FIRST AND SECOND APPARATUS, METHOD TO OPERATE THE FIRST AND SECOND APPARATUS

Abstract

There is provided a method to operate a first apparatus, the method comprising: determining a beam indicator that indicates at least one radio beam; determining a bandwidth part indicator that indicates at least one bandwidth part; determining a resource status indicator that indicates at least one status of radio resources, that are associated with the at least one radio beam and associated with the at least one bandwidth part; and transmitting at least one resource status set comprising the determined beam indicator, the determined bandwidth part indicator and the determined resource status indicator.

Claims

1-36. (canceled)

37. A method to operate a first apparatus (100) comprising: determining (102) a beam indicator (b1) that indicates at least one radio beam (B#1; B#2); determining (104) a bandwidth part indicator (bwp1) that indicates at least one bandwidth part (BWP#1; BWP#2); determining (106) a resource status indicator (rs1) that indicates at least one status of radio resources, that are associated with the at least one radio beam (B#1, B#2) and associated with the at least one bandwidth part (BWP#1; BWP#2); and transmitting (108) at least one resource status set (S) comprising the determined beam indicator (b1), the determined bandwidth part indicator (bwp1) and the determined resource status indicator (rs1).

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the beam indicator (b1) comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, index.

39. The method according to claim 37, wherein the bandwidth part indicator (bwp1) comprises at least one of: an information about the location of the bandwidth part (BWP#1; BWP#2) in frequency, a bandwidth part identifier per cell, a Physical Cell Identifier, PCI, and at least one or more Absolute Radio-Frequency Channel Number, ARFCN.

40. A method to operate a second apparatus (200) comprising: receiving (208) at least one resource status set (S) comprising a first beam indicator (b1), a first bandwidth part indicator (bwp1), and a first resource status indicator (rs1); and managing (210) second radio resources being operated by the second apparatus (200) in dependence on the received at least one resource status set (S).

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the first beam indicator (b1) comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, index.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the bandwidth part indicator (bwp1) comprises at least one of: an information about the location of the bandwidth part (BWP#1; BWP#2) in frequency, a bandwidth part identifier per cell, a Physical Cell Identifier, PCI, and at least one or more Absolute Radio-Frequency Channel Number, ARFCN.

43. The method according to claim 40, further comprising: determining (402) a second resource status indicator (rs2) that indicates at least one status of second radio resources, which are operated by the second apparatus (200), wherein said second radio resources are associated with a second radio beam (B#3) and associated with the at least one first bandwidth part (BWP#1), wherein the at least one second radio beam (B#3) and the at least one first bandwidth part (BWP#1) are operated by the second apparatus (200); and managing (210; 410) the second radio resources being operated by the second apparatus (200) in dependence on the received first resource status indicator (rs1) and in dependence on the determined second resource status indicator (rs2).

44. The method according to claim 40, further comprising: determining (404) a spatial overlap between at least one first beam (B#1), which is identified via the received first beam indicator (b1), and the at least one second radio beam (B#3) and/or at least one third radio beam (B#4), which is operated by the second apparatus (200); managing (210; 410) the second radio resources being operated by the second apparatus (200) in dependence on the determined spatial overlap.

45. The method according to claim 44, further comprising: determining (406) a high congestion situation in the spatial overlap for the at least one first bandwidth part (BWP#1) indicated by the first bandwidth part indicator (bwp1); de-allocating (408) at least a part of the second radio resources that are associated with the first bandwidth part (BWP#1) and associated with the at least one second radio beam (B#3), which is subject to the determined spatial overlap.

46. The method according to claim 45, further comprising: allocating (412) third radio resources, which are operated by the second apparatus (200), in dependence on the high congestion situation, wherein the third radio resources are associated with the at least third radio beam (B#4) and associated with a second bandwidth part (BWP#2) operated by the second apparatus (200).

47. The method according to claim 44, further comprising: determining (414) a low congestion situation in the determined spatial overlap for the first bandwidth part (BWP#1) indicated by the first bandwidth part indicator (bwp1); allocating (416) at least a part of the second radio resources that are associated with the first bandwidth part (BWP#1) and associated with the at least one second radio beam (#B3), which is subject to the determined spatial overlap.

48. The method according to claim 47, further comprising: de-allocating (418) fourth radio resources, which are operated by the second apparatus (200), in dependence on the low congestion situation, wherein the fourth radio resources are associated with the at least one third radio beam (B#4) and associated with a second bandwidth part (BWP#2) operated by the second apparatus (200).

