WO2020122796A1

WO2020122796A1 - Conditional mobility in a wireless communication system

Info

Publication number: WO2020122796A1
Application number: PCT/SE2019/051255
Authority: WO
Inventors: Icaro L. J. Da Silva; Johan Rune; Pradeepa Ramachandra
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Current assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date: 2018-12-14
Filing date: 2019-12-10
Publication date: 2020-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-14

Abstract

A wireless device (16) is configured to receive control signaling (26) indicating multiple conditions (28) to be combined into a logical expression (30) that the wireless device (16) is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration (22). Two or more of the conditions may be based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. In some embodiments, the wireless device (16) is also configured to decide, based on evaluation of the logical expression (30), whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration (22). The wireless device (16) may further be configured to apply or not apply the conditional mobility configuration (22) depending on said deciding.

Description

l

CONDITIONAL MOBILITY IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to a wireless communication system, and relates more particularly to conditional mobility in such a system.

BACKGROUND

Robustness of mobility procedures to failure proves challenging particularly in New Radio (NR) systems whose radio links are more prone to fast fading due to their higher operating frequencies. Conditional mobility is one approach to improve mobility robustness in this regard. Under this approach, a wireless device may be commanded to perform a mobility procedure, e.g., handover or resume, earlier than traditionally commanded, before the source radio link quality deteriorates below a certain threshold. But the wireless device is commanded to wait to perform that mobility procedure until the wireless device detects that a certain condition is fulfilled, e.g., the source radio link quality deteriorates even further below a different threshold. Once the device detects that condition, the device may autonomously perform the mobility procedure without receiving any other signaling on the source radio link, so that the procedure proves robust to source link deterioration.

Although this conditional mobility approach can improve mobility robustness under some circumstances, it threatens to limit the sophistication and flexibility of the decision of when to perform a mobility procedure. This may in turn jeopardize the ability of the conditional mobility approach to avoid mobility failure and/or poor service performance.

SUMMARY

According to some embodiments herein, a wireless device combines multiple conditions into a logical expression, e.g., using logical conjunction and/or logical disjunction, that the device evaluates for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration. These two or more conditions may be based on signal measurements that are of different types, e.g., RSRP, RSRQ, and/or SINR, and/or that are performed on different types of signals, e.g., SSB and CSI-RS. In some embodiments, the device receives control signaling indicating parameter values for these multiple conditions, e.g., in terms of values for trigger quantities, hysteresis, and/or time-to-trigger. These and other embodiments may thereby enable a sophisticated conditional mobility decision based on multiple conditions despite the decision being delegated by the network to the device.

More particularly, some embodiments herein include a method performed by a wireless device. The method in some embodiments includes receiving control signaling indicating multiple conditions to be combined into a logical expression that the wireless device is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration. Two or more of the conditions may be based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. In some embodiments, the method also includes deciding, based on evaluation of the logical expression, whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration. The method may further include applying or not applying the conditional mobility configuration depending on said deciding.

In some embodiments, said deciding comprises deciding to apply the conditional mobility configuration when the logical expression evaluates to true.

In some embodiments, applying the conditional mobility configuration comprises performing a mobility procedure according to the conditional mobility configuration.

In some embodiments, two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types.

In some embodiments, the different types of signal measurements include two or more of: reference signal received power, RSRP, reference signal received quality, RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, SINR.

In some embodiments, the logical expression comprises a logical conjunction of two or more of the conditions.

In some embodiments, the control signaling indicates the configuration of an event, wherein two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the event with respect to signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

In some embodiments, the control signaling indicates a list of different configurations for the same event, wherein two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the same event as configured differently according to the different configurations. In one embodiment, for example, the different configurations indicate different respective ones of the multiple conditions by indicating different respective values for a threshold or offset parameter based on which the event is defined, and two or more of the values are values for signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

In some embodiments, the control signaling indicates a list of measurement identifiers that are each associated with a respective measurement object and reporting configuration, wherein each reporting configuration indicates a respective one of the multiple conditions.

In some embodiments, the control signaling comprises a message that indicates the conditional mobility configuration. In one embodiment, the message is a radio resource control, RRC, reconfiguration message.

In some embodiments, the conditional mobility configuration is a

configuration for a conditional handover, a conditional resume, a conditional reconfiguration with sync, a conditional reconfiguration, or a conditional

reestablishment.

Embodiments further include a method performed by a network node. The method may include transmitting, to a wireless device, control signaling indicating multiple conditions to be combined into a logical expression that the wireless device is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration. Two or more of the conditions may be based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

In some embodiments, the control signaling indicates a list of different configurations for the same event, wherein two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the same event as configured differently according to the different configurations. In one such embodiment, the different configurations indicate different respective ones of the multiple conditions by indicating different respective values for a threshold or offset parameter based on which the event is defined, and two or more of the values are values for signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

In some embodiments, the control signaling comprises a message that indicates the conditional mobility configuration. In one such embodiment, the message is a radio resource control, RRC, reconfiguration message.

In some embodiments, the conditional mobility configuration is a

reestablishment.

Embodiments may also include corresponding apparatus, computer programs, and carriers. For example, embodiments herein include a wireless device. The wireless device in some embodiments is configured, e.g., via communication circuitry and processing circuitry, to receive control signaling indicating multiple conditions to be combined into a logical expression that the wireless device is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration. Two or more of the conditions may be based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. In some embodiments, the wireless device is also configured to decide, based on evaluation of the logical expression, whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration. The wireless device may further be configured to apply or not apply the conditional mobility configuration depending on said deciding.

Embodiments herein further include a network node. The network node may be configured, e.g., via communication circuitry and processing circuitry, to transmit, to a wireless device, control signaling indicating multiple conditions to be combined into a logical expression that the wireless device is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration. Two or more of the conditions may be based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communication network according to some embodiments.

Figure 2A is a block diagram of control signaling according to some embodiments.

Figure 2B is a block diagram of control signaling according to other embodiments.

Figure 2C is a block diagram of control signaling according to still other embodiments.

Figure 3 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a wireless device according to some embodiments.

Figure 4 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 5 is a block diagram of a wireless device according to some embodiments.

Figure 6 is a block diagram of a network node according to some

embodiments.

Figures 7 A and 7B are call flow diagrams of a handover procedure according to some embodiments.

Figure 8 is a call flow diagram of a conditional handover procedure according to some embodiments.

Figure 9 is a call flow diagram of a conditional resume procedure according to some embodiments.

Figure 10 is a block diagram of a wireless communication network according to some embodiments.

Figure 11 is a block diagram of a user equipment according to some embodiments.

Figure 12 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment according to some embodiments.

Figure 13 is a block diagram of a communication network with a host computer according to some embodiments.

Figure 14 is a block diagram of a host computer according to some embodiments.

Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figure 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 illustrates a wireless communication network 10 according to one or more embodiments. As shown, the network 10, e.g., a 5G network or New Radio, NR, network, may include an access network (AN) 12 and a core network (CN) 14. The AN 12 wirelessly connects a wireless communication device 16 (or simply “wireless device 16”) to the CN 14. The CN 14 in turn connects the wireless device 16 to one or more external networks (not shown), such as a public switched telephone network and/or a packet data network, e.g., the Internet.

The AN 12 provides links via which the wireless device 16 may wirelessly access the network 10, e.g., using uplink and/or downlink communications. The AN 12 may for example provide links 20-0, 20-1 ,...20-N (generally links 20) in the form of access nodes, e.g., base stations, cells, sectors, beams, carriers, or the like. Some links 20 may provide wireless coverage over different geographical areas.

The network 10, e.g., via one or more network nodes 18 in the AN 12 and/or CN 14, controls which link 20 the device 16 uses to access the network 10, e.g., in or for a so-called connected mode, which may for instance be a mode in which the device 16 has established a radio resource control, RRC, connection with the network 10, in contrast with an RRC idle mode in which no RRC connection is established. The network 10 in this regard may transmit to the wireless device 16 a mobility configuration, e.g., an RRC configuration, that, when applied by the wireless device 16, configures the device 16 to use certain link(s) 20 to access the network 10. In some embodiments, a mobility configuration may for example configure the device 16 to perform a switch 24 from accessing the network 10 via one link to accessing the system via another link, e.g., in connected mode. In some

embodiments, this link switch 24 may be a handover. In other embodiments, a mobility configuration may configure the device 16 to use more or less links to access the network 10, e.g., in the context of dual connectivity, carrier aggregation, or the like. For example, the mobility configuration may be a configuration for adding a secondary cell group (SCG) or a secondary cell. In still other embodiments, the mobility configuration may be a configuration for resuming a connection, e.g., an RRC connection resume, for a reconfiguration with sync, for a reconfiguration, for a reestablishment, or the like. Generally, then, application by the wireless device 16 of a mobility configuration means that the wireless device 16 performs, i.e. , executes, a mobility procedure, e.g., a handover procedure, a resume procedure, etc.

According to embodiments herein, though, the network 10 may transmit the mobility configuration to the wireless device 16 but indicate that the wireless device 16 is to only conditionally apply that mobility configuration. In this sense, then, the network 10 as shown in Figure 1 transmits to the wireless device 16 a so-called conditional mobility configuration 22 that is a mobility configuration that the wireless device 16 is to conditionally apply.

According to some embodiments herein, conditional application of the conditional mobility configuration 22 may notably be based on or otherwise depend on multiple conditions 28, rather than just a single condition. And two or more of these conditions 28 may be based on signal measurements that are of different types, e.g., two or more of: reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). Alternatively or additionally, two or more of the conditions 28 may be based on signal measurements that are performed on different types of signals, e.g., two or more of: synchronization signal block (SSB), channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), and tracking reference signal (TRS). Alternatively or additionally, two or more of the conditions 28 may be based on different types of events, e.g., an X3 event and an X1 event, or may be based on different configurations of the same type of event, e.g., different configurations of an X3 event.

Regardless, the wireless device 16 in some embodiments is configured to combine the multiple conditions 28 into a logical expression 30, e.g., in the form of a logical conjunction, i.e., AND, of two or more of the conditions 28, a logical disjunction, i.e., OR, of two or more of the conditions 28, and/or any combination thereof so as to constitute a combination of multiple logical subexpressions. As an example, the wireless device 16 may combine one condition that is fulfilled upon the occurrence of event X3 with respect to RSRP and another condition that is fulfilled upon the occurrence of event X3 with respect to RSRQ. The device 16 may combine these conditions into a logical expression of the form (neighbor RSRP becomes x better than PCell) AND (neighbor RSRQ becomes x better than PCell), so as to effectively define a composite condition under which event X3 occurs with respect to both RSRP and RSRQ. Here, X3 event may be similar to the LTE and NR A3 event, except that its occurrence may be associated with triggering of a mobility decision instead of a measurement report.

In any event, the wireless device 16 may evaluate this logical expression 30 for making a mobility decision 32; that is, for deciding whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration 22. The wireless device 16 in some embodiments, for example, decides to apply the conditional mobility configuration 22 when the logical expression 30 evaluates to TRUE. These and other embodiments may thereby advantageously enable the wireless device 16 to make a sophisticated conditional mobility decision based on multiple conditions, despite the decision having been delegated by the network 10 to the device 16.

In some embodiments, the conditional mobility configuration 22 may generally refer to the combination of a mobility configuration, e.g., an RRC configuration, and the conditions 28 or the logical expression 30. In these and other embodiments, application of the conditional mobility configuration 22 as used herein generally refers to application of the mobility configuration, e.g., RRC configuration, included in the conditional mobility configuration 22, e.g., as part of executing a mobility procedure. Alternatively or additionally, the conditional mobility configuration 22 according to some embodiments may be associated with a particular target link.

The network node 18 in the embodiments shown in Figure 1 may transmit to the wireless device 16 control signaling 26, e.g., in the form of an RRC message such as an RRC reconfiguration message or an RRC conditional reconfiguration message. The control signaling 26 may include or otherwise indicate the conditional mobility configuration 22, either by itself or along with one or more other conditional mobility configurations (not shown), e.g., where different conditional mobility configurations are associated with different potential target links. Alternatively or additionally, the control signaling 26 may, in a broad sense, indicate the multiple conditions 28 that the wireless device 16 is to combine into the logical expression 30 and/or may indicate the logical expression 30. In still other embodiments shown in Figure 1 , the control signaling 26 may alternatively or additionally indicate parameter values 26A for the multiple conditions 28. For example, the conditions 28 may each be defined by or otherwise be a function of one or more parameters, e.g., a threshold or offset parameter (also referred to as a trigger quantity parameter) associated with a type of signal measurement and/or a type of reference signal, a hysteresis parameter, and/or a time-to-trigger parameter. In this case, the control signaling 26 may indicate the value(s) 26A for the parameter(s).

To illustrate these latter embodiments where the control signaling 26 indicates parameter values 26A for the multiple conditions, consider the same example described above in which the multiple conditions 28 include the occurrence of event X3 with respect to both RSRP and RSRQ. The RSRP-based condition in this case may be fulfilled when the following inequality is fulfilled: Mn - Hys > Mp + Off , where Mn is the RSRP measurement result of the neighbor cell, Mp is the RSRP measurement result of the SpCell, Hys is a hysteresis parameter, and Off is an offset parameter. And the RSRQ-based condition may similarly be fulfilled when the same inequality is fulfilled with respect to RSRQ: Mn - Hys > Mp + Off , where Mn is the RSRQ measurement result of the neighbor cell, Mp is the RSRQ measurement result of the SpCell, Hys is a hysteresis parameter, and Off is an offset parameter. The hysteresis parameter and the offset parameter may be common or independent for the different conditions. In this example, then, the control signaling 26 may indicate values for the offset parameter and/or the hysteresis parameter for each of the RSRQ-based condition and the RSRP-based condition. Additional examples will be provided hereinafter with respect to events X1-X6.

The control signaling 26 may indicate the multiple conditions 28, the logical expression 30, and/or parameter values 26A to the wireless device 16 in any number of possible ways. In some embodiments, for example, the control signaling 26 may indicate the configuration of an event (e.g., the configuration of an X3 event within the EventTriggerConfigForCHO information element). The configuration of this event may indicate the multiple conditions 28 and/or parameter values 26A for the multiple conditions 28. For example, in some embodiments, two or more of the conditions 28 may be the occurrence of the event with respect to signal

measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. Consider for instance embodiments shown in Figure 2A where the configuration of the event configures a threshold or offset parameter 42 (also referred to as trigger quantity) based on which the event is defined. As shown, the control signaling 26 indicates the configuration 40 of an event, which is defined by a threshold or offset parameter 42, e.g., a parameter x3-Offset of type MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO. The configuration 40 nonetheless indicates, for each of the two or more conditions, a value 42-1 ,...42-N for the threshold or offset parameter 42. That is, each of the values 42-1...42-N may correspond to or define different ones of the conditions 28, such that multiple values 42-1...42-N are defined for the parameter 42 rather than just a single value. This may be accomplished for instance by defining the values for the parameter 42 in terms of a sequence of values, rather than a choice of a single value, e.g., MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO may be defined as a sequence of values, rather than a choice of a single value.

Consider for instance the example above where an inequality is a function of a threshold or offset parameter, e.g., the inequality Mn - Hys > Mp + Off used in the example above which includes an offset parameter Off. In this case, two or more of the conditions 28 may be based on this same inequality, but with different values for the threshold or offset parameter, e.g., corresponding to signal measurements that are of different types and/or performed on different types of signals. In such a case, where the logical expression 30 includes the logical conjunction of these conditions, the event may be considered to occur if the inequality is fulfilled for all of the values configured for the threshold or offset parameter.

Additional details and examples of Figure 2A may be illustrated below with reference to so-called Embodiment A.

