eNodeB in LTE). The UE 10 includes a transceiver 12 operative to transmit and receive wireless control and data signals via one or more antenna 14. In one embodiment, the transceiver 12 has a variable transmission power, and is controlled by a controller 16. The controller 16 may comprise a state machine, programmable logic together with appropriate firmware, a general purpose processor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP) together with appropriate software, or any combination thereof. The controller 16 is operative to control overall operation of the UE 10, and to accept release-independent modifications of one or more radio parameters. The controller 16 is operatively connected to memory 18. The memory 18 may comprise solid-state memory such as RAM, ROM, flash, or the like; secondary storage such as magnetic or optical media; or any combination thereof. A portion of the memory 18 may be incorporated in the controller 16, and some memory 18 may be removeably connected to the device 10 (e.g., MMC card). The memory 18 is operative to store operating system and application software executed by the controller 16, as well as various operating parameters and other data.

[0056] In particular, a non-volatile portion of the memory 18 is operative to store a Radio Access Capability data structure 20. The Radio Access Capability 20 comprises an information element consisting of a plurality of fields, as depicted in FIG. 1. One field, which may, e.g., be labeled NetworkSignalingVersion, includes an indication of one or more radio parameters for which the UE 10 accepts a release-independent modification. In one embodiment, the NetworkSignalingVersion field includes a bitmap, with each bit position corresponding to a radio parameter, such as a NS-value, an indicating whether the UE 10 accepts a modification of the corresponding parameter.

[0057] The mobile UE 10 may include many other components and features not depicted in FIG. 3 for clarity, such as user interface features (e.g., keypad, keyboard, display, touchscreen, microphone, speaker, and the like), camera, satellite navigation receiver, graphics processor, and the like.

[0058] The UE 10 communicates across an air interface with a base station 30. The base station 30 includes one or more transceivers 36 operative to exchange wireless control and data signals with the UE 10, as well as other UE in a cell controlled by said base station, via one or more antenna 38. Operation of the transceiver is controlled by one or more controllers 34. The controller 34 may be constituted as described above with respect to UE controller 16. The controller 34 is operative to manage a plurality of UE 10. In one embodiment, the controller 34 may accept or deny attachment of a UE 10 in response to a received Radio Access Capability 20 and the UE's acceptance of release-independent modifications to one or more radio parameters, such as NS-values. The controller 34 is operatively connected to memory 32, which may be constituted as described above with respect to UE memory 18. The base station 30 may include numerous circuits and functions not shown in FIG. 3 for clarity, such as interfaces to other network nodes, databases, user interface elements, and the like.

[0059] As one representative, non-limiting example demonstrating the utility of the present invention, consider the introduction of the US700 band plan in Canada, as depicted in FIG. 4. The uplink spectrum 777-787 MHz (denoted Band 13 in the US) is allocated in two different blocks of 5 MHz each: C1 at 777-782 MHz and C2 at 782-787 MHz (see TS 36.101). In the US, adjacent to Band 13 is spectrum allocated for downlink for Narrow Band Public Safety (NBPS) at 769-775 MHz—a separation from Band 13 of 2 MHz. In Canada, NBPS is allocated at 768-776 MHz—a separation from C1 of only 1 MHz.

[0060] In the US, to protect the NBPS from interference by Band 13, Additional Maximum Power Reduction (AMPR) has been introduced in the 3GPP specifications to allow for larger protection to the victim system. This reduces the maximum output power of the UE, to avoid interference in the adjacent NBPS. The power reduction is defined in network signaling NS_07. The limit is −57 dBm/6.25 kHz, and applies to an E-UTRA 10 MHz carrier when NS_07 is signaled.

[0061] NS_07 has not been defined for 5 MHz channel bandwidth. Without AMPR, the applicable restriction on emissions is −35 dBm/6.25 kHz at 769-775 MHz, per Federal Communication Commission (FCC) requirements.

[0062] Similarly, NBPS protection at 851-859 MHz has been introduced for Band 26 UE. In this case, the power reduction protection level in the 3GPP standards is −53 dBm/6.25 kHz (the regulatory limit being −13 dBm/100 kHz).

[0063] Considering three alternatives—−57 dBm/6.25 kHz, −53 dBm/6.25 kHz, and −35 dBm/6.25 kHz—it seems that −53 dBm/6.25 kHz represents a good compromise for NBPS protection from C1 band, at 776 MHz. The emission limits for protection of the Public Safety (PS) spectrum can be defined as: [0064] −57 dBm/6.25 kHz at 769-775 MHz and −53 dBm/6.25 kHz at 768-776 MHz, or [0065] −57 dBm/6.25 kHz at 769-775 MHz and −53 dBm/6.25 kHz at 775-776 MHz.

[0066] NS_07 currently defines the emission protection limit of −57 dBm/6.25 kHz between 769-775 MHz for 10 MHz channel bandwidth. To add one of the above protections for the Canadian spectrum allocation, there is a need to include PS protection within 768-776 MHz for 5 and 10 MHz E-UTRA channels. This implies that new AMPR values need to be added. According to the prior art, there are only two ways to accomplish this.

[0067] First, NS_07 could be redefined in a future 3GPP standard release. This option has the advantage of re-using the US Band 13 definitions (i.e., globalization of frequency bands). However, since a base station cannot distinguish a UE recognizing the “new” NS_07 from a legacy UE, additional signaling would also have to be defined, and added to the standard, in order to indicate compliance. Otherwise, many UEs must be excluded to ensure interference suppression.

[0068] Second, a new operating band could be defined, having the same arrangement as Band 13 but with a new NS value to cover PS protection in the US and Canada for 5 and 10 MHz E-UTRA channels. This option proliferates frequency band definitions and defeats the globalization of existing bands.

[0069] According to embodiments of the present invention, however, the Band 13 definition could be adopted in Canada, with a modification to NS_07. A bit in the NetworkSignalingVersion bitmap could be defined to indicate whether a UE complies with the modification of NS_07 to support −53 dBm/6.25 kHz over at least 775-776 MHz (e.g., a “1” in the bitmap), or whether the UE is a legacy UE that supports only the US Band 13 definition, with NS_07 signaling a protection emission level of −57 dBm/6.25 kHz for 10 MHz at 769-775 MHz (a “0” in the bitmap). A UE signaling radio access capability without the NetworkSignalingVersion field would be considered the same as one signaling a “0” bit value for NS_07, and would be excluded by the Canadian base station from attaching to bands C1+C2.

[0070] Embodiments of the present invention present significant advantages over the prior art. By UEs signaling their ability to accept modifications or addition of network signaling values, network operators may re-use previously defined operating bands, adopting operating parameters as necessary to regional conditions, and base stations may perform admission control based on UE capabilities. This is release independent, and avoids the proliferation of band identifiers for networks operating in the same frequency ranges.

[0071] Although discussed herein with respect to changes/updates to NS-values, those of skill in the art will readily recognize that embodiments of the present invention facilitate release-independent modifications of any network parameter, of which network signaling parameters, or NS-values, are merely one representative example.

[0072] The present invention may be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.