49. A first apparatus (100) comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory including computer program code; and at least one communication module, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor and the at least one communication module, to cause the first apparatus to: determine (102) a beam indicator (b1) that indicates at least one radio beam (B#1; B#2), determine (104) a bandwidth part indicator (bwp1) that indicates at least one bandwidth part (BWP#1; BWP#2), determine (106) a resource status indicator (rs1) that indicates at least one status of radio resources, that are associated with the at least one radio beam (B#1, B#2) and associated with the at least one bandwidth part (BWP#1; BWP#2), and transmit (108) at least one resource status set (S) comprising the determined beam indicator (b1), the determined bandwidth part indicator (bwp1) and the determined resource status indicator (rs1).

50. The first apparatus (100) according to claim 49, wherein the beam indicator (b1) comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, index.

51. A second apparatus (200) comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory including computer program code; and at least one communication module, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor and the at least one communication module, to cause the second apparatus to: receive (208) at least one resource status set (S) comprising a first beam indicator (b1), a first bandwidth part indicator (bwp1), and a first resource status indicator (rs1), and manage (210) second radio resources being operated by the second apparatus (200) in dependence on the received at least one resource status set (S).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0042] Some example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] FIGS. 1 and 3 each schematically depict a sequence diagram to operate a first and second apparatus;

[0044] FIG. 2 schematically depicts an example of a cell served by the first and second apparatus;

[0045] FIG. 4 schematically depicts a block diagram to operate the second apparatus; and

[0046] FIG. 5 schematically depicts the structure of the first and second apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] FIGS. 1 schematically depicts a sequence diagram to operate a first and second apparatus 100, 200.

[0048] The first apparatus 100, for example a first next generation

[0049] NodeB, determines according to a processing module or determining means 102 a beam indicator b1 that indicates at least one radio beam, which is operated by the first apparatus 100. The first apparatus determines according to a processing module or determining means 104 a bandwidth part indicator bwp1 that indicates at least one bandwidth part, which is operated by the first apparatus 100. The first apparatus 100 determines according to a processing module or determining means 106 a resource status indicator rs1 that indicates at least one status, for example a load or occupancy information, of radio resources, that are associated with the at least one radio beam and associated with the at least one bandwidth part. The first radio apparatus 108 comprises transmitting means or a processing module 108 to transmit at least one resource status set S comprising the determined beam indicator b1, the determined bandwidth part indicator bwp1 and the determined resource status indicator rs1. The at least one resource status set S is part of a resource status update or of an Xn setup request or of an Xn setup response.

[0050] The second apparatus 200, for example a second next generation NodeB gNB, receives, via a processing module or a receiving means 208, the at least one resource status set S, for example as part of a resource status update or of a Xn setup request or of a Xn setup response, comprising the first beam indicator b1, which indicates at least one first radio beam, which is operated by the first apparatus 100, the first bandwidth part indicator bwp1, which indicates at least one bandwidth part that is operated by the first apparatus 100 and the first resource status indicator rs1, which indicates at least one status of first radio resources being associated with the at least one first radio beam and being associated with the at least one first bandwidth part. The second apparatus 200 comprises a processing module or managing means 210 to manage second radio resources being operated by the second apparatus 200 in dependence on the received at least one resource status set S.

[0051] A bandwidth part is a set of contiguous Common Resource Blocks, in particular within the bandwidth of the cell. A bandwidth part can include all or some Common Resource Blocks within the channel bandwidth, or a subset of Common Resource Blocks.

[0052] With Bandwidth Adaptation, BA, the receive and transmit bandwidth of a UE can be adjusted: the width can be ordered to change e.g. to shrink during period of low activity to save power; the location can move in the frequency domain e.g. to increase scheduling flexibility; and the subcarrier spacing can be ordered to change e.g. to allow different services. A subset of the total cell bandwidth of a cell is referred to as a Bandwidth Part, BWP, and BA is achieved by configuring the UE with BWPs and telling the UE which of the configured BWPs is currently the active one. Therefore, besides the initial BWP of the cell, a plurality of BWPs can be active in a cell.

[0053] According to an example, the report of the load of a cell, in particular in form of the resource status indicator rs1, is divided into several bandwidth parts, BWPs and into several radio beams. When the load of a cell is signaled, it can be done per BWP within a cell.