In other embodiments as shown in Figure 2B, the control signaling 26 may indicate a list of different configurations 44-1...44-N for the same event, e.g., multiple configurations for event X3. In this case, two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the same event as configured differently according to the different configurations 44-1...44-N. Accordingly, where the logical expression 30 includes the logical conjunction of conditions corresponding to the different event

configurations 44-1...4-N, the device 16 must detect the occurrence of the event as configured according to all of those configurations. As shown in Figure 2B, the different configurations 44-1...44-N may indicate different respective ones of the multiple conditions 28 by indicating different respective values 46-1 , 48-1 for a threshold or offset parameter 46, 48 based on which the event is defined. That is, rather than a single event configuration defining multiple values for a threshold or offset parameter as in Figure 2A, multiple event configurations 44-1...44-N each define a single value 46-1 , 48-1 for the threshold or offset parameter 46, 48. But, according to some embodiments, two or more of the values are values for signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

Additional details and examples of Figure 2B may be illustrated below with reference to so-called Embodiment B.

In still other embodiments shown in Figure 2C, the control signaling 26 may indicate a list of measurement identifiers 50-1...50-N that are each associated with a respective measurement object and/or reporting configuration. Each reporting configuration indicates a respective one of the multiple conditions.

Additional details and examples of Figure 2C may be illustrated below with reference to so-called Embodiment C.

Although the above embodiments were illustrated with respect to a threshold or offset parameter, the embodiments may similarly extend to a hysteresis parameter and/or a time-to-trigger parameter.

Note that some embodiments have been described with respect to a single conditional mobility configuration for ease of illustration. In some embodiments, the control signalling 26 may comprise a message that not only conveys the conditions 28, the logical expression 30, and/or parameter values for the conditions 28, but also convey a single conditional mobility configuration. In this case, for example, the control signalling 26 may be an RRC reconfiguration message. In other

embodiments, though, the control signalling 26 may indicate multiple conditional mobility configurations (e.g., as alternatives with respect to different links), including the conditional mobility configuration 22. That is, the control signalling 26 may indicate multiple conditional mobility configurations, one for each of multiple potential target links of a mobility procedure. In this case, the control signalling 26 may be a new RRC message referred to as an RRC conditional reconfiguration message. Where the control signaling 26 indicates multiple conditional mobility configurations, for example, the control signaling 26 may include a list of conditional mobility configurations, with each conditional mobility configuration comprising an identity, a mobility configuration, and conditions under which the mobility

configuration is to be applied.

Also as described herein, the conditional mobility configuration 22 may be a configuration for a conditional handover, a conditional resume, a conditional reconfiguration with sync, a conditional reconfiguration, or a conditional

reestablishment. Alternatively, the conditional mobility configuration 22 may be a conditional configuration for secondary cell group, SCG, addition or secondary cell addition.

In view of the above modifications and variations, Figure 3 depicts a method performed by a wireless device 16 in accordance with particular embodiments. The method as shown may include receiving control signaling 26 indicating multiple conditions 28 to be combined into a logical expression 30 that the wireless device 16 is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration 22 (Block 300). The logical expression 30 may for instance comprise a logical conjunction of two or more of the conditions 28, a logical disjunction of two or more of the conditions 28, and/or comprise a combination of multiple logical

subexpressions where at least one of those subexpressions is a combination of multiple ones of the conditions 28.

Regardless, in some embodiments, two or more of the conditions 28 are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. For example, the different types of signal

measurements may include two or more of: reference signal received power, RSRP, reference signal received quality, RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, SINR. Alternatively or additionally, the different types of signals may include two or more of: a synchronization signal block, SSB, a channel state information reference signal, CSI-RS, and a tracking reference signal, TRS.

In some embodiments, the control signaling 26 indicates parameter values 26A for the multiple conditions 28. In this case, the parameter values 26A may include values for one or more of: an offset or threshold parameter; a hysteresis parameter; and a time-to-trigger parameter.

In some embodiments, the control signaling 26 indicates the configuration of an event, where two or more of the conditions 28 are the occurrence of the event with respect to signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. In one embodiment, for example, for each of the two or more conditions 28, the control signaling 26 indicates a value for a threshold or offset parameter based on which the event is defined. An inequality may for instance be a function of the threshold or offset parameter, where the two or more of the conditions 28 are based on the same inequality but with different values for the threshold or offset parameter. In this case, the logical expression 30 may comprise a logical conjunction of the two or more of the conditions 28, such that, if more than one value is configured for the threshold or offset parameter, the event is considered to occur if the inequality is fulfilled for all of the values. Alternatively or additionally, for each of the two or more conditions, the control signaling 26 may indicate a value for a hysteresis parameter based on which the event is defined. Alternatively or additionally, for each of the two or more conditions 28, the control signaling 26 may indicate a value for a time-to-trigger parameter based on which the event is defined.

In other embodiments, the control signaling 26 indicates a list of different configurations for the same event, where two or more of the conditions 28 are the occurrence of the same event as configured differently according to the different configurations. In one embodiment, for instance, the different configurations indicate different respective ones of the multiple conditions 28 by indicating different respective values for a threshold or offset parameter based on which the event is defined, where two or more of the values are values for signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

In still other embodiments, the control signaling 26 indicates a list of measurement identifiers that are each associated with a respective measurement object and reporting configuration, where each reporting configuration indicates a respective one of the multiple conditions 28.

In some embodiments, the control signaling 26 comprises a message that indicates the conditional mobility configuration 22. The message may for instance be a radio resource control, RRC, reconfiguration message.

In other embodiments, the control signaling 26 comprises a message that indicates multiple conditional mobility configurations, including said conditional mobility configuration 22. The message may for instance be an RRC conditional reconfiguration message.

In some embodiments, the conditional mobility configuration 22 is a configuration for a conditional handover, a conditional resume, a conditional reconfiguration with sync, a conditional reconfiguration, or a conditional

reestablishment. In other embodiments, the conditional mobility configuration 22 is a conditional configuration for secondary cell group, SCG, addition or secondary cell addition.

In any case, the method as shown may also include deciding, based on evaluation of the logical expression 30, whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration 22 (Block 310). For example, in one or more embodiments, the wireless device 16 may decide to apply the conditional mobility configuration 22 if or when the logical expression 30 evaluates to TRUE. The method in some

embodiments may further include applying or not applying the conditional mobility configuration 22 depending on that deciding (Block 320). Where the conditional mobility configuration 22 is applied, this may for instance involve performing a mobility procedure (e.g., handover) according to the conditional mobility

configuration 22.

In some embodiments, the method as shown may also include actually performing the signal measurements on which the conditions 28 are based (Block 302). The method may alternatively or additionally include combining the conditions 28 into the logical expression 30 (Block 306) and/or evaluating the logical expression 30 (Block 308).

Figure 4 depicts a method performed by a network node 18 (e.g., a base station) in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method includes transmitting, to a wireless device 16, control signaling 26 indicating multiple conditions 28 to be combined into a logical expression 30 that the wireless device 16 is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration 22 (Block 410). The logical expression 30 may for instance comprise a logical conjunction of two or more of the conditions 28, a logical disjunction of two or more of the conditions 28, and/or comprise a combination of multiple logical

In some embodiments, the control signaling 26 comprises a message that indicates the conditional mobility configuration 22. The message may for instance be a radio resource control, RRC, reconfiguration message. i6

In any event, the method as shown may also include generating the control signaling 26, e.g., according to any of the embodiments described herein (Block 406). Alternatively or additionally, the method may further include deciding that the wireless device 16 is to conditionally apply the conditional mobility configuration 22, e.g., by making a conditional handover decision (Block 402).

Although not shown, other embodiments herein may include a method performed by a wireless device 16. The method may include combining multiple conditions into a logical expression that the wireless device 16 is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration. Here, two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. The method may further comprise deciding, based on evaluation of the logical expression, whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration. The method may also comprise applying or not applying the conditional mobility configuration depending on said deciding.

Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatuses. Embodiments herein for instance include a wireless device 16 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 16.

Embodiments also include a wireless device 16 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 16. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the wireless device 16.

Embodiments further include a wireless device 16 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 16. In some

embodiments, the wireless device 16 further comprises communication circuitry.

Embodiments further include a wireless device 16 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the wireless device 16 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 16.

Embodiments moreover include a user equipment (UE). The UE comprises an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals. The UE also comprises radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 16. In some embodiments, the UE also comprises an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may comprise an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may also comprise a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

Embodiments herein also include a network node 18 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 18.

Embodiments also include a network node 18 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 18. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the network node 18.

Embodiments further include a network node 18 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 18. In some embodiments, the network node 18 further comprises communication circuitry.

Embodiments further include a network node 18 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node 18 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 18. i8

More particularly, the apparatuses described above may perform the methods herein and any other processing by implementing any functional means, modules, units, or circuitry. In one embodiment, for example, the apparatuses comprise respective circuits or circuitry configured to perform the steps shown in the method figures. The circuits or circuitry in this regard may comprise circuits dedicated to performing certain functional processing and/or one or more microprocessors in conjunction with memory. For instance, the circuitry 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, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory may include 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 several embodiments. In embodiments that employ memory, the memory stores program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, carries out the techniques described herein.

Figure 5 for example illustrates a wireless device 500, e.g., wireless device 16, as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the wireless device 500 includes processing circuitry 510 and communication circuitry 520 (abbreviated as“comm circuitry”). The communication circuitry 520, e.g., radio circuitry, is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. Such communication may occur via one or more antennas that are either internal or external to the wireless device 500. The processing circuitry 510 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in Figure 3, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 530 (abbreviated as“mem”). The processing circuitry 510 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

Figure 6 illustrates a network node 600, e.g., network node 18, as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the network node 600 includes processing circuitry 610 and communication circuitry 620 (abbreviated as“comm circuitry”). The communication circuitry 620 is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. The processing circuitry 610 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in Figure 4, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 630 (abbreviated as“mem”). The processing circuitry 610 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that embodiments herein further include corresponding computer programs.

A computer program comprises instructions which, when executed on at least one processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to carry out any of the respective processing described above. A computer program in this regard may comprise one or more code modules corresponding to the means or units described above.

Embodiments further include a carrier containing such a computer program. This carrier may comprise one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

In this regard, embodiments herein also include a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable (storage or recording) medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform as described above.

Embodiments further include a computer program product comprising program code portions for performing the steps of any of the embodiments herein when the computer program product is executed by a computing device. This computer program product may be stored on a computer readable recording medium.

Additional embodiments will now be described. At least some of these embodiments may be described as applicable in certain contexts and/or wireless network types for illustrative purposes, but the embodiments are similarly applicable in other contexts and/or wireless network types not explicitly described. In the below embodiments, the wireless device 16 may be exemplified as a user equipment (UE), and the network node 18 may be exemplified as a base station, e.g., in the form of an eNB or gNB.

An RRC_CONNECTED user equipment (UE) in Long Term Evolution (LTE) (also called EUTRA) can be configured by the network to perform measurements and, upon triggering measurement reports the network may send a handover command to the UE (in LTE an RRConnectionReconfiguration with a field called mobilityControllnfo and in New Radio (NR) an RRCReconfiguration with a reconfiguration With Sync field) .

These reconfigurations are actually prepared by the target cell upon a request from the source node (over X2 interface in case of EUTRA-EPC or Xn interface in case of EUTRA-5GC or NR) and takes into account the existing RRC configuration the UE has with source cell (which are provided in the inter-node request). Among other parameters, that reconfiguration provided by the target cell contains all of the information the UE needs to access the target cell, e.g., random access configuration, a new Cell Radio Network Temporary Identity (C-RNTI) assigned by the target cell and security parameters enabling the UE to calculate new security keys associated to the target cell so the UE can send a handover complete message on Signaling Radio Bearer #1 (SRB1) (encrypted and integrity protected) based on new security keys upon accessing the target cell.

Figure 7 A and 7B summarize the flow signalling between UE, source node and target node during a handover procedure.

Step 0. The UE context within the source gNB contains information regarding roaming and access restrictions which were provided either at connection establishment or at the last timing advance (TA) update.

Step 1. The source gNB configures the UE measurement procedures and the UE reports according to the measurement configuration.

Step 2. The source gNB decides to handover the UE, based on MeasurementReport and Radio Resource Management (RRM) information.

Step 3. The source gNB issues a Handover Request message to the target gNB passing a transparent RRC container with necessary information to prepare the handover at the target side. The information includes at least the target cell ID, KgNB*, the Cell Radio Network Temporary Identity (C-RNTI) of the UE in the source gNB, RRM-configuration including UE inactive time, basic AS-configuration including antenna Info and DL Carrier Frequency, the current QoS flow to Data Radio Bearer (DRB) mapping rules applied to the UE, the System Information Block #1 (SI Bl) from source gNB, the UE capabilities for different Radio Access Technologies (RATs), Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session related information, and can include the UE reported measurement information including beam- related information if available. The PDU session related information includes the slice information (if supported) and QoS flow level QoS profile(s). NOTE: After issuing a Handover Request, the source gNB should not reconfigure the UE, including performing Reflective QoS flow to DRB mapping.

Step 4. Admission Control may be performed by the target gNB. Slice-aware admission control shall be performed if the slice information is sent to the target gNB. If the PDU sessions are associated with non-supported slices the target gNB shall reject such PDU Sessions.

Step 5. The target gNB prepares the handover with L1/L2 and sends the

HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE to the source gNB, which includes a transparent container to be sent to the UE as an RRC message to perform the handover.

Step 6. The source gNB triggers the Uu handover by sending an

RRCReconfiguration message to the UE, containing the information required to access the target cell: at least the target cell ID, the new C-RNTI, the target gNB security algorithm identifiers for the selected security algorithms. It can also include a set of dedicated Random Access Channel (RACH) resources, the association between RACH resources and Synchronization Signal Block(s) (SSB(s)), the association between RACH resources and UE- specific Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) configuration(s), common RACH resources, and system information of the target cell, etc.

Step 7. The source gNB sends the SN STATUS TRANSFER message to the target gNB.

Step 8. The UE synchronises to the target cell and completes the RRC handover procedure by sending RRCReconfigurationComplete message to target gNB.

Step 9. The target gNB sends a PATH SWITCH REQUEST message to Access and Mobility Function (AMF) to trigger 5G Core (5GC) to switch the downlink (DL) data path towards the target gNB and to establish an NG-C interface instance towards the target gNB.

Step 10. 5GC switches the DL data path towards the target gNB. The User Plane Function (UPF) sends one or more "end marker" packets on the old path to the source gNB per PDU session/tunnel and then can release any U-plane/TNL resources towards the source gNB.

Step 11. The AM F confirms the PATH SWITCH REQUEST message with the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message.

Step 12. Upon reception of the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message from the AMF, the target gNB sends the UE CONTEXT RELEASE to inform the source gNB about the success of the handover. The source gNB can then release radio and C-plane related resources associated to the UE context. Any ongoing data forwarding may continue.

Both in LTE and NR, some principles exist for handovers (or in more general terms, mobility in RRC_CONNECTED). Mobility in RRC_CONNECTED is network- based as the network has the best information regarding the current situation such as load conditions, resources in different nodes, available frequencies, etc. The network can also take into account the situation of many UEs in the network, for a resource allocation perspective. The network prepares a target cell before the UE accesses that cell. The source cell provides the UE with the RRC configuration to be used in the target cell, including SRB1 configuration to send handover (HO) complete. The UE is provided by the target cell with a target C-RNTI i.e. target identifies UE from Message 3 (MSG.3) on the Medium Access Control (MAC) level for the HO complete message. Hence, there is no context fetching, unless a failure occurs. To speed up the handover, the network provides needed information on how to access the target, e.g. Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration, so the UE does not have to acquire System Information (SI) prior to the handover. The UE may be provided with contention-free random access (CFRA) resources, i.e. in that case the target cell identifies the UE from the preamble (MSG.1). The principle behind this is that the procedure can always be optimized with dedicated resources. In conditional handover (CHO), that might be a bit tricky as there is uncertainty about the final target but also the timing. Security is prepared before the UE accesses the target cell i.e. Keys must be refreshed before sending RRC Connection

Reconfiguration Complete message, based on new keys and encrypted and integrity protected so the UE can be verified in the target cell. Both full and delta

reconfiguration are supported so that the HO command can be minimized.

Two new work items for mobility enhancements in LTE and NR have started in 3GPP in release 16. The main objectives of the work items are to improve the robustness at handover and to decrease the interruption time at handover.

One problem related to robustness at handover is that the handover (HO) Command ( RRCConnectionReconfiguration with mobilityControllnfo and

RRCReconfiguration with a reconfiguration With Sync f i e I d ) is normally sent when the radio conditions for the UE are already quite bad. That may lead to that the HO Command may not reach the UE in time if the message is segmented or there are retransmissions. One solution to increase mobility robustness in NR is called“conditional handover” or“early handover command”. In order to avoid the undesired

dependence on the serving radio link upon the time (and radio conditions) where the UE should execute the handover, the possibility to provide RRC signaling for the handover to the UE earlier is provided. To achieve this, it is possible to associate the HO command with a condition, e.g. based on radio conditions possibly similar to the ones associated to an A3 event, where a given neighbour becomes X db better than target. As soon as the condition is fulfilled, the UE executes the handover in accordance with the provided handover command.

Such a condition could e.g. be that the quality of the target cell or beam becomes X dB stronger than the serving cell. The threshold Y used in a preceding measurement reporting event should then be chosen lower than the one in the handover execution condition. This allows the serving cell to prepare the handover upon reception of an early measurement report and to provide the

RRCConnectionReconfiguration with mobilityControllnfo at a time when the radio link between the source cell and the UE is still stable. The execution of the handover is done at a later point in time (and threshold) which is considered optimal for the handover execution.

Figure 8 depicts an example with just a serving cell and a target cell. In practice there may often be many cells or beams that the UE reported as possible candidates based on its preceding radio resource management (RRM)

measurements. The network should then have the freedom to issue conditional handover commands for several of those candidates. The

RRCConnectionReconfiguration for each of those candidates may differ, e.g. in terms of the HO execution condition (reference signal, RS, to measure and threshold to exceed) as well as in terms of the random access (RA) preamble to be sent when a condition is met.

While the UE evaluates the condition, it should continue operating per its current RRC configuration, i.e. , without applying the conditional HO command.

When the UE determines that the condition is fulfilled, it disconnects from the serving cell, applies the conditional HO command and connects to the target cell. These steps are equivalent to the current, instantaneous handover execution.

More particularly, in Figure 8, the serving gNB may exchange user plane (UP) data with the UE. In step 1 , the UE sends a measurement report with a“low” threshold to the serving gNB. The serving gNB makes a handover (HO) decision based on this early report. In step 2, the serving gNB sends an early HO request to a target gNB. The target gNB accepts the HO request and builds an RRC configuration. The target gNB returns a HO acknowledgement, including the RRC configuration, to the serving gNB in step 3. In step 4, a conditional HO command with a“high” threshold is sent to the UE. Subsequently, measurements by the UE may fulfil the HO condition of the conditional HO command. The UE thus triggers the pending conditional handover. The UE performs synchronization and random access with the target gNB in step 5, and HO confirm is exchanged in step 6. In step 7, the target gNB informs the serving gNB that HO is completed. The target gNB may then exchange user plane (UP) data with the UE.

An alternative solution relies on context fetching called where a condition is also provided to the UE and, upon the fulfilment of the condition the UE executes resume. In this solution, a method is executed by a UE in RRC connected mode, the method comprising: receiving a message containing at least one condition from the network and monitoring the fulfilment of the provided condition, and, upon the fulfilment of a condition triggering an RRC Resume procedure or an equivalent procedure towards at least one target cell. That may be summarized by the flow diagram shown in Figure 9, which summarizes signalling between a UE, serving node (in this example a serving gNB) and target node (in this example a target gNB) during a conditional RRC Resume procedure.

In Figure 9, the serving gNB may exchange user plane (UP) data with the UE. In step 1 , the UE sends a measurement report with a“low” threshold to the serving gNB. The serving gNB makes a HO decision based on this early report. In step 2, the serving gNB sends an early HO request to a target gNB. The target gNB accepts the HO request. The target gNB returns a HO acknowledgement to the serving gNB in step 3. In step 4, a conditional HO command with a“high” threshold is sent to the UE. Subsequently, measurements by the UE may fulfil the HO condition of the conditional HO command. The UE thus triggers the pending conditional handover. The UE performs synchronization and random access with the target gNB in step 5, and in step 6 sends a RRCConnectionResumeRequest message to the target gNB. The target gNB may then exchange user plane data with the UE. In general terms, both conditional handover and conditional resume may be considered as a conditional mobility procedure.

In LTE and NR, handover decisions or PSCell change decisions (when the UE is operating in E-UTRA New Radio Dual-Connectivity (EN-DC) and/or Multi Radio Access Technology Dual-Connectivity (MR-DC) or any other form of dual connectivity, carrier aggregation, etc.) are typically taken based on the coverage and quality of a serving cell compared to the quality of a potential neighbour. Quality is typically measured in terms of Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) or Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SINR), while coverage is typically measured based on RSRP.

In LTE and NR, only a single trigger quantity may be configured heretofore per measurement identifier / event. Hence, if the network wants to trigger a handover only when both quality and coverage are better in a neighbour cell compared to the source (e.g. PCell and/or PSCell), the network must configure the UE with at least two measurements identifiers, where each is associated with its own trigger quantity but possibly the same reportConfig (e.g. A3 event) and same measurement object.

Consider an example of the event configuration in LTE and NR, where an event triggered measurement report is configured with a reportConfig field of type/IE ReportConfigNR, which is linked to a measurement object (representing the frequency the measurements to be performed and events to be monitored should be done) and an identifier. This is shown below and is described in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS 38.331 v15.3.0). Notice that given the structure of

ReportConfigNR, a single trigger quantity is used for the configuration of the triggering conditions for measurement reporting, which is considered as baseline for the triggering conditions for conditional handover or mobility in general. As it can be seen, for example in event A3 (same for other intra-RAT events used to support coverage-based handovers) the trigger quantity is configured via the field a3-offset of type/IE MeasTriggerQuantityOffset which is a CHOICE structure i.e. network can only configure one per event.

The Information Element (IE) ReportConfigNR specifies criteria for triggering of an NR measurement reporting event. Measurement reporting events are based on cell measurement results, which can either be derived based on Synchronization Signal (SS) / Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) block or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS). These events are labelled AN with N equal to 1 , 2 and so on.

Event A1 : Serving becomes better than absolute threshold;

Event A2: Serving becomes worse than absolute threshold;

Event A3: Neighbour becomes amount of offset better than PCell/PSCell; Event A4: Neighbour becomes better than absolute threshold;

Event A5: PCell/PSCell becomes worse than absolute threshold 1 AND

Neighbour/SCell becomes better than another absolute threshold2.

Event A6: Neighbour becomes amount of offset better than SCell.

ReportConfigNR information element

- ASN1 START

- TAG-REPORT-CONFIG-START

ReportConfigNR ::= SEQUENCE {

reportType CHOICE {

periodical PeriodicalReportConfig,

eventT riggered EventT riggerConfig, reported ReportCGI

ReportCGI ::= SEQUENCE {

cellForWhichToReportCGI PhysCellld,

}

EventT riggerConfig: := SEQUENCE {

eventld CHOICE {

eventAI SEQUENCE {

a1 -Threshold MeasT riggerQuantity,

reportOn Leave BOOLEAN,

hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToT rigger TimeToT rigger },

eventA2 SEQUENCE {

a2-Threshold MeasTriggerQuantity, reportOn Leave BOOLEAN,

hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger

},

eventA3 SEQUENCE {

a3-Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffset, reportOn Leave BOOLEAN,

hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger, useWhiteCellList BOOLEAN

},

eventA4 SEQUENCE {

a4-Threshold MeasT riggerQuantity, reportOn Leave BOOLEAN,

hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToTrigger TimeToTrigger, useWhiteCellList BOOLEAN

},

eventA5 SEQUENCE {

a5-Threshold1 MeasT riggerQuantity, a5-Threshold2 MeasT riggerQuantity, reportOn Leave BOOLEAN,

hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToTrigger TimeToTrigger, useWhiteCellList BOOLEAN

},

eventA6 SEQUENCE {

a6-Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffset, reportOn Leave BOOLEAN,

hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToTrigger TimeToTrigger, useWhiteCellList BOOLEAN

},

}, rsType NR-RS-Type, reportlnterval Reportlnterval,

reportAmount ENUMERATED {r1 , r2, r4, r8, r16, r32, r64, infinity}, reportQuantityCell MeasReportQuantity,

maxReportCells INTEGER (l.maxCellReport), reportQuantityRslndexes MeasReportQuantity

OPTIONAL, - Need R

maxNrofRSIndexesToReport INTEGER

(1..maxNroflndexesToReport) OPTIONAL, - Need R includeBeamMeasurements BOOLEAN,

reportAddNeighMeas ENUMERATED {setup}

OPTIONAL, - Need R

}

PeriodicalReportConfig SEQUENCE {

rsType NR-RS-Type, reportlnterval Reportlnterval,

OPTIONAL, - Need R

maxNrofRslndexesToReport INTEGER (l.maxNroflndexesToReport) OPTIONAL, - Need R

includeBeamMeasurements BOOLEAN,

useWhiteCellList BOOLEAN,

}

NR-RS-Type ::= ENUMERATED {ssb, csi-rs}

MeasT riggerQuantity CHOICE {

rsrp RSRP-Range,

rsrq RSRQ-Range,

sinr SINR-Range

}

MeasT riggerQuantityOffset CHOICE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30),

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30),

sinr INTEGER (-30..30)

}

MeasReportQuantity SEQUENCE {

rsrp BOOLEAN,

rsrq BOOLEAN,

sinr BOOLEAN

}

- TAG-REPORT-CONFIG-START

- ASN 1STOP This choice can be RSRP, RSRQ or SINR. A similar design exists in LTE. Notice that the network may configure the UE to report both quantities, even though the triggering is only based on one.

Measurement report in NR per Reference Signal (RS) type

In LTE, radio resource management (RRM) measurements are performed based on cell-specific reference signals, also called CRSs. In NR, more flexibility is added and it is possible to configure the reference signal (RS) type that the UE shall use to perform RRM measurements to support mobility. That is configured per reportConfig. So, similarly to a single trigger quantity, a single RS type may be configured per event. Hence, in NR, when one says that a single measurement quantity (like RSRP, RSRQ or SINR) is configured as trigger quantity, one means that this is associated to a single RS type. One of the reasons to define this flexibility of having different RS types for measurement reports is that these signals may be beamformed differently by the network (e.g. SSB transmitted in wide beams, CSI- RS transmitted in narrow beams) so that the measurement reports inform to the network the narrow or wide beam coverage/quality for that particular UE.

This is configured via a field called rsType in reportConfig, as also shown above and as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v15.3.0. In NR, the network may either configure CSI-RS or SS/PBCH Block (SSB) as RS type. Further details on CSI-RS and SSBs are provided in the measurement configuration. In 3GPP TS 38.215 v15.3.0, quantities are defined per RS type such as SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ, SS- SINR, CSI-RSRP, CSI-RSRQ, CSI-SINR, referring to the measurement quantity for a given RS type.

In some embodiments, SS reference signal received power (SS -RSRP) is defined as the linear average over the power contributions (in Watts, W) of the resource elements that carry secondary synchronization signals (SS). The measurement time resource(s) for SS-RSRP are confined within SS/PBCH Block Measurement Time Configuration (SMTC) window duration. If SS-RSRP is used for L1-RSRP as configured by reporting configurations as defined in 3GPP TS 38.214 v15.3.0, the measurement time resources(s) restriction by SMTC window duration is not applicable.

For SS-RSRP determination demodulation reference signals for physical broadcast channel (PBCH) and, if indicated by higher layers, CSI reference signals in addition to secondary synchronization signals may be used. SS-RSRP using demodulation reference signal for PBCH or CSI reference signal shall be measured by linear averaging over the power contributions of the resource elements that carry corresponding reference signals taking into account power scaling for the reference signals as defined in 3GPP TS 38.213 v15.3.0. If SS-RSRP is not used for L1- RSRP, the additional use of CSI reference signals for SS-RSRP determination is not applicable.

SS-RSRP shall be measured only among the reference signals

corresponding to SS/PBCH blocks with the same SS/PBCH block index and the same physical-layer cell identity.

If SS-RSRP is not used for L1-RSRP and higher-layers indicate certain SS/PBCH blocks for performing SS-RSRP measurements, then SS-RSRP is measured only from the indicated set of SS/PBCH block(s).

For frequency range 1 , the reference point for the SS-RSRP shall be the antenna connector of the UE. For frequency range 2, SS-RSRP shall be measured based on the combined signal from antenna elements corresponding to a given receiver branch. For frequency range 1 and 2, if receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported SS-RSRP value shall not be lower than the corresponding SS- RSRP of any of the individual receiver branches.

The above is applicable for the following. If SS-RSRP is used for L1-RSRP, RRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency. Otherwise, RRCJDLE intra-frequency, RRCJDLE inter-frequency, RRCJNACTIVE intra-frequency, RRCJNACTIVE inter frequency, RRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency, and RRC_CONNECTED inter frequency.

NOTE 1 : The number of resource elements within the measurement period that are used by the UE to determine SS-RSRP is left up to the UE implementation with the limitation that corresponding measurement accuracy requirements have to be fulfilled.

NOTE 2: The power per resource element is determined from the energy received during the useful part of the symbol, excluding the CP.

In some embodiments, CSI reference signal received power (CSI-RSRP) is defined as the linear average over the power contributions (in Watts, W) of the resource elements that carry CSI reference signals configured for RSRP

measurements within the considered measurement frequency bandwidth in the configured CSI-RS occasions. For CSI-RSRP determination CSI reference signals transmitted on antenna port 3000 according to 3GPP TS 38.211 v15.3.0 shall be used. If CSI-RSRP is used for L1-RSRP, CSI reference signals transmitted on antenna ports 3000, 3001 can be used for CSI-RSRP determination.

For intra-frequency CSI-RSRP measurements, if the measurement gap is not configured, UE is not expected to measure the CSI-RS resource(s) outside of the active downlink bandwidth part.

For frequency range 1 , the reference point for the CSI-RSRP shall be the antenna connector of the UE. For frequency range 2, CSI-RSRP shall be measured based on the combined signal from antenna elements corresponding to a given receiver branch. For frequency range 1 and 2, if receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported CSI-RSRP value shall not be lower than the corresponding CSI- RSRP of any of the individual receiver branches.

This definition is applicable for the following. If CSI-RSRP is used for L1- RSRP, RRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency. Otherwise, RRC_CONNECTED intra frequency and RRC_CONNECTED inter-frequency.

NOTE 1 : The number of resource elements within the considered

measurement frequency bandwidth and within the measurement period that are used by the UE to determine CSI-RSRP is left up to the UE implementation with the limitation that corresponding measurement accuracy requirements have to be fulfilled.

SS reference signal received quality (SS-RSRQ) is defined as the ratio of NxSS-RSRP / NR carrier RSSI, where N is the number of resource blocks in the NR carrier RSSI measurement bandwidth. The measurements in the numerator and denominator shall be made over the same set of resource blocks.