[0054] According to an example, the first apparatus 100, in particular in form of a next generation distributed unit, gNB, provides a list of BWPs to a controlling gnB-CU, the second apparatus 200, when a F1 connection is established, wherein at least one BWP is referenced by an identifier.

[0055] According to an example, the first apparatus 100, in particular in form of a gNB, provides a list of BWPs for each Cell it controls to its neighbor gnB, the second apparatus 200, when an Xn connection is established, wherein at least one BWP is referenced by an identifier. The BWP can then be referenced by its identifier in the Load Reporting message.

[0056] The beam design in at least one BWP can be defined freely. In addition, the beam design can be different in different BWPs. The initial BWP comprises CD-SSB and RMSI. Further BWPs are configured per UE. UE communicates with the network using one or more BWP. The cell comprises a plurality of BWPs. It is also possible that a gNB uses the BWP parameters affecting a plurality of UEs, in this case, we continue to use the term BWP. This means that this BWP will be used and configured to different UEs.

[0057] According to an example, the beam indicator b1 comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, index. Therefore, when the load of the cell is signaled to the second apparatus 200, for example the neighbor gNB, the load is split into several BWP. For at least one BWP the information contains at least the location of the BWP in frequency in the carrier.

[0058] According to an example, the bandwidth part indicator bwp1 comprises at least one of: [0059] An information about the location of the bandwidth part in frequency, in particular in the carrier frequency. The location of the bandwidth part BWP in frequency can be also referred to as a subcarrier or a subcarrier frequency. [0060] A bandwidth part identifier per cell. [0061] A Physical Cell Identifier, PCI. [0062] An Absolute Radio-Frequency Channel Number, ARFCN.

[0063] According to an example, the first beam indicator bl comprises a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, index.

[0064] The RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE in form of a message, in particular comprising the set S, is sent by NG-RAN node.sub.2 to neighbouring NG-RAN node.sub.1 to report the results of the requested measurements, direction: NG-RAN node.sub.2.fwdarw.NG-RAN node.sub.1. The resource status update comprises information as exemplified in table 1. The NG-RAN node.sub.2 shall report the results of the admitted measurements in RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE message. The admitted measurements are the measurements that were successfully initiated during the preceding Resource Status Reporting Initiation procedure, and thus not reported in the Measurement Failed Report Characteristics IE for the concerned cell in the RESOURCE STATUS RESPONSE message.

[0065] Accordingly, the set S further comprises at least one of the entries of table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 IE/Group IE type and Semantics Name Presence Range reference description Message M 9.2.3.1 Type NG-RAN M INTEGER Allocated by node1 (1 . . . 4095, . . .) NG-RAN node.sub.1 Measurement ID NG-RAN M INTEGER Allocated by node2 (1 . . . 4095, . . .) NG-RAN node.sub.2 Measurement ID Hardware O 9.2.2.ww Load Indicator Cell 1 Measurement Result >Cell 1 . . . < Measurement maxnoofCellsinNG- Result Item RANnode > >>Cell ID M 9.2.3.25 >>Cell-BWP O 1 . . . < max-Cell- List of BWP Measurement BWP > of the cell >>>Cell- O INTEGER (0 . . . max- ID of the BWP-ID Cell-BWP-ID) BWP in the cell >>> BWP O INTEGER (0 . . . Lower Lower maxNRARFCN frequency frequency bound of the BWP >>> BWP O INTEGER (0 . . . Higher higher maxNRARFCN frequency frequency bound of the BWP >>> PCI of O INTEGER Physical Cell SSB (0 . . . 1007) ID of the SSB corresponding to the BWP >>> ARFCN of O INTEGER (0 . . . Frequency of SSB maxNRARFCN) the SSB corresponding to the BWP >>>Radio O 9.2.2.yy Resource Status >>>Composite O 9.2.2.zz Available Capacity Group >>NG TNL O 9.2.2.xx Load Indicator >>Slice O 9.2.2.jj Available Capacity >>Number of O INTEGER Active UEs (1 . . . 65536, . . .) >> RRC O 9.2.2.kk Connections

[0066] For example the set S comprises: [0067] a NG-RAN node1 Measurement ID, [0068] a NG-RAN node2 Measurement ID, [0069] a Hardware Load Indicator, [0070] a Cell Measurement Result.

[0071] The Cell Measurement Result comprises at least one Cell Measurement Result Item.

[0072] A Cell Measurement Result Item comprises at least: [0073] a Cell ID, [0074] one or more Cell-BWP measurements, [0075] NG TNL Load Indicator.