NR carrier Received Signal Strength Indicator (NR carrier RSSI), comprises the linear average of the total received power (in Watts, W) observed only in certain OFDM symbols of measurement time resource(s), in the measurement bandwidth, over N number of resource blocks from all sources, including co-channel serving and non-serving cells, adjacent channel interference, thermal noise etc. The measurement time resource(s) for NR Carrier RSSI are confined within SS/PBCH Block Measurement Time Configuration (SMTC) window duration. If indicated by higher-layers, the NR Carrier RSSI is measured in slots within a half frame with SS/PBCH blocks that are indicated by the higher layer parameter measurementSlots and in OFDM symbols given by Table 5.1.3-1. For intra frequency measurements, NR Carrier RSSI is measured with timing reference corresponding to the serving cell in the frequency layer. For inter-frequency measurements, NR Carrier RSSI is measured with timing reference corresponding to any cell in the target frequency layer,

Otherwise, if measurement gap is not used, NR Carrier RSSI is measured from OFDM symbols within SMTC window duration and, if measurement gap is used, NR Carrier RSSI is measured from OFDM symbols corresponding to overlapped time span between SMTC window duration and minimum measurement time within the measurement gap.

Table 5.1.3-1 : NR Carrier RSSI measurement symbols

If higher-layers indicate certain SS/PBCH blocks for performing SS-RSRQ measurements, then SS-RSRP is measured only from the indicated set of SS/PBCH block(s).

For frequency range 1 , the reference point for the SS-RSRQ shall be the antenna connector of the UE. For frequency range 2, NR Carrier RSSI shall be measured based on the combined signal from antenna elements corresponding to a given receiver branch, where the combining for NR Carrier RSSI shall be the same as the one used for SS-RSRP measurements. For frequency range 1 and 2, if receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported SS-RSRQ value shall not be lower than the corresponding SS-RSRQ of any of the individual receiver branches.

This definition is applicable for RRCJDLE intra-frequency, RRCJDLE inter frequency, RRCJN ACTIVE intra-frequency, RRCJNACTIVE inter-frequency, RRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency, and RRC_CONNECTED inter-frequency.

In some embodiments, CSI reference signal received quality (CSI-RSRQ) is defined as the ratio of N*CSI-RSRP to CSI-RSSI, where N is the number of resource blocks in the CSI-RSSI measurement bandwidth. The measurements in the numerator and denominator shall be made over the same set of resource blocks.

CSI Received Signal Strength Indicator (CSI-RSSI), comprises the linear average of the total received power (in Watts, W) observed only in OFDM symbols of measurement time resource(s), in the measurement bandwidth, over N number of resource blocks from all sources, including co-channel serving and non-serving cells, adjacent channel interference, thermal noise etc. The measurement time resource(s) for CSI-RSSI corresponds to OFDM symbols containing configured CSI- RS occasions.

For CSI-RSRQ determination CSI reference signals transmitted on antenna port 3000 according to 3GPP TS 38.211 v15.3.0 shall be used.

For intra-frequency CSI-RSRQ measurements, if the measurement gap is not configured, UE is not expected to measure the CSI-RS resource(s) outside of the active downlink bandwidth part.

For frequency range 1 , the reference point for the CSI-RSRQ shall be the antenna connector of the UE. For frequency range 2, CSI-RSSI shall be measured based on the combined signal from antenna elements corresponding to a given receiver branch, where the combining for CSI-RSSI shall be the same as the one used for CSI-RSRP measurements. For frequency range 1 and 2, if receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported CSI-RSRQ value shall not be lower than the corresponding CSI-RSRQ of any of the individual receiver branches.

This definition is applicable for RRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency, and RRC_CONNECTED inter-frequency.

In some embodiments, SS signal-to-noise and interference ratio (SS-SINR), is defined as the linear average over the power contribution (in Watts, W) of the resource elements carrying secondary synchronisation signals divided by the linear average of the noise and interference power contribution (in Watts, W) over the resource elements carrying secondary synchronisation signals within the same frequency bandwidth. The measurement time resource(s) for SS-SINR are confined within SS/PBCH Block Measurement Time Configuration (SMTC) window duration. For SS-SINR determination demodulation reference signals for physical broadcast channel (PBCH) in addition to secondary synchronization signals may be used.

If higher-layers indicate certain SS/PBCH blocks for performing SS-SINR measurements, then SS-SINR is measured only from the indicated set of SS/PBCH block(s).

For frequency range 1 , the reference point for the SS-SINR shall be the antenna connector of the UE. For frequency range 2, SS-SINR shall be measured based on the combined signal from antenna elements corresponding to a given receiver branch. For frequency range 1 and 2, if receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported SS-SINR value shall not be lower than the corresponding SS-SINR of any of the individual receiver branches.

This definition is applicable for RRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency and RRC_CONNECTED inter-frequency.

In some embodiments, CSI signal-to-noise and interference ratio (CSI-SINR) is defined as the linear average over the power contribution (in Watts, W) of the resource elements carrying CSI reference signals divided by the linear average of the noise and interference power contribution (in Watts, W) over the resource elements carrying CSI reference signals reference signals within the same frequency bandwidth.

For CSI-SINR determination CSI reference signals transmitted on antenna port 3000 according to 3GPP TS 38.211 v15.3.0 shall be used.

For intra-frequency CSI-SINR measurements, if the measurement gap is not configured, UE is not expected to measure the CSI-RS resource(s) outside of the active downlink bandwidth part.

For frequency range 1 , the reference point for the CSI-SINR shall be the antenna connector of the UE. For frequency range 2, CSI-SINR shall be measured based on the combined signal from antenna elements corresponding to a given receiver branch. For frequency range 1 and 2, if receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported CSI-SINR value shall not be lower than the corresponding CSI- SINR of any of the individual receiver branches.

There currently exist certain challenge(s). In typical handover/mobility scenarios, the network takes handover decisions based on measurement reports and based on conditions of multiple quantities, for example, RSRP and RSRQ. The network may configure the UE to report multiple measurement quantities in the same event configuration, by choosing a single trigger quantity, but multiple reporting quantities. However, only a single trigger quantity fulfilling the configured condition may be configured and, despite that possibility, the network would have to anyway wait for a second type of measurement report where the second quantity triggers the report, reflecting the fact that this second trigger quantity fulfils its condition for measurement reporting.

The consequence is that to make the handover algorithm at the network side to operate properly the network configures the UE with two measurement identifiers for the same event (i.e. same reportConfig), each with a different trigger quantity, for example, one with RSRP and another with RSRQ (but possibly the same event i.e. reportConfig and same measurement object). Then, UE monitors both conditions at the same time (for the same measurement object and with the same event configuration) and, when at least one condition is fulfilled the UE starts to send measurement reports, possibly including both quantities RSRP and RSRQ. If only one condition for one of the quantities is triggered, despite the inclusion of both quantities the network still waits for the second type of report (when the second condition is fulfilled) before it takes a handover decision. The reason the network does that is that a given neighbour cell may have a good RSRP, but not a good RSRQ. Hence, despite the other cell having a better coverage (e.g. if A3 is triggered based on RSRP condition), that cell may not have better quality i.e. RSRQ or SINR. For example, let us assume the network configures the UE with the following measurement identifiers:

measld(1) = [reportConfig A3 for RSRP, measObject for frequency X] measld(2) = [reportConfig A3 for RSRQ, measObject for frequency X]

Then, both conditions will be monitored in parallel and UE will perform both RSRP and RSRQ measurements on serving cell(s) and on the frequency X. Upon the triggering of the first condition, the UE sends a measurement report for measld(1), but network does not take any decision until it receives a measurement report for measld(2) as well.

In addition to that, in NR the network needs to configure which RS type is used for each triggering quantity. That is also a CHOICE structure so that if network wants to take handover decisions based on the quality/coverage of SSBs and CSI- RSs the network should configure two measld(s) for each quantity, one per RS type.

Condition configuration for Conditional Handover (CHO)

In conditional handover (or in more general terms, conditional mobility, which includes also conditional resume or reestablishment being triggered based on a condition), a condition is associated to a mobility procedure and, upon the fulfillment of the condition the UE triggers a mobility procedure. One may assume that existing reportConfig filed of type/IE ReportConfigNR serves as baseline for the trigger condition, e.g. A3 event configuration for intra-frequency handovers.

And, as described above, the network would configure the UE with a condition equivalent to existing reportConfig, where it is possible to configure RSRP, or RSRQ, or SINR as a single trigger quantity per event that is being monitored.

The problem is that with existing solutions it would not be possible to make the conditional to perform at least as good as a conventional handover in many typical scenarios such as where the network waits for measurement reports from multiple quantities before handing over the UE e.g. neighbour cell has Xdb better RSRP AND, YdB better RSRQ than target.

The consequence is that in areas where the network performs handover based on the reception of reports based on different quantities fulfilling a condition determined by the network, the network would either not configure conditional handover due to this limitations and performance risks or, the UE would risk in many cases taking wrong handover decisions. For example, if the network configures the condition based on RSRP for a condition like A3 event, UE would detect better RSRP in neighbour than in serving, but neighbour could have worse RSRQ, leading to handover failure or poor service performance.

As in the case of multiple quantities for the same RS type, when different RS types are configured for different measurement identifies, the network may want to trigger handovers towards a target candidate cell only when both SSB based and CSI-RS based conditions are fulfilled. For example, if measurements configured for different RS types are used as a way to understand the quality/coverage of wide beams and narrow beams, the network may first receive measurement reports where the condition for one RS type is fulfilled and then wait until it receives measurement reports for the other RS type when a second condition is fulfilled, so that only when both measurement reports start to be received the network sends a handover command.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. Some embodiments for example comprise a method at a UE for conditional mobility procedure, e.g., conditional handover, conditional resume or conditional reestablishment procedure. The method comprises receiving, e.g., via control signalling 26, a set of trigger conditions, e.g., conditions 28, for a conditional mobility, where each trigger condition is possibly associated to a different trigger quantity, such as RSRP, RSRQ, SI NR, etc., and where the set of conditions are linked to at least one conditional mobility

configuration, e.g., configuration 22. In some embodiments, trigger quantity may be for measurements on a single RS type, e.g. SSB, CSI-RS, TRS, etc., or to multiple RS types, e.g., SSB and CSI-RS, SSB and TRS, or any other combination of measurements based on different RS types, etc. The method may also comprise monitoring the set of trigger conditions, where each set is associated to a specific conditional mobility configuration, and where each condition is based on a set of measurements. The method may further comprise triggering a conditional mobility procedure according to the conditional mobility configuration upon the fulfilment of the complete set of multiple trigger conditions.

In some embodiments, the triggering of conditional mobility, e.g. conditional handover, is based on multiple trigger quantities, e.g. RSRP and RSRQ, RSRP and SINR, RSRP and RSRQ and SINR, RSRP and SINR, etc., possibly based on the same RS type, e.g. SSB, CRSs, CSI-RS, or different RS types, e.g. RSRP-SSB and RSRQ-CSI-RS.

Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Conditional handover is configured to improve the robustness of mobility procedure. However, the decision to perform handovers by the network is typically based on coverage and quality conditions, typically comparing target candidates and source cells. In other words, multiple conditions must be fulfilled before the network takes a handover decision.

Thanks to some embodiments, the trigger condition leading the UE to trigger a conditional mobility, e.g. conditional handover, can possibly be based on multiple trigger quantities, e.g., RSRP and RSRQ, either based on a single RS type or multiple RS types. Hence, in some areas, the UE has no risk to perform a conditional mobility to a cell with better coverage than its previous source cell, but worse quality, e.g. RSRP was better, but not the RSRQ, which could have been avoided in a handover scenario, i.e. without conditional handover, but with a lower robustness performance. In the case of a quantity based on multiple RS types, the network may decide that the UE shall only execute the conditional handover when conditions for a given quantity, e.g. RSRP, or multiple ones, RSRP and RSRQ, are fulfilled for multiple RS types e.g. condition for RSRP based on SSB is fulfilled AND condition for RSRP based on CSI-RS is fulfilled, which translates that the coverage for wide beams (SSBs) and narrow beams (CSI-RS configuration) is better in a given neighbour than in the PCell and/or PSCell.

As used herein, the term“conditional mobility” may refer to conditional handover, conditional resume, conditional reconfiguration with sync, conditional reconfiguration, conditional reestablishment, or any other procedure that is configured by network to the UE which contains condition(s) (e.g. associated to one or multiple measurement event) and, upon the fulfilment of the condition(s) the UE shall perform the mobility related procedure e.g. resume., handover, reconfiguration with sync, beam switching, etc.

As used herein, the term“reference” may refer to a link, pointer, association or any means to index and identify a measurement configuration that is either stored at the UE or that is being provided to the UE together with the conditional mobility configuration.

The methods herein apply for a conditional mobility configuration associated to a single cell or to multiple cells. In the case of single cell, a single measurement configuration reference is provided and linked to a mobility procedure. In the case of multiple cells, a single measurement configuration reference may be provided and linked to the monitoring of multiple cells e.g. within the same measurement object / frequency. Or alternatively, multiple measurement configuration references may be provided and referred to different cells.

The methods herein describe the term“conditional mobility configuration”. This may be interpreted as the RRCReconfiguration in NR terminology (or

RRCConnectionReconfiguration if LTE terminology) prepared by a potential target cell that the UE applies and performs action upon when the configured condition for the conditional mobility procedure is triggered. As used herein, that multiple trigger quantities are introduced for the condition triggering conditional mobility means that the UE monitors the fulfilment of conditions associated to multiple conditions e.g. RSRP above a threshold AND RSRQ above a threshold such that only when both are fulfilled the UE applies the RRCReconfiguration and performs action upon. The same is valid for conditional mobility based on resume. When the condition based on multiple triggers, like RSRP and RSRQ, is fulfilled the UE triggers a resume procedure towards the target cell fulfilling the condition.

Most of the UE (and network) actions defined herein are described as being performed in NR or LTE. In other words, the configuration of a conditional HO received in NR and executed in NR. However, the methods herein are also applicable in other cases, including for instance the following.

In a first case, the UE is configured with a conditional HO in NR, possibly with multiple NR and/or LTE measurement quantities, then the condition is triggered and UE executes the HO in LTE. In the case of NR conditions, for example, these may be based on SSB and/or CSI-RS.

In a second case, the UE is configured with a conditional HO in LTE, possibly with multiple NR and/or LTE measurement quantities, then the condition is triggered and UE executes the HO in NR. In the case of NR conditions, for example, these may be based on SSB and/or CSI-RS.

In a third case, in more general terms, the UE is configured with a conditional HO in RAT-1 , possibly with multiple RAT-1 and/or RAT-2 measurement quantities, then the condition is triggered and UE executes the HO in RAT-2;

Most of the UE (and network) actions defined herein are described in terms of handover or reconfigurations with sync, which may comprise the change of a cell. However, the methods herein are also applicable in the cases where a cell is added, for example in case of multi-connectivity scenarios such as carrier aggregation, dual connectivity, EN-DC, NR-DC, MR-DC, etc. In that case, a mobility configuration may include a conditional configuration for Secondary Cell Group (SCG) addition or Secondary Cell (SCell) addition, or equivalent. The method also comprises the case of an intra-cell procedure relying on conditional mobility e.g. a reconfiguration with sync with cell identity the same as a serving cell.

The trigger quantities that are described herein may be at least RSRP,

RSRQ and SINR. They can be based on cell measurements, i.e. cell level RSRP, cell level RSRQ, cell level SINR. When the methods describe the triggering of a condition based on multiple trigger quantities, the method may comprise at least the following configurations: (i) RSRP and RSRQ; (ii) RSRP and SINR; (iii) RSRQ and SINR; and (iv) RSRP, RSRQ and SINR.

When the methods herein describe the fulfillment of conditions associated to multiple quantities, the method may comprise the monitoring of multiple conditions in parallel and, triggering the mobility procedure only when the configured conditions for multiple trigger quantities are fulfilled.

The trigger quantities herein may be based on one or both of SS/PBCH Block (SSB) and CSI-RS. The cell level measurements are performed based on these reference signals i.e. cell level SS-RSRP, cell level SS-RSRQ, cell level SS- SINR, cell level CSI-RSRP, cell level CSI-RSRQ, cell level CSI-SINR. When the methods herein describe the triggering of a condition based on multiple trigger quantities, the methods may comprise at least the following configurations: (1) SS- RSRP and SS-RSRQ; (2) SS-RSRP and SS-SINR; (3) SS-RSRQ and SS-SINR; (4) SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ and SS-SINR; (5) CSI-RSRP and CSI-RSRQ; (6) CSI-RSRP and CSI-SINR; (7) CSI-RSRQ and CSI-SINR; (8) CSI-RSRP, CSI-RSRQ and CSI- SINR; (9) SS-RSRP and CSI-RSRP; (10) SS-RSRP and CSI-RSRQ; (11) SS-RSRP and CSI-SINR; (12) SS-RSRQ and CSI-RSRP; (13) SS-RSRQ and CSI-RSRQ; (14) SS-RSRQ and CSI-SINR; (15) SS-SINR and CSI-RSRP; (16) SS-SINR and CSI- RSRQ; (17) SS-SINR and CSI-SINR; (18) SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ and CSI-RSRP;

(19) SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ and CSI-RSRQ; (20) SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ and CSI- SINR; (21) SS-RSRP, SS-SINR and CSI-RSRP; (22) SS-RSRP, SS-SINR and CSI- RSRQ; (23) SS-RSRP, SS-SINR and CSI-SINR; (24) SS-SINR, SS-RSRQ and CSI- RSRP; (25) SS-SINR, SS-RSRQ and CSI-RSRQ; (26) SS-SINR, SS-RSRQ and CSI-SINR; (27) CSI-RSRP, CSI -RSRQ and SS-RSRP; (28) CSI -RSRP, CSI - RSRQ and SS-RSRQ; (29) CSI -RSRP, CSI -RSRQ and SS-SINR; (30) CSI -RSRP, CSI -SINR and SS-RSRP; (31) CSI -RSRP, CSI -SINR and SS-RSRQ; (32) CSI - RSRP, CSI -SINR and SS-SINR; (33) CSI -SINR, CSI -RSRQ and SS-RSRP; (34) CSI -SINR, CSI -RSRQ and SS-RSRQ; (35) CSI -SINR, CSI -RSRQ and SS-SINR.

With regard to reception of the set of triggered conditions, the set of conditions associated to the different quantities may be received in different manners.

Trigger quantity may be for measurements on a single RS type (e.g. SSB, CSI-RS, TRS, etc.) or to multiple RS types (e.g. SSB and CSI-RS, SSB and TRS, any other combination of measurements based on different RS types, etc.) In so-called Embodiment A, the UE receives an event configuration with multiple trigger quantities. That may be done, for example, using a SEQUENCE to encode the quantities instead of a CHOICE in the signaling from the network to the UE. For example, if the condition for conditional mobility is Neighbour becomes offset better than SpCell, like in an A3 event, the event configuration may be as follows:

triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE {

Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToTrigger TimeToTrigger

// other parameters

},

MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO : := SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL

}

Hysteresis ::= INTEGER (0..30)

TimeToTrigger ENUMERATED {

msO, ms40, ms64, ms80, ms100, ms128, ms160, ms256, ms320, ms480, ms512, ms640, ms1024, ms1280, ms2560,

ms5120}

In this first variant of Embodiment A, even though multiple quantities may be provided, a single hysteresis value is provided for possibly the multiple quantities, in triggering events where a hysteresis is configured for conditional mobility. In a second variant of Embodiment A, the UE may also receive multiple hysteresis values, each associated to a specific trigger quantity. triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE {

Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity, timeToTrigger TimeToTrigger

// other parameters

MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO ::= SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL

}

HysteresisPerQuantity::= SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL

}

TimeToTrigger ::= ENUMERATED {

ms5120}

In a third variant of Embodiment A, the UE may also receive multiple hysteresis and/or multiple time-to-trigger values, each associated to a specific trigger quantity. triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE {

Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeT oT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

// other parameters

},

MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO ::= SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL

}

HysteresisPerQuantity: := SEQUENCE { rsrp INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL

}

TimeToTriggerPerQuantity ::= SEQUENCE {

rsrp TimeToT rigger OPTIONAL,

rsrq TimeToT rigger OPTIONAL,

sinr TimeToT rigger OPTIONAL

}

In more general terms, the conditions may be configured as a CHOICE between different triggering events for conditional mobility and, each event (possibly encoded as a reportConfig) may contain the configuration of multiple trigger quantities as described in the method so that the triggering of the event triggers a conditional mobility procedure. An example is shown below:

EventT riggerConfigForCHO

SEQUENCE {

eventld CHOICE {

eventXI SEQUENCE {

x1 -Threshold MeasT riggerQuantityForCHO,

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX2 SEQUENCE {

x2-Threshold MeasT riggerQuantityForCHO,

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX3 SEQUENCE {

x3-Offset MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToTrigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

}, eventX4 SEQUENCE {

x4-Threshold MeasT riggerQuantity,

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger Ti eT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX5 SEQUENCE {

x5-Threshold1 MeasT riggerQuantity, x5-Threshold2 MeasT riggerQuantity, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger Ti eT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX6 SEQUENCE {

x6-Offset MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

HysteresisPerQuantity: := SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL, rsrq INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL, sinr INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL

}

MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO ::= SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL, rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL, sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL

}

MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO ::= SEQUENCE {

TimeToTriggerPerQuantity ::= SEQUENCE {

rsrp TimeToT rigger OPTIONAL,

rsrq TimeToT rigger OPTIONAL,

sinr TimeToT rigger OPTIONAL

}

In another variant of Embodiment A, the UE receives a configuration where multiple trigger quantities per RS type may be provided. For example, if the condition for conditional mobility is Neighbour becomes offset better than SpCell, the configuration may be as follows: triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE {

Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToTrigger TimeToTrigger // other parameters

},

MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO ::= SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL

}

} Hysteresis ::= INTEGER (0..30)

TimeToTrigger ENUMERATED {

ms5120}

As shown above full flexibility is achieved here. For example, the UE may be configured with the following rsrp-SSB condition AND rsrq-SSB AND rsrp-CSI-RS condition AND rsrq-CSI-RS condition.

In this variant of Embodiment A, even though multiple quantities may be provided per rsType, a single hysteresis value is provided for possibly the multiple quantities, in triggering events where a hysteresis is configured for conditional mobility. In yet another variant of Embodiment A, the UE may also receive multiple hysteresis values, each associated to a specific trigger quantity per rsType. triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE {

Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToTrigger TimeToTrigger // other parameters

},

MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL }

}

HysteresisPerQuantity::= SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL

}

TimeToTrigger ::= ENUMERATED {

ms5120}

In still another variant of Embodiment A, even though multiple quantities per rsType may be provided, a single time-to-trigger value is provided for possibly the multiple quantities, in triggering events where a time-to-trigger is configured for conditional mobility. In another variant of Embodiment A, the UE may also receive multiple time-to-trigger values, each associated to a specific trigger quantity per rsType. triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE {

Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis Hysteresis,

timeToTrigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity // other parameters

}, MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO := SEQUENCE { SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

}

Hysteresis ::= INTEGER (0..30)

TimeToTriggerPerQuantity::= SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

rsrq TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

sinr TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

rsrq TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

sinr TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL

}

In yet another variant of Embodiment A, the UE may also receive multiple hysteresis and/or multiple time-to-trigger values, each associated to a specific trigger quantity per rsType. triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE { Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeT oT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

// other parameters

MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO : := SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

}

HysteresisPerQuantity: := SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

rsrq INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL,

sinr INTEGER (0..30) OPTIONAL

}

TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity: := SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE { rsrp TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

rsrq TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

sinr TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

rsrq TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL,

sinr TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL

}

In more general terms, the conditions may be configured as a CHOICE between different triggering events for conditional mobility and, each event may contain the configuration of multiple trigger quantities per rsType as described in the method. An example is shown below:

EventT riggerConfigForCHO

SEQUENCE {

eventld CHOICE {

eventXI SEQUENCE {

x1 -Threshold MeasT riggerQuantityForCHO,

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX2 SEQUENCE {

x2-Threshold MeasT riggerQuantityForCHO,

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX3 SEQUENCE {

x3-Offset MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToTrigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX4 SEQUENCE { x4-Threshold MeasT riggerQuantity,

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

}.

eventX5 SEQUENCE {

timeToT rigger Ti eT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

eventX6 SEQUENCE {

x6-Offset MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity

},

HysteresisPerQuantity::= SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

}

MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO := SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

}

MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO :: SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE { rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL, rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL, sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL },

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE { rsrp INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL, rsrq INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL, sinr INTEGER (-30..30) OPTIONAL }

}

TimeT oT riggerPerQuantity: := SEQUENCE {

SSBbasedTrigger SEQUENCE {

rsrp TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL, rsrq TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL, sinr TimeToTrigger OPTIONAL

},

CSI RSbasedT rigger SEQUENCE {

} }

As part of Embodiment A, the condition configuration is of type/IE

EventTriggerConfigForCHO and is part of a specific conditional mobility

configuration e.g. associated to a particular cell, particular frequency, set of cells, etc. In other words, when the UE monitors a single condition configured with this type/IE EventTriggerConfigForCHO (based on multiple quantities) and the single condition is fulfilled (i.e. for the multiple quantities in an AND logic) the UE executes the procedure for the specific conditional mobility configuration. The following provides some examples that vary depending how conditional mobility is configured to the UE.

Example 1a: Single RRCReconfiguration message with a conditional handover configuration

In this first example, it is shown how this may work with the conditional handover configuration based on an RRCReconfiguration indicating that this is a conditional handover to the UE. In this example, every RRCReconfiguration associated to a target cell candidate is associated to its own condition i.e. there may be X conditions for X messages, each for each target cell candidate, as shown below.

The RRCReconfiguration message is the command to modify an RRC connection. It may convey information for measurement configuration, mobility control, radio resource configuration (including RBs, MAC main configuration and physical channel configuration) including and security configuration.

Signalling radio bearer: SRB1 or SRB3

RLC-SAP: AM

Logical channel: DCCH

Direction: Network to UE

RRCReconfiguration message

- ASN 1 START

- TAG-RRCRECONFIGURATION-START

RRCReconfiguration ::= SEQUENCE {

rrc-T ransactionldentifier RRC-T ransactionldentifier, critical Extensions CHOICE {

rrcReconfiguration RRCReconfiguration-IEs,

criticalExtensionsFuture SEQUENCE {}

}

RRCReconfiguration-IEs ::= SEQUENCE {

radioBearerConfig RadioBearerConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need M

secondaryCellGroup OCTET STRING (CONTAINING CellGroupConfig) OPTIONAL, - Need M

measConfig MeasConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need M

lateNonCriticalExtension OCTET STRING

OPTIONAL,

nonCriticalExtension RRCReconfiguration-v1530-I Es

OPTIONAL

}

RRCReconfiguration-v1530-1 Es ::= SEQUENCE {

masterCellGroup OCTET STRING (CONTAINING

CellGroupConfig) OPTIONAL, - Need M

fullConfig ENUMERATED {true}

OPTIONAL, - Cond FullConfig

dedicatedNAS-MessageList SEQUENCE (SIZE(l.maxDRB)) OF

DedicatedNAS-Message OPTIONAL, -- Cond nonHO

masterKey Update MasterKeyUpdate

OPTIONAL, -- Cond MasterKeyChange

dedicatedSIBI -Delivery OCTET STRING (CONTAINING SIB1)

OPTIONAL, - Need N

dedicatedSystemlnformationDelivery OCTET STRING (CONTAINING Systemlnformation) OPTIONAL, -- Need N

otherConfig OtherConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need N nonCriticalExtension SEQUENCE {}

OPTIONAL

}

RRCReconfiguration-v16-IEs ::= SEQUENCE {

condReconfiguration CondReconfiguration OPTIONAL, masterCellGroup OCTET STRING (CONTAINING CellGroupConfig) OPTIONAL, - Need M

fullConfig ENUMERATED {true}

OPTIONAL, - Cond FullConfig

dedicatedNAS-MessageList SEQUENCE (SIZE(l.maxDRB)) OF

DedicatedNAS-Message OPTIONAL, -- Cond nonHO

masterKey Update MasterKeyUpdate

OPTIONAL, -- Cond MasterKeyChange

dedicatedSIBI -Delivery OCTET STRING (CONTAINING SIB1)

OPTIONAL, - Need N

dedicatedSystemlnformationDelivery OCTET STRING (CONTAINING

Systemlnformation) OPTIONAL, - Need N

otherConfig OtherConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need N

nonCriticalExtension SEQUENCE {}

OPTIONAL

}

MasterKeyUpdate ::= SEQUENCE {

keySetChangelndicator BOOLEAN,

nextHopChainingCount NextHopChainingCount,

nas-Container OCTET STRING

OPTIONAL, - Cond securityNASC

}

CondReconfiguration: := SEQUENCE {

triggerCondition EventT riggerConfigForCHO }

- TAG-RRCRECONFIGURATION-STOP

- ASN1STOP

Example 2a: RRCConditionalReconfiguration message with possibly multiple conditional handover configurations (where each contains its own condition, possibly with multiple trigger quantities)

In this second example, it is shown how this could work with the conditional handover configuration based on a new message e.g.

RRCConditionalReconfiguration indicating that this is a conditional handover to the UE. In this example, every RRCRecon figuration associated to a target cell candidate is associated to its own condition i.e. there may be X conditions for X messages, each for each target cell candidate, as shown below. But, in the same message there may be multiple conditional handover configurations, each of them with its own condition and its own RRCRecon figuration message to be applied at the fulfillment of the condition.

The RRCConditionalReconfiguration message is the command to modify an RRC connection upon the triggering of an associated condition. It may convey information for measurement configuration, mobility control, radio resource configuration (including RBs, MAC main configuration and physical channel configuration) including and security configuration.

Signalling radio bearer: SRB1 or SRB3

RLC-SAP: AM

Logical channel: DCCH

Direction: Network to UE

RRCConditionalReconfiguration message

- ASN1 START

- TAG-RRCCONDITIONALRECONFIGURATION-START

RRCConditionalReconfiguration ::= SEQUENCE {

rrc-T ransactionldentifier RRC-T ransactionldentifier,

critical Extensions CHOICE {

rrcConditional Reconfiguration RRCConditionalReconfiguration-IEs, criticalExtensionsFuture SEQUENCE {}

}

RRCConditionalReconfiguration-IEs ::= SEQUENCE {

condReconfigurationList SEQUENCE (SIZE

(1..maxCondReconfigurations)) OF CondReconfiguration,

}

CondReconfiguration: := SEQUENCE {

rrcReconfigurationToApply RRCReconfiguration,

triggerCondition EventT riggerConfigForCHO,

} lateNonCriticalExtension OCTET STRING

OPTIONAL,

nonCriticalExtension RRCReconfiguration-v1530-IEs

OPTIONAL

}

- TAG- RRCCONDITIONALRECONFIGURATION -STOP

- ASN1STOP

In so-called Embodiment B, the UE receives in each event configuration a single trigger quantity. That may be done using a CHOICE. For example, if the condition for conditional mobility is an A3 event (i.e. Neighbour becomes offset better than SpCell), the configuration may be as follows: triggerCHOX3 SEQUENCE {

Offset MeasT riggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis Hysteresis // other parameters

},

MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO ::= CHOICE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30),

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30),

sinr INTEGER (-30..30)

}

Hysteresis ::= INTEGER (0..30)

And, in more general terms, the conditions may be configured as a CHOICE between different triggering events for conditional mobility and, each event may contain the configuration of a single trigger quantity. An example is shown below:

EventT riggerConfigForCHO

SEQUENCE {

eventld CHOICE {

eventXI SEQUENCE {

x1 -Threshold MeasT riggerQuantityForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger,

},

eventX2 SEQUENCE {

x2-Threshold MeasT riggerQuantityForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger,

},

eventX3 SEQUENCE {

x3-Offset MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger,

},

eventX4 SEQUENCE {

x4-Threshold MeasT riggerQuantity, 6o

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger,

},

eventX5 SEQUENCE {

x5-Threshold1 MeasT riggerQuantity,

a5-Threshold2 MeasT riggerQuantity,

hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger,

},

eventX6 SEQUENCE {

x6-Offset MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO, hysteresis HysteresisPerQuantity,

timeToT rigger TimeToTrigger,

},

HysteresisPerQuantity::= INTEGER (0..30)

MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO ::= CHOICE{

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30),

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30),

sinr INTEGER (-30..30)

}

MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO ::= CHOICE {

rsrp INTEGER (-30..30),

rsrq INTEGER (-30..30),

sinr INTEGER (-30..30)

}

Then, to achieve the desired UE behavior described herein, which is to possibly configure the UE with multiple trigger quantities for each conditional mobility configuration, the UE is provided with at least one list of elements of type/IE EventTriggerConfigForCHO. Then, each element in the list may contain the same event configuration but different trigger quantities, so that the UE gets multiple trigger quantities and associated configurations for the same conditional mobility configuration. A similar solution also works for RS types, i.e. , the list may mix configurations for the same RS type or for different RS types, each condition is for a single trigger quantity and single RS type.