[0076] A Cell-BWP measurement comprises at least: [0077] a Cell-BWP-ID, [0078] BWP Lower frequency, [0079] BWP higher frequency, [0080] PCI of SSB, [0081] ARFCN of SSB, [0082] Radio Resource Status, and [0083] Composite Available Capacity Group.

[0084] According to another example, the list of BWP that the cell is using can be sent to neighbour gNB via Xn interface in Xn

[0085] Setup procedure via an Xn Setup Request and/or an Xn Setup Response. A Served Cell Information NR comprises information as exemplified in table 2.

[0086] The position in frequency of the BWP could be also signalled with the IE “locationAndBandwidth” which is used for configuring a BWP to a UE in RRC Signalling.

[0087] Further indications added per BWP comprise at least one of the following: [0088] The slice(s) available on the BWP; [0089] The type of service the BWP can serve (Voice, Data, etc. . . .);

[0090] The level of quality served in the BWP (5QI); [0091] The SCS (Sub Carrier Spacing) of the BWP/SSB.

[0092] Accordingly, the set S further comprises at least one of the entries of table 2.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 IE type and Semantics IE/Group Name Presence Range reference description Criticality NR-PCI M INTEGER NR Physical — (0 . . . 1007, . . .) Cell ID NR CGI M 9.2.2.7 — TAC M 9.2.2.5 Tracking Area — Code RANAC O RAN Area — Code 9.2.2.6 BWP List O 1 . . . < List of BWP of max- the cell Cell-BWP > >Cell-BWP-ID O INTEGER ID of the BWP (0 . . . in the cell max- Cell- BWP-ID) > BWP Lower O INTEGER Lower bound frequency (0 . . . frequency of maxNRARFCN the BWP > BWP higher O INTEGER higher bound frequency (0 . . . frequency of maxNRARFCN the BWP > PCI of SSB O INTEGER Physical Cell (0 . . . 1007) ID of the SSB corresponding to the BWP > ARFCN of SSB O INTEGER Frequency of (0 . . . the SSB maxNRARFCN) corresponding to the BWP

[0093] For example the set S comprises: [0094] a NR-PCI, [0095] a NR CGI, [0096] a TAC, [0097] a RANAC, [0098] a BWP List.

[0099] A BWP list comprises: [0100] aCell-BWP-ID, [0101] BWP Lower frequency, [0102] BWP higher frequency, [0103] PCI of SSB, [0104] ARFCN of SSB.

[0105] FIG. 2 schematically depicts an example of a cell C, which is served by the first and second apparatus 100, 200. The UE resides at a location, where the beams B#1, B#2 provided by the first apparatus 100 and the beams B#3, B#4 provided by the second apparatus 200 overlap. So, given that the respective radio resources are not occupied, the UE can be served by at least one of the beams B#1 to B#4. The beams B#1 and B#3 are served via the bandwidth part BWP#1. The beams B#2 and B#4 are served via the bandwidth part BWP#2.

[0106] FIGS. 3 schematically depicts a sequence diagram to operate the first and second apparatus 100, 200 in a cell. According to a processing module or determination means 302, the first apparatus 100 determines or receives downlink data 01, which is transmitted via a processing module or transmitting means 304 to the UE. The UE is served by the first apparatus 100 via the beam B#2 of FIG. 2.

[0107] After receiving the set S, via the processing module or receiving means 208, the second apparatus 200 initiates a handover of the UE from the first to the second apparatus. According to a communication scheme 210a, the second apparatus 200 negotiates the hand-over with the first apparatus 100. According to the communication scheme 210b, the second apparatus 210 begins to serve the UE via the beam B#3 of FIG. 2. For example, second downlink data d#2 is transmitted via a processing module of transmitting means 304 to the UE.

[0108] FIG. 4 schematically depicts a block diagram to operate the second apparatus in order to provide intra-cell load balancing.

[0109] The second apparatus comprises a processing module or determining means 402 to determine a second resource status indicator rs2 that indicates at least one status of second radio resources, which are operated by the second apparatus 200. Said second radio resources are associated with a second radio beam B#3 and associated with the at least one first bandwidth part BWP#1. The at least one second radio beam B#3 and the at least one first bandwidth part BWP#1 are operated by the second apparatus.

[0110] The second apparatus comprises a processing module or managing means 410 for managing the second radio resources being operated by the second apparatus 200 in dependence on the received first resource status indicator rs1 and in dependence on the determined second resource status indicator rs2.