In other words, when the UE monitors multiple conditions configured with this type/IE EventTriggerConfigForCHO (each based on a quantity) and when all conditions are fulfilled (i.e. for the multiple quantities in an AND logic) the UE executes the procedure for the specific conditional mobility configuration. What follows are some examples that vary depending how conditional mobility is configured to the UE.

Example 1 b: Single RRCRecon figuration message with a conditional handover configuration

The RRCRecon figuration message is the command to modify an RRC connection. It may convey information for measurement configuration, mobility control, radio resource configuration (including RBs, MAC main configuration and physical channel configuration) including and security configuration.

Signalling radio bearer: SRB1 or SRB3

RLC-SAP: AM

Logical channel: DCCH

Direction: Network to UE

RRCReconfiguration message

- ASN 1 START

- TAG-RRCRECONFIGURATION-START

RRCReconfiguration ::= SEQUENCE {

rrc-T ransaction Identifier RRC-T ransactionldentifier,

critical Extensions CHOICE {

rrcReconfiguration RRCReconfiguration-IEs,

criticalExtensionsFuture SEQUENCE {}

}

} RRCReconfiguration-IEs ::= SEQUENCE {

radioBearerConfig RadioBearerConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need M

secondaryCellGroup OCTET STRING (CONTAINING CellGroupConfig) OPTIONAL, - Need M

measConfig MeasConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need M

lateNonCriticalExtension OCTET STRING

OPTIONAL,

nonCriticalExtension RRCReconfiguration-v1530-I Es

OPTIONAL

}

RRCReconfiguration-v1530-1 Es ::= SEQUENCE {

masterCellGroup OCTET STRING (CONTAINING

CellGroupConfig) OPTIONAL, - Need M

fullConfig ENUMERATED {true}

OPTIONAL, - Cond FullConfig

dedicatedNAS-MessageList SEQUENCE (SIZE(l.maxDRB)) OF

DedicatedNAS-Message OPTIONAL, -- Cond nonHO

masterKey Update MasterKeyUpdate

OPTIONAL, -- Cond MasterKeyChange

dedicatedSIBI -Delivery OCTET STRING (CONTAINING SIB1)

OPTIONAL, - Need N

otherConfig OtherConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need N

nonCriticalExtension SEQUENCE R

OPTIONAL

}

RRCReconfiguration-v16-IEs ::= SEQUENCE { condReconfiguration CondReconfiguration OPTIONAL, masterCellGroup OCTET STRING (CONTAINING

CellGroupConfig) OPTIONAL, - Need M

fullConfig ENUMERATED {true}

OPTIONAL, - Cond FullConfig

dedicatedNAS-MessageList SEQUENCE (SIZE(l.maxDRB)) OF

DedicatedNAS-Message OPTIONAL, -- Cond nonHO

masterKey Update MasterKeyUpdate

OPTIONAL, -- Cond MasterKeyChange

dedicatedSIBI -Delivery OCTET STRING (CONTAINING SIB1)

OPTIONAL, - Need N

dedicatedSystemlnformationDelivery OCTET STRING (CONTAINING

Systemlnformation) OPTIONAL, - Need N

otherConfig OtherConfig

OPTIONAL, - Need N

nonCriticalExtension SEQUENCE {}

OPTIONAL

}

MasterKeyUpdate ::= SEQUENCE {

keySetChangelndicator BOOLEAN,

nextHopChainingCount NextHopChainingCount,

nas-Container OCTET STRING

OPTIONAL, - Cond securityNASC

}

CondReconfiguration: := SEQUENCE {

triggerConditionList SEQUENCE (SIZE(1..MaxNumCond)) OF

EventT riggerConfigForCHO

}

- TAG-RRCRECONFIGURATION-STOP

- ASN1STOP Example 2b: RRCConditionalReconfiguration message with possibly multiple conditional handover configurations (where each contains its own list of conditions) The RRCConditionalReconfiguration message is the command to modify an RRC connection upon the triggering of an associated condition. It may convey information for measurement configuration, mobility control, radio resource configuration (including RBs, MAC main configuration and physical channel configuration) including and security configuration.

Signalling radio bearer: SRB1 or SRB3

RLC-SAP: AM

Logical channel: DCCH

Direction: Network to UE

RRCConditionalReconfiguration message

- ASN1 START

- TAG-RRCCONDITIONALRECONFIGURATION-START

RRCcONDITIONALReconfiguration ::= SEQUENCE {

rrc-T ransactionldentifier RRC-T ransactionldentifier,

critical Extensions CHOICE {

}

RRCConditionalReconfiguration-IEs ::= SEQUENCE {

condReconfigurationList SEQUENCE (SIZE

(1..maxCondReconfigurations)) OF

CondReconfiguration,

}

CondReconfiguration::= SEQUENCE {

rrcReconfigurationT oApply RRCReconfiguration, triggerConditionList SEQUENCE (SIZE(1..MaxNumCond)) OF

EventT riggerConfigForCHO,

} lateNonCriticalExtension OCTET STRING

OPTIONAL,

nonCriticalExtension RRCReconfiguration-v1530-1 Es

OPTIONAL

}

- TAG- RRCCONDITIONALRECONFIGURATION -STOP

- ASN1STOP

For Embodiment B, there may be some restrictions introduced in the standards, such as using the same event type and only vary the trigger quantity.

In one embodiment, the UE is configured with multiple conditions associated to the same conditional mobility configuration.

In so-called Embodiment C, each conditional handover configuration linked to an RRCReconfiguration (e.g. for a particular target cell candidate) is a list of conditions, where each condition has the same structure of a measurement as defined in connected mode i.e. a measld, that is linked to measurement object, and to a reportConfig (where an event and its parameters may be configured, such as trigger quantity, time to trigger, RS type, etc.). In that sense, the list of event configurations may be replaced by a list of measurement identifiers which may have already been stored at the UE e.g. via a measurement configuration (measConfig of IE MeasConfi IE/Typeg) previous provided to the UE. And/or, for which the UE is already performing measurements.

Consider now additional details for how the UE may monitor the set of trigger conditions. Based on the different Embodiments A, B, and C above, there can be different monitoring actions.

In embodiments where the same threshold/offset is used for different trigger quantities and the same hysteresis is used for different trigger quantities, where each condition can contain multiple triggers, upon the reception of the configuration the UE may monitor one or more of the following conditions associated to the triggering of conditional mobility: Event X1 , X2, X3, X4, X5, and/or X6.

Event X1 (Serving becomes better than threshold)

The UE shall:

1 > if more than one measurement quantity is configured in

MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO ;

2> consider the entering condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X1-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled for all the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO.

2> consider the leaving condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X1-2, as specified below, is fulfilled for at least one of the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO.

1 > else:

2> consider the entering condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X1-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled;

2> consider the leaving condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X1-2, as specified below, is fulfilled;

1 >for this measurement, consider the NR serving cell corresponding to the associated measObjectNR associated with this event.

Inequality X1-1 (Entering condition)

Ms - Hys > Thresh

Inequality X1-2 (Leaving condition)

Ms + Hys < Thresh

The variables in the formula are defined as follows:

Ms is the measurement result of the serving cell, not taking into account any offsets.

Hys is the hysteresis parameter for this event (i.e. hysteresis as defined within EventTriggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Thresh is the threshold parameter for this event (i.e. x1-Threshold as defined within EventTriggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Ms is expressed in dBm in case of RSRP, or in dB in case of RSRQ and RS- SINR.

Hys is expressed in dB. Thresh is expressed in the same unit as Ms.

Event X2 (Serving becomes worse than threshold)

The UE shall:

1 > if more than one measurement quantity is configured in

MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO;

2> consider the entering condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X2-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled for all the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO.

2> consider the leaving condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X2-2, as specified below, is fulfilled for at least one of the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityForCHO.

1 > else:

2> consider the entering condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X2-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled;

2> consider the leaving condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X2-2, as specified below, is fulfilled;

1 > for this measurement, consider the serving cell indicated by the

measObjectNR associated to this event.

Inequality X2-1 (Entering condition)

Ms + Hys < Thresh

Inequality X2-2 (Leaving condition)

Ms - Hys > Thresh

The variables in the formula are defined as follows:

Hys is the hysteresis parameter for this event (i.e. hysteresis as defined within EventThggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Thresh is the threshold parameter for this event (i.e. x2-Threshold as defined within EventThggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Ms is expressed in dBm in case of RSRP, or in dB in case of RSRQ and RS- SINR.

Hys is expressed in dB.

Thresh is expressed in the same unit as Ms. Event X3 (Neighbour becomes offset better than SpCell)

The UE shall:

1 > if more than one measurement quantity is configured in

MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO;

2> consider the entering condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X3-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled for all the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO.

2> consider the leaving condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X3-2, as specified below, is fulfilled at least one of the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO.

1 > else:

2> consider the entering condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X3-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled;

2> consider the leaving condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X3-2, as specified below, is fulfilled;

1 > use the SpCell for Mp, Ofp and Ocp.

NOTE The cell(s) that triggers the event has reference signals indicated in the measObjectNR associated to this event which may be different from the NR SpCellmeasObjectNR.

Inequality X3-1 (Entering condition)

Mn + Ofn + Ocn - Hys > Mp + Ofp + Ocp + Off

Inequality X3-2 (Leaving condition)

Mn + Ofn + Ocn + Hys < Mp + Ofp + Ocp + Off

The variables in the formula are defined as follows:

Mn is the measurement result of the neighbouring cell, not taking into account any offsets.

Ofn is the measurement object specific offset of the reference signal of the neighbour cell (i.e. offsetMO as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the neighbour cell).

Ocn is the cell specific offset of the neighbour cell (i.e. celllndividualOffset as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the frequency of the neighbour cell) and set to zero if not configured for the neighbour cell.

Mp is the measurement result of the SpCell, not taking into account any offsets. Ofp is the measurement object specific offset of the SpCell (i.e. offsetMO as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the SpCell).

Ocp is the cell specific offset of the SpCell (i.e. celllndividualOffset as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the SpCell) and is set to zero if not configured for the SpCell.

Off is the offset parameter for this event (i.e. x3-Offset as defined within

EventThggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Mn, Mp are expressed in dBm in case of RSRP, or in dB in case of RSRQ and RS-SINR.

Ofn, Ocn, Ofp, Ocp, Hys, Off are expressed in dB.

Event X4 (Neighbour becomes better than threshold)

The UE shall:

1 > if more than one measurement quantity is configured in

MeasTriggerOuantityForCHO ;

2> consider the entering condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X4-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled for all the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerOuantityForCHO.

2> consider the leaving condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X4-2, as specified below, is fulfilled at least one of the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerOuantityForCHO.

1 > else:

2> consider the entering condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X4-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled;

2> consider the leaving condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X4-2, as specified below, is fulfilled.

Inequality X4-1 (Entering condition)

Mn + Ofn + Ocn - Hys > Thresh

Inequality X4-2 (Leaving condition)

Mn + Ofn + Ocn + Hys < Thresh

The variables in the formula are defined as follows: Mn is the measurement result of the neighbouring cell, not taking into account any offsets.

Ofn is the measurement object specific offset of the neighbour cell (i.e. offsetMO as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the neighbour cell).

Ocn is the measurement object specific offset of the neighbour cell (i.e.

celllndividualOffset as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the neighbour cell) and set to zero if not configured for the neighbour cell.

Thresh is the threshold parameter for this event (i.e. x4-Threshold as defined within EventThggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Mn is expressed in dBm in case of RSRP, or in dB in case of RSRQ and RS- SINR.

Ofn, Ocn, Hys are expressed in dB.

Thresh is expressed in the same unit as Mn.

Event X5 (SpCell becomes worse than thresholdl and neighbour/SCell becomes better than threshold2)

The UE shall:

1 > if more than one measurement quantity is configured in

MeasTriggerOuantityForCHO.

3> consider the entering conditions of this event to be satisfied if both

conditions, X5-1and X5-2 as specified below, are fulfilled for all the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerOuantityForCHO.

3> consider the leaving conditions of this event to be satisfied if at least one of the conditions, X5-3 and X5-4 as specified below, is fulfilled for at least one of the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerOuantityForCHO.

1 > else:

2> consider the entering condition for this event to be satisfied when both condition X5-1 and condition X5-2, as specified below, are fulfilled;

2> consider the leaving condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X5-3 or condition X5-4, i.e. at least one of the two, as specified below, is fulfilled;

1 > use the SpCell for Mp. NOTE: The parameters of the reference signal(s) of the cell(s) that triggers the event are indicated in the measObjectNR associated to the event which may be different from the measObjectNR of the NR SpCell.

Inequality X5-1 (Entering condition 1)

Mp + Hys < Thresh 1

Inequality X5-2 (Entering condition 2)

Mn + Ofn + Ocn - Hys > Thresh2

Inequality X5-3 (Leaving condition 1)

Mp - Hys > Thresh 1

Inequality X5-4 (Leaving condition 2)

Mn + Ofn + Ocn + Hys < Thresh2

The variables in the formula are defined as follows:

Mp is the measurement result of the NR SpCell, not taking into account any offsets.

Mn is the measurement result of the neighbouring cell/SCell, not taking into account any offsets.

Ofn is the measurement object specific offset of the neighbour/SCell cell (i.e. offsetMO as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the neighbour cell/SCell).

Ocn is the cell specific offset of the neighbour cell/SCell (i.e. celllndividualOffset as defined within measObjectNR corresponding to the neighbour cell/SCell), and set to zero if not configured for the neighbour cell.

Threshl is the threshold parameter for this event (i.e. x5-Threshold1 as defined within EventTriggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Thresh2 is the threshold parameter for this event (i.e. x5-Threshold2 as defined within EventTriggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Mn, Mp are expressed in dBm in case of RSRP, or in dB in case of RSRG and RS-SINR.

Ofn, Ocn, Hys are expressed in dB.

Threshl is expressed in the same unit as Mp.

Thresh2 is expressed in the same unit as Mn. Event X6 (Neighbour becomes offset better than SCell)

The UE shall:

1 > if more than one measurement quantity is configured in

MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO:

2> consider the entering condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X6-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled for all the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO.

2> consider the leaving condition of this event to be satisfied if the condition X6-2, as specified below, is fulfilled for at least one of the measurement quantities specified in MeasTriggerQuantityOffsetForCHO.

1 > else:

2> consider the entering condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X6-1 , as specified below, is fulfilled;

2> consider the leaving condition for this event to be satisfied when condition X6-2, as specified below, is fulfilled;

1 > for this measurement, consider the (secondary) cell corresponding to the measObjectNR associated to this event to be the serving cell.