[0111] The first and second resource indicators rs1, rs2 are based or comprise measurements. For example, UEs provide the measurements or a part thereof. In another example, a scheduler provides the measurements or a part thereof.

[0112] The second apparatus comprises a processing module or determining means 404 to determine a spatial overlap between at least one first beam B#1, which is identified via the received first beam indicator b1, and the at least one second and/or at least one third radio beam B#3, B#4, which is operated by the second apparatus 200. The spatial overlap is determined in dependence on the first beam indicator b1 and the in dependence on a second beam indicator b2 indicating the second or third radio beam B#3, B#4. The managing means 410 are configured to manage the second radio resources being operated by the second apparatus 200 in dependence on the determined spatial overlap.

[0113] The second apparatus comprises a processing module or determining means 406 to determine a high congestion situation in the spatial overlap for the at least one first bandwidth part BWP#1 indicated by the first bandwidth part indicator bwp1 in dependence on the received first resource status indicator rs1 and in dependence on a high congestion threshold th1. In response to the determined high congestion situation, a processing module or de-allocating means 408 de-allocates at least a part of the second radio resources that are associated with the first bandwidth part BWP#1 and associated with the at least one second radio beam B#3, which is subject to the determined spatial overlap.

[0114] A processing module or allocating means 412 allocates third radio resources, which are operated by the second apparatus 200, in dependence on the high congestion situation, wherein the third radio resources are associated with the at least third radio beam B#4 and associated with a second bandwidth part BWP#2 operated by the second apparatus, if the second resource status indicator rs2 indicates free radio resources in the second bandwidth part BWP#2.

[0115] A processing module or determining means 414 determines a low congestion situation in the determined spatial overlap for the first bandwidth part BWP#1 indicated by the first bandwidth part indicator bwp1 in dependence on the received first resource status indicator rs1 and in dependence on a low congestion threshold th2. A processing module or allocating means 416 allocates at least a part of the second radio resources that are associated with the first bandwidth part BWP#1 and associated with the at least one second radio beam #B3, which is subject to the determined spatial overlap, if the second resource status indicator rs2 indicates free radio resources.

[0116] A processing module or de-allocating means 418 de-allocates/frees fourth radio resources, which are operated by the second apparatus 200, in dependence on the low congestion situation, wherein the fourth radio resources are associated with the at least one third radio beam B#4 and associated with a second bandwidth part BWP#2 operated by the second apparatus.

[0117] FIG. 5 schematically depicts the communications network with the first apparatus 100 comprising at least one processor P1, at least one memory M1 including computer program code CPC1, and at least one communication module C1 that is coupled with at least one antenna A1. The at least one memory M1 and computer program code CPC1 are configured, with the at least one processor P1, and the at least one communication module or communication means C1, to cause the first apparatus 100 at least to operate according to the present description. The second apparatus 200 comprises at least one processor P2, at least one memory M2 including computer program code CPC2, and at least one communication module or communication means C2 that is coupled with at least one antenna A2. The at least one memory M2 and computer program code CPC2 are configured, with the at least one processor P2, and the at least one communication module C2, to cause the second apparatus 200 at least to operate according to the present description.

[0118] Certain abbreviations that may be found in the description and/or in the figures are herewith defined as follows:

[0119] ARFCN absolute radio-frequency channel number

[0120] BA Bandwidth Adaptation

[0121] BWP Bandwidth Part

[0122] CD-SSB Cell Defining SSB

[0123] CGI Cell Global Identity

[0124] eNB evolved Node B

[0125] gNB g Node B

[0126] ID Identifier

[0127] LTE Long Term Evolution

[0128] NG-RAN Next Generation Radio Access Network

[0129] NR New Radio

[0130] PCI Physical Cell Identifier

[0131] RAN Radio Access Network

[0132] RANAC RAN Area Code

[0133] RMSI Remaining Minimum System Information

[0134] RRC Radio Resource Control

[0135] SSB SS/PBCH block, Synchronization Signal Block

[0136] TAC Tracking Area Code

[0137] TNL Transport Network Layer

[0138] UE User Equipment

[0139] Even though the invention has been described above with reference to an example according to the accompanying drawings, it is clear that the invention is not restricted thereto but can be modified in several ways within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, all words and expressions should be interpreted broadly and they are intended to illustrate, not to restrict, the embodiment. It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. Further, it is clear to a person skilled in the art that the described embodiments may, but are not required to, be combined with other embodiments in various ways.