NOTE: The reference signal(s) of the neighbour(s) and the reference signal(s) of the SCell are both indicated in the associated measObjectNR.

Inequality X6-1 (Entering condition)

Mn + Ocn - Hys > Ms + Ocs + Off

Inequality X6-2 (Leaving condition)

Mn + Ocn + Hys < Ms + Ocs + Off

The variables in the formula are defined as follows:

Ocn is the cell specific offset of the neighbour cell (i.e. celllndividualOffset as defined within the associated measObjectNR) and set to zero if not configured for the neighbour cell.

Ms is the measurement result of the serving cell, not taking into account any offsets. Ocs is the cell specific offset of the serving cell (i.e. celllndividualOffset as defined within the associated measObjectNR) and is set to zero if not configured for the serving cell.

Off is the offset parameter for this event (i.e. x6-Offset as defined within

EventThggerConfigForCHO for this event).

Mn, Ms are expressed in dBm in case of RSRP, or in dB in case of RSRQ and RS-SINR.

Ocn, Ocs, Hys, Off are expressed in dB.

In embodiments involving different threshold/offset used for different trigger quantities, the event triggering conditions shown above are still valid, but the UE shall use trigger quantity specific thresholds/offsets in the above equations.

In embodiments involving different threshold/offset and different hysteresis used for different trigger quantities, the event triggering conditions shown above are still valid but the UE shall use trigger quantity specific thresholds/offsets and also the UE shall use trigger quantity specific hysteresis in the above equations.

Consider now additional details for how the UE may trigger the conditional mobility procedure.

When the event entering condition is fulfilled and the corresponding timeToTrigger (either trigger quantity specific or a common timeToTrigger) has elapsed, the UE in some embodiments shall perform one of the following actions;

1) In one solution, the UE shall trigger the handover execution procedure which involves the random access procedure towards the cell which satisfies the event entering condition.

2) In another solution, the UE shall trigger the resume procedure towards the cell which satisfies the event entering condition.

When the event leaving condition is fulfilled and the corresponding timeToTrigger (either trigger quantity specific or a common timeToTrigger) has elapsed, the UE in other embodiments shall perform one of the following actions;

1) In one solution, the UE shall trigger a measurement report to the source cell about the event leaving condition being fulfilled. Using this message, the source cell can decide whether to instruct the UE to discard the condition reconfiguration message or not.

2) In another solution, the UE shall continue to monitor the measurement

quantities as mentioned above.

In another embodiment where two conditions can be configured for the same conditional handover, a bit more general approach is taken where a number K of measurement identifiers are configured with AND conditions, as follows: measld-1 AND measld-2 AND ... AND measld-K. In that case, the advantage is that less signaling is required to configure the UE (as measConfig does not need to be repeated). In addition, it provides some consistency between measurements that shall be performed by the UE and the conditional handover configuration.

In another embodiment the condition for conditional handover is configured with a reference to one existing measurement identifier and/or measurement object and/or report configuration associated to multiple trigger quantities i.e. network knows that the UE has the referred configuration stored. In that assumption, the specification needs to define events (i.e. a measld linked to a reportConfig linked to a measObject) that may contain multiple trigger quantities possibly based on different RS types.

In a variant of the previous embodiment the condition for conditional handover is configured with one or multiple references to one or multiple existing measurement identifiers and/or measurement objects and/or report configurations associated to multiple trigger quantities i.e. network knows that the UE has the referred configuration stored. In other words, if stored meas-ld1 is associated to an RSRP measurement and if stored meas-ld2 is associated to an RSRQ

measurement, the conditional handover configuration is triggered and applied if both the RSRP measurement associated with meas-ld1 and the RSRQ measurement associated with meas-ld2 both meet their respective triggering condition.

So far in much of the description, the motivation for introducing multiple trigger conditions/quantities has been to enable Boolean AND logic to combine multiple conditions, i.e. requiring fulfillment of multiple conditions to trigger CHO execution. Another dimension that may be of interest in some scenarios involves Boolean OR logic operating on multiple conditions, i.e. that CHO execution is triggered if at least one out of multiple configured conditions is fulfilled. As an example, using conditions similar to the A3 event, the criterion for triggering of CHO execution could be:

CHO IS triggered if RSRPtarget > RSRPsource + OffSet_RSRP OR RSRQtarget > RSRQsource + Of setRSR_Q

Or, assuming that in some deployments, one may want to take actions if either SINR or RSRQ fulfills the condition:

CHO is triggered if SINRtarget > SINR_SOurce + OffSetsiNR OR RSRQtarget > RSRQsource + OffsetRSR_Q

One way of realizing a configuration where fulfillment of at least one out of multiple conditions (i.e. conditions connected by OR” operators) triggers conditional handover (CHO) or other mobility procedure execution is to configure multiple parallel conditions for the same candidate target cell, or multiple CHO configurations for the same candidate target cell. These conditions/configurations should be mutually independent in the sense that they are evaluated independently of each other, but they are dependent (connected) in that if one of the CHO configurations is fulfilled and the CHO is executed, any parallel CHO configuration is preferably discarded.

Several ways of configuring multiple conditions have been outlined. These could all be examples of configuration of parallel conditions realizing usage of the OR” operator. Here, the OR” operator would be assumed if the intention is to realize that fulfillment of at least one of the conditions is enough to trigger CHO execution. This could be described in the field descriptions which are often associated with ASN.1 code, or in specification text describing various procedures, where in this case, a description of the CHO procedure would be a suitable place. Note that it would also be possible to specify both conditions tied together by“AND” operators and conditions tied together by“OR” operators, e.g. in the form of different ASN.1 parameters.

Another use case which may be of interest is that either of two conditions is fully fulfilled while the other one is partially fulfilled. The condition fulfillment statuses “fully fulfilled” and“partially fulfilled” can be represented by two different thresholds or offsets (e.g. Offsetl and Offset2 in the example below). The following is an illustrative example where the two quantities to be measured are RSRP and RSRQ: CHO is triggered if (RSRPtarget > RSRPsource + Offset1_RSRp AND RSRQtarget >

RSRQsource ⁺ OffSet2RSRC_l) OR (RSRPtarget ^> RSRPsource ⁺ OffSet2RSRP AND RSRQtarget

> RSRQsource + Offset 1 RSRQ)

In the above, Offset1_RsRp > Offset2RSRp > 0 and Offsetlpspo > Offset2_Rsp_Q > 0.

In a similar example, only RSRP is used as trigger quantity, but measured on two different types of reference signals, i.e. SSB and CSI-RS:

CHO IS triggered if (RSRPsSB-target > RSRPsSBsource + OffSetlsSB AND RSRPcSI-RS-target

> RSRP CSI-RS-source + OffSet2cSI-Rs) OR (RSRPsSB-target > RSRPsSBsource + OffSet2sSB AND RSRPcSI-RS-target > RSRPcSI-RS-source + OffSet1cSI-Rs)

Observing the above conditional expressions, it is noteworthy that the two conditions on which the“OR” operator operates are themselves composite conditional expressions in that they each contain two trigger quantities (or two types of reference signals) and two conditions (connected by an“AND” operator) relating to those trigger quantities. To realize such configurations, nested conditions must be supported. With ASN.1-like code, support for nested conditions could be specified, e.g. as follows:

NestedAndConditionForCHO::= SEQUENCE {

SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNumOfNestedNestedConditions)) OF {

nestedCondition CHOICE {

nestedAndCondition NestedAndConditionForCHO,

nestedOrCondition NestedOrConditionForCHO

}

} OPTIONAL,

SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNumOfNestedConditions)) OF ConditionForCHO

OPTIONAL

}

-- When using the NestedAndConditionForCHO parameter, it has to contain at least two nestedCondition parameters or at least two ConditionForCHO parameters or at least one nestedCondition parameter and one ConditionForCHO parameter. All the nestedCondition parameters and ConditionForCHO parameters are combined by “AND” operator(s). NestedOrConditionForCHO::= SEQUENCE {

SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNumOfNestedNestedConditions)) OF {

nestedCondition CHOICE {

nestedAndCondition NestedAndConditionForCHO,

nestedOrCondition NestedOrConditionForCHO

}

} OPTIONAL,

SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxNumOfNestedConditions)) OF ConditionForCHO

OPTIONAL

}

-- When using the NestedOrConditionForCHO parameter, it has to contain at least two nestedCondition parameters or at least two ConditionForCHO parameters or at least one nestedCondition parameter and one ConditionForCHO parameter. All the nestedCondition parameters and ConditionForCHO parameters are combined by OR” operator(s).

ConditionForCHO ::= CHOICE {

ssbRsrpThreshold INTEGER (-30..30),

ssbRsrpOffset INTEGER (-30..30),

ssbRsrqThreshold INTEGER (-30..30),

ssbRsrqOffset INTEGER (-30..30),

csirsRsrpThreshold INTEGER (-30..30),

csirsRsrpOffset INTEGER (-30..30),

csirsRsrqThreshold INTEGER (-30..30),

csirsRsrqOffset INTEGER (-30..30)

}

Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in any appropriate type of system using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wireless network, such as the example wireless network illustrated in Figure 10. For simplicity, the wireless network of Figure 10 only depicts network 1006, network nodes 1060 and 1060b, and WDs 1010, 1010b, and 1010c. In practice, a wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable to support communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other network node or end device. Of the illustrated components, network node 1060 and wireless device (WD) 1010 are depicted with additional detail. The wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices’ access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wireless network.

Wireless device 1010 or another other wireless device in Figure 10 may be an example for instance of wireless device 16. Similarly, network node 1060 or any other network node in Figure 10 may be an example of network node 18.

The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wireless network may be configured to operate according to specific standards or other types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of the wireless network may implement communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile

Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-loT), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network 1006 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

Network node 1060 and WD 1010 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together in order to provide network node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments, the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections.

As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the wireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged, and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with access to the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless device that has accessed the wireless network.

In Figure 10, network node 1060 includes processing circuitry 1070, device readable medium 1080, interface 1090, auxiliary equipment 1084, power source 1086, power circuitry 1087, and antenna 1062. Although network node 1060 illustrated in the example wireless network of Figure 10 may represent a device that 8o

includes the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise network nodes with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that a network node comprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Moreover, while the components of network node 1060 are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 1080 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node 1060 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which network node 1060 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeB’s. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 1060 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 1080 for the different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 1062 may be shared by the RATs). Network node 1060 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1060, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 1060.

Processing circuitry 1070 is configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 1070 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1070 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations 8i

based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.

Processing circuitry 1070 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 1060 components, such as device readable medium 1080, network node 1060 functionality. For example, processing circuitry 1070 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1080 or in memory within processing circuitry 1070. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1070 may include a system on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1070 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1072 and baseband processing circuitry 1074. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1072 and baseband processing circuitry 1074 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1072 and baseband processing circuitry 1074 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or other such network device may be performed by processing circuitry 1070 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1080 or memory within processing circuitry 1070. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1070 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 1070 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1070 alone or to other components of network node 1060, but are enjoyed by network node 1060 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally. Device readable medium 1080 may comprise any form of volatile or non volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 1070. Device readable medium 1080 may store any suitable instructions, data or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 1070 and, utilized by network node 1060. Device readable medium 1080 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 1070 and/or any data received via interface 1090. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1070 and device readable medium 1080 may be considered to be integrated.

Interface 1090 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signalling and/or data between network node 1060, network 1006, and/or WDs 1010. As illustrated, interface 1090 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 1094 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 1006 over a wired connection. Interface 1090 also includes radio front end circuitry 1092 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 1062. Radio front end circuitry 1092 comprises filters 1098 and amplifiers 1096. Radio front end circuitry 1092 may be connected to antenna 1062 and processing circuitry 1070. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1062 and processing circuitry 1070. Radio front end circuitry 1092 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection.

Radio front end circuitry 1092 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1098 and/or amplifiers 1096. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1062. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1062 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1092. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1070. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain alternative embodiments, network node 1060 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1092, instead, processing circuitry 1070 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1062 without separate radio front end circuitry 1092. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 1072 may be considered a part of interface 1090. In still other embodiments, interface 1090 may include one or more ports or terminals 1094, radio front end circuitry 1092, and RF transceiver circuitry 1072, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 1090 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 1074, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

Antenna 1062 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 1062 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 1090 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 1062 may comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna may be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as Ml MO. In certain embodiments, antenna 1062 may be separate from network node 1060 and may be connectable to network node 1060 through an interface or port.

Antenna 1062, interface 1090, and/or processing circuitry 1070 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 1062, interface 1090, and/or processing circuitry 1070 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

Power circuitry 1087 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 1060 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 1087 may receive power from power source 1086. Power source 1086 and/or power circuitry 1087 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 1060 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 1086 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 1087 and/or network node 1060. For example, network node 1060 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry 1087.

As a further example, power source 1086 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 1087. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

Alternative embodiments of network node 1060 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 10 that may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, network node 1060 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 1060 and to allow output of information from network node 1060. This may allow a user to perform

diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 1060.

As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, the term WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE). Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information through air. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the network. Examples of a WD include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a tablet, a laptop, a laptop- embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE) a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc.. A WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to- vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device. As yet another specific example, in an Internet of Things (loT) scenario, a WD may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another WD and/or a network node. The WD may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-loT) standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other scenarios, a WD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. A WD as described above may represent the endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described above may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.

As illustrated, wireless device 1010 includes antenna 1011 , interface 1014, processing circuitry 1020, device readable medium 1030, user interface equipment 1032, auxiliary equipment 1034, power source 1036 and power circuitry 1037. WD 1010 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 1010, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, NB-loT, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or set of chips as other components within WD 1010. Antenna 1011 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 1014. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 1011 may be separate from WD 1010 and be connectable to WD 1010 through an interface or port. Antenna 1011 , interface 1014, and/or processing circuitry 1020 may be configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a network node and/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 1011 may be considered an interface.

As illustrated, interface 1014 comprises radio front end circuitry 1012 and antenna 1011. Radio front end circuitry 1012 comprise one or more filters 1018 and amplifiers 1016. Radio front end circuitry 1014 is connected to antenna 1011 and processing circuitry 1020, and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1011 and processing circuitry 1020. Radio front end circuitry 1012 may be coupled to or a part of antenna 1011. In some embodiments, WD 1010 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1012; rather, processing circuitry 1020 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1011. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1022 may be considered a part of interface 1014. Radio front end circuitry 1012 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 1012 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a

combination of filters 1018 and/or amplifiers 1016. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1011. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1011 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1012. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1020. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

Processing circuitry 1020 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD 1010 components, such as device readable medium 1030, WD 1010 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 1020 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1030 or in memory within processing circuitry 1020 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.

As illustrated, processing circuitry 1020 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 1022, baseband processing circuitry 1024, and application processing circuitry 1026. In other embodiments, the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitry 1020 of WD 1010 may comprise a SOC.

In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1022, baseband processing circuitry 1024, and application processing circuitry 1026 may be on separate chips or sets of chips. In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry 1024 and application processing circuitry 1026 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 1022 may be on a separate chip or set of chips.

In still alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1022 and baseband processing circuitry 1024 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 1026 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1022, baseband processing circuitry 1024, and application processing circuitry 1026 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1022 may be a part of interface 1014. RF transceiver circuitry 1022 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 1020.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processing circuitry 1020 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1030, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1020 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 1020 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1020 alone or to other components of WD 1010, but are enjoyed by WD 1010 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally. Processing circuitry 1020 may be configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, as performed by processing circuitry 1020, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1020 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 1010, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.

Device readable medium 1030 may be operable to store a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 1020. Device readable medium 1030 may include computer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 1020. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1020 and device readable medium 1030 may be considered to be integrated.

User interface equipment 1032 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 1010. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 1032 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 1010. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 1032 installed in WD 1010. For example, if WD 1010 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 1010 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected). User interface equipment 1032 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 1032 is configured to allow input of information into WD 1010, and is connected to processing circuitry 1020 to allow processing circuitry 1020 to process the input information. User interface equipment 1032 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipment 1032 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 1010, and to allow processing circuitry 1020 to output information from WD 1010. User interface equipment 1032 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment 1032, WD 1010 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

Auxiliary equipment 1034 is operable to provide more specific functionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This may comprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliary equipment 1034 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.

Power source 1036 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or power cells, may also be used. WD 1010 may further comprise power circuitry 1037 for delivering power from power source 1036 to the various parts of WD 1010 which need power from power source

1036 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry

1037 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Power circuitry 1037 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 1010 may be connectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Power circuitry 1037 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 1036.

This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 1036. Power circuitry 1037 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 1036 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 1010 to which power is supplied.

Figure 11 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller).

Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE 11200 may be any UE identified by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-loT UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. UE 1100, as illustrated in Figure 11 , is one example of a WD configured for communication in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP’s GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, the term WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although Figure 11 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.

In Figure 11 , UE 1100 includes processing circuitry 1101 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 1105, radio frequency (RF) interface 1109, network connection interface 1111 , memory 1115 including random access memory (RAM) 1117, read-only memory (ROM) 1119, and storage medium 1121 or the like, communication subsystem 1131 , power source 1133, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1121 includes operating system 1123, application program 1125, and data 1127. In other embodiments, storage medium 1121 may include other similar types of information. Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in Figure 11 , or only a subset of the components. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE.

Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

In Figure 11 , processing circuitry 1101 may be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 1101 may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 1101 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 1105 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device. UE 1100 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 1105. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE 1100. The output device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. UE 1100 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 1105 to allow a user to capture information into UE 1100. The input device may include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

In Figure 11 , RF interface 1109 may be configured to provide a

communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface 1111 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 1143a. Network 1143a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 1143a may comprise a Wi-Fi network. Network connection interface 1111 may be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate with one or more other devices over a communication network according to one or more

communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM, or the like. Network connection interface 1111 may implement receiver and transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

RAM 1117 may be configured to interface via bus 1102 to processing circuitry 1101 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as the operating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 1119 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 1101. For example, ROM 1119 may be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions such as basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokes from a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory. Storage medium 1121 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, or flash drives. In one example, storage medium 1121 may be configured to include operating system 1123, application program 1125 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application, and data file 1127. Storage medium 1121 may store, for use by UE 1100, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

Storage medium 1121 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1121 may allow UE 1100 to access computer-executable instructions, application programs or the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied in storage medium 1121 , which may comprise a device readable medium. In Figure 11 , processing circuitry 1101 may be configured to communicate with network 1143b using communication subsystem 1131. Network 1143a and network 1143b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks. Communication subsystem 1131 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 1143b. For example, communication subsystem 1131 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.11 , CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver may include transmitter 1133 and/or receiver 1135 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 1133 and receiver 1135 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of

communication subsystem 1131 may include data communication, voice

communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, communication subsystem 1131 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. Network 1143b may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a

telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 1143b may be a cellular network, a W-Fi network, and/or a near field network. Power source 1113 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 1100.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may be

implemented in one of the components of UE 1100 or partitioned across multiple components of UE 1100. Further, the features, benefits, and/or functions described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware.

In one example, communication subsystem 1131 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitry 1101 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 1102. In another example, any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 1101 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 1101 and communication subsystem 1131. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

Figure 12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization

environment 1200 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or to a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device) or components thereof and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines or containers executing on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 1200 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 1230. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may be entirely virtualized.

The functions may be implemented by one or more applications 1220 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications 1220 are run in virtualization environment 1200 which provides hardware 1230 comprising processing circuitry 1260 and memory 1290. Memory 1290 contains instructions 1295 executable by processing circuitry 1260 whereby application 1220 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment 1200, comprises general-purpose or special- purpose network hardware devices 1230 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 1260, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or special purpose processors. Each hardware device may comprise memory 1290-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 1295 or software executed by processing circuitry 1260. Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 1270, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 1280. Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine- readable storage media 1290-2 having stored therein software 1295 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 1260. Software 1295 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 1250 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 1240 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.

Virtual machines 1240, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1250 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 1220 may be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 1240, and the implementations may be made in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry 1260 executes software 1295 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 1250, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 1250 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 1240.

As shown in Figure 12, hardware 1230 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 1230 may comprise antenna 12225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1230 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 12100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1220.

Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, virtual machine 1240 may be a software

implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtual machines 1240, and that part of hardware 1230 that executes that virtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/or hardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtual machines 1240, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).

Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more virtual machines 1240 on top of hardware networking infrastructure 1230 and corresponds to application 1220 in Figure 12.

In some embodiments, one or more radio units 12200 that each include one or more transmitters 12220 and one or more receivers 12210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 12225. Radio units 12200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 1230 via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station.

In some embodiments, some signalling can be effected with the use of control system 12230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 1230 and radio units 12200.

Figure 13 illustrates a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments. In particular, with reference to FIGURE 13, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 1310, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 1311 , such as a radio access network, and core network 1314. Access network 1311 comprises a plurality of base stations 1312a, 1312b, 1312c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1313a, 1313b, 1313c. Each base station 1312a, 1312b, 1312c is connectable to core network 1314 over a wired or wireless connection 1315. A first UE 1391 located in coverage area 1313c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1312c. A second UE 1392 in coverage area 1313a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1312a. While a plurality of UEs 1391 , 1392 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 1312.

Telecommunication network 1310 is itself connected to host computer 1330, 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 1330 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 1321 and 1322 between telecommunication network 1310 and host computer 1330 may extend directly from core network 1314 to host computer 1330 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1320. Intermediate network 1320 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 1320, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 1320 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of Figure 13 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1391 , 1392 and host computer 1330. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1350. Host computer 1330 and the connected UEs 1391 , 1392 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 1350, using access network 1311 , core network 1314, any intermediate network 1320 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 1350 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 1350 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 1312 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 1330 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1391. Similarly, base station 1312 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1391 towards the host computer 1330. Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 14. Figure 14 illustrates host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments In communication system 1400, host computer 1410 comprises hardware 1415 including communication interface 1416 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1400. Host computer 1410 further comprises processing circuitry 1418, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 1418 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. Host computer 1410 further comprises software 1411 , which is stored in or accessible by host computer 1410 and executable by processing circuitry 1418. Software 1411 includes host application 1412. Host application 1412 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 1430 connecting via OTT connection 1450 terminating at UE 1430 and host computer 1410. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 1412 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 1450.

Communication system 1400 further includes base station 1420 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1425 enabling it to communicate with host computer 1410 and with UE 1430. Hardware 1425 may include communication interface 1426 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1400, as well as radio interface 1427 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 1470 with UE 1430 located in a coverage area (not shown in Figure 14) served by base station 1420. Communication interface 1426 may be configured to facilitate connection 1460 to host computer 1410. Connection 1460 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in Figure 14) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 1425 of base station 1420 further includes processing circuitry 1428, 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. Base station 1420 further has software 1421 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system 1400 further includes UE 1430 already referred to.

Its hardware 1435 may include radio interface 1437 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 1470 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 1430 is currently located. Hardware 1435 of UE 1430 further includes processing circuitry 1438, 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 1430 further comprises software 1431 , which is stored in or accessible by UE 1430 and executable by processing circuitry 1438. Software 1431 includes client application 1432. Client application 1432 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1430, with the support of host computer 1410. In host computer 1410, an executing host application 1412 may communicate with the executing client application 1432 via OTT connection 1450 terminating at UE 1430 and host computer 1410. In providing the service to the user, client application 1432 may receive request data from host application 1412 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 1450 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 1432 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that host computer 1410, base station 1420 and UE 1430 illustrated in Figure 14 may be similar or identical to host computer 1330, one of base stations 1312a, 1312b, 1312c and one of UEs 1391 , 1392 of Figure 13, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Figure 14 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of Figure 13.

In Figure 14, OTT connection 1450 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 1410 and UE 1430 via base station 1420, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from UE 1430 or from the service provider operating host computer 1410, or both. While OTT connection 1450 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection 1470 between UE 1430 and base station 1420 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 1430 using OTT connection 1450, in which wireless connection 1470 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve mobility procedure robustness and/or performance of the wireless device and/or system after a mobility procedure and thereby provide benefits such as better responsiveness, reduced user waiting time, and/or 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 1450 between host computer 1410 and UE 1430, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1450 may be implemented in software 1411 and hardware 1415 of host computer 1410 or in software 1431 and hardware 1435 of UE 1430, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 1450 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 1411 , 1431 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 1450 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 1420, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 1420. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 1410’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 1411 and 1431 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 1450 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc. Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 15 will be included in this section. In step 1510, the host computer provides user data. In substep 1511 (which may be optional) of step 1510, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1520, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 1530 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1540 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 16 will be included in this section. In step 1610 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1620, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1630 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 17 will be included in this section. In step 1710 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 1720, the UE provides user data. In substep 1721 (which may be optional) of step 1720, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 1711 (which may be optional) of step 1710, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 1730 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 1740 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

Figure 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 18 will be included in this section. In step 1810 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 1820 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 1830 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the

transmission initiated by the base station.

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.

In view of the above, then, embodiments herein generally include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer may comprise processing circuitry configured to provide user data. The host computer may also comprise a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE). The cellular network may comprise a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a base station.

In some embodiments, the communication system further includes the base station.

In some embodiments, the communication system further includes the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data. In this case, the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiments herein also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, providing user data. The method may also comprise, at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station. The base station performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a base station.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data.

In some embodiments, the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application. In this case, the method further comprises, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiments herein also include a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station. The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the embodiments above described for a UE.

Embodiments herein further include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer comprises processing circuitry configured to provide user data, and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE). The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE’s components are configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments, the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data. The UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiments also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, providing user data and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

Embodiments herein further include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer comprises a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station. The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments the communication system further includes the UE.

In some embodiments, the communication system further including the base station. In this case, the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application. And the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data. And the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.

Embodiments herein also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

In some embodiments, the method also comprises, at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted. The method may further comprise, at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the UE, executing a client application, and, at the UE, receiving input data to the client application. The input data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application. The user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

Embodiments also include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer comprises a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station. The base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The base station’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a base station.

In some embodiments, the communication system further includes the UE. The UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application. And the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

Embodiments moreover include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE.

The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the base station, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.

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 description.

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.

Some of the embodiments contemplated herein are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. The disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

Claims

io8 CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a wireless device (16), the method comprising: receiving (300) control signaling (26) indicating multiple conditions (28) to be combined into a logical expression (30) that the wireless device (16) is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration (22), wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals;

deciding (310), based on evaluation of the logical expression (30), whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration (22); and applying or not applying (320) the conditional mobility configuration (22) depending on said deciding.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said deciding comprises deciding to apply the conditional mobility configuration (22) when the logical expression (30) evaluates to true.

3. The method of any of claims 1-2, wherein applying the conditional mobility configuration (22) comprises performing a mobility procedure according to the conditional mobility configuration (22).

4. The method of any of claims 1-3, wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types.

5. The method of any of claims 1-4, wherein the different types of signal measurements include two or more of: reference signal received power, RSRP, reference signal received quality, RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, SINR.

6. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein the logical expression (30) comprises a logical conjunction of two or more of the conditions.

7. The method of any of claims 1-6, wherein the control signaling (26) indicates the configuration of an event, wherein two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the event with respect to signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

8. The method of any of claims 1-7, wherein the control signaling (26) indicates a list of different configurations for the same event, wherein two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the same event as configured differently according to the different configurations.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the different configurations indicate different respective ones of the multiple conditions (28) by indicating different respective values for a threshold or offset parameter based on which the event is defined, wherein two or more of the values are values for signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

10. The method of any of claims 1-9, wherein the control signaling (26) indicates a list of measurement identifiers that are each associated with a respective measurement object and reporting configuration, wherein each reporting

configuration indicates a respective one of the multiple conditions (28).

11. The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein the control signaling (26) comprises a message that indicates the conditional mobility configuration (22).

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the message is a radio resource control, RRC, reconfiguration message.

13. The method of any of claims 1-12, wherein the conditional mobility configuration (22) is a configuration for a conditional handover, a conditional resume, a conditional reconfiguration with sync, a conditional reconfiguration, a conditional secondary cell group, SCG, addition or secondary cell, SCell, addition, or a conditional reestablishment.

14. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: no

transmitting (410), to a wireless device (16), control signaling (26) indicating multiple conditions (28) to be combined into a logical expression (30) that the wireless device (16) is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration (22), wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types.

16. The method of any of claims 14-15, wherein the different types of signal measurements include two or more of: reference signal received power, RSRP, reference signal received quality, RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, SINR.

17. The method of any of claims 14-16, wherein the logical expression (30) comprises a logical conjunction of two or more of the conditions.

18. The method of any of claims 14-17, wherein the control signaling (26) indicates the configuration of an event, wherein two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the event with respect to signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

19. The method of any of claims 14-18, wherein the control signaling (26) indicates a list of different configurations for the same event, wherein two or more of the conditions are the occurrence of the same event as configured differently according to the different configurations.

20. The method of any of claim 19, wherein the different configurations indicate different respective ones of the multiple conditions (28) by indicating different respective values for a threshold or offset parameter based on which the event is defined, wherein two or more of the values are values for signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals. in

21. The method of any of claims 14-20, wherein the control signaling (26) indicates a list of measurement identifiers that are each associated with a respective measurement object and reporting configuration, wherein each reporting

configuration indicates a respective one of the multiple conditions (28).

22. The method of any of claims 14-21 , wherein the control signaling (26) comprises a message that indicates the conditional mobility configuration (22).

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the message is a radio resource control, RRC, reconfiguration message.

24. The method of any of claims 14-23, wherein the conditional mobility configuration (22) is a configuration for a conditional handover, a conditional resume, a conditional reconfiguration with sync, a conditional reconfiguration, a conditional secondary cell group, SCG, addition or secondary cell, SCell, addition, or a conditional reestablishment.

25. A wireless device (16) configured to:

receive control signaling (26) indicating multiple conditions (28) to be

combined into a logical expression (30) that the wireless device (16) is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration (22), wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals;

decide, based on evaluation of the logical expression (30), whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration (22); and

apply or not apply the conditional mobility configuration (22) depending on said deciding.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, configured to perform the method of any of claims 2-13.

27. A network node configured to: transmit, to a wireless device (16), control signaling (26) indicating multiple conditions (28) to be combined into a logical expression (30) that the wireless device (16) is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration (22), wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

28. The network node of claim 27, configured to perform the method of any of claims 15-24.

29. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a wireless device (16), causes the wireless device (16) to carry out the method of any of claims 1-13.

30. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a network node, causes the network node to carry out the method of any of claims 14-24.

31. A carrier containing the computer program of any of claims 29-30, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

32. A wireless device (16, 500) comprising:

communication circuitry (520); and

processing circuitry (510) configured to:

receive control signaling (26) indicating multiple conditions (28) to be combined into a logical expression (30) that the wireless device (16) is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration (22), wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals;

decide, based on evaluation of the logical expression (30), whether to apply the conditional mobility configuration (22); and apply or not apply the conditional mobility configuration (22) depending on said deciding.

33. The wireless device of claim 32, wherein the processing circuitry (510) is configured to perform the method of any of claims 2-13.

34. A network node (18, 600) comprising:

communication circuitry (620); and

processing circuitry (610) configured to transmit, to a wireless device (16), control signaling (26) indicating multiple conditions (28) to be combined into a logical expression (30) that the wireless device (16) is to evaluate for deciding whether to apply a conditional mobility configuration (22), wherein two or more of the conditions are based on signal measurements that are of different types and/or that are performed on different types of signals.

35. The network node of claim 34, wherein the processing circuitry (610) is configured to perform the method of any of claims 15-24.