FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
“METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING BANDWIDTH
PARTS (BWP) SWITCHING IN A WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM”
We, Jio Platforms Limited, an Indian National, of Office - 101, Saffron, Nr.
Centre Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat, India.
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in
which it is to be performed.
2
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING BANDWIDTH PARTS
(BWP) SWITCHING IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
5
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to network
management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure
relate to methods and systems for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a
wireless communication system.
10
BACKGROUND
[0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide
background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may
15 include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the
present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only
to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure,
and not as admissions of the prior art.
20 [0003] Wireless communication has revolutionized global connectivity,
liberating the world from the confines of wired networks, and fostering a world of
instantaneous information exchange and seamless communication. This
transformation is the culmination of centuries of innovation and human ingenuity,
relentlessly pushing the boundaries of technology to eliminate physical constraints.
25 With the advent of technology and to meet the increasing demands, high bandwidth
is provided by the telecommunication service providers to customers.
[0004] However, the wireless communication systems do not require wireless
devices to operate within high bandwidth and therefore, the devices are adapted to
30 operate in different bandwidth range of a channel or carrier according to the usage.
3
For example, a wider bandwidth directly implies high power consumption from RF
and baseband signal processing. Therefore, a UE may operate in one or more
bandwidth parts (BWPs) of the channel. The BWP may refer to a contiguous set of
physical resource blocks, which may be selected from a contiguous subset of the
5 common resource blocks for a given numerology on the carrier. In order to conserve
energy, the UE may be enabled to switch among different BWPs, for example, by
tuning a radio to a smaller BWP. The BWP selection and switching can be done
with different mechanisms such as a radio resource control (RRC) – based
adaptation, Media Access Control – Control Element, downlink control information
10 (DCI) – based adaptation, and timer – based implicit fallback to default BWP.
[0005] The RRC-based Adaptation is suitable for semi-static cases since the
processing of RRC messages requires extra time. Due to longer switching latency
and signalling overhead, an RRC-based method can be used for configuring a BWP
15 set at any stage of the call, or for slow adaptation type services (e.g., voice) where
the resource allocation is not changing rapidly within the same data session.
[0006] MAC-CE may be used upon initiation of Random-Access procedure.
Also, DCI-based Adaptation is based on a physical downlink control channel
20 (PDCCH) channel where a specific BWP can be activated by BWP indicator in DCI
Format. This requires additional considerations for error handling as UE may fail
to decode the DCI with BWP activation/deactivation command. Further, the timerbased implicit fallback to default BWP may be a mechanism designed to mitigate
possible DCI errors. If the UE is not explicitly scheduled with a BWP after the timer
25 expires, it will automatically switch to the default BWP.
[0007] Although, BWP switching is beneficial in saving power of the UE, the
UE is not able to perform any transmission/reception activity during the BWP
switching as provided above. Therefore, the UE tends to miss important information
30 and/or report received during the switching period. For example, if channel state
4
information (CSI) report, scheduling Request (SR) occasion falls in this period of
BWP switching, UE will miss the report. Loss of such information may further
result into transmission errors and/or interruptions. Moreover, SR and CSI report
have high periodicity, which in case of a miss during BWP switching, results into
5 wastage of resource.
[0008] Therefore, there exists an urgent need for a solution that provides a
proper BWP switch operation to avoid the loss of the important information
received during switching, thereby preventing the transmission interruptions and/or
10 errors and resource wastage.
SUMMARY
[0009] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present
15 disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed
description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope
of the claimed subject matter.
[0010] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for managing
20 bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication system. The method
comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit, at a base station, from a user equipment
(UE), a trigger signal for switching of BWP. The method further comprises
detecting, by a processing unit connected to at least the transceiver unit, at the base
station, an instance of receipt of at least one of a Channel Status Information (CSI)
25 report, and a Scheduling Request (SR). The method further comprises determining,
by the processing unit, at the base station, a first event indicative of the instance of
receipt of the at least one of the CSI report, and the SR falling within a first BWP
switch delay period. In response to the determination of the first event, the method
further comprises determining, by the processing unit, at the base station, a time
30 period for switching the BWP for the UE, based on completion of the first event.
5
[0011] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method comprises
executing, by the processing unit, at the base station, the trigger signal at least one
of during the determined time period, and at the determined time period, to facilitate
5 the BWP switching for the UE.
[0012] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the BWP
switching comprises deactivation, by the processing unit [304] at the base station,
of a currently active BWP, and a subsequent activation of a different BWP.
10
[0013] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the first BWP
switch delay period is determined based on a predefined time interval required for
transitioning between the currently active BWP, and the different BWP.
15 [0014] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method
comprises assessing, by the processing unit, at least one of a periodicity of the CSI
report, and a periodicity of the SR, to determine the instance of receipt of the CSI
report, and the SR, relative to the first BWP switch delay period.
20 [0015] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the CSI report
comprises at least one of a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix
Index (PMI), and a Rank Indicator (RI).
[0016] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the detection of
25 the instance of receipt of at least one of the CSI report, and the SR is based on a
timing information configuration, wherein the timing information configuration
comprises a periodicity of receipt of the corresponding CSI report, and SR.
[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for
30 managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in the wireless communication system.
6
The system comprises a transceiver unit and a processing unit connected with each
other. The transceiver unit is configured to receive, at a base station, from a user
equipment (UE), a trigger signal for switching of BWP. The processing unit is
configured to detect, at the base station, an instance of receipt of at least one of a
5 Channel Status Information (CSI) report, and a Scheduling Request (SR). The
processing unit is further configured to determine, at the base station, a first event
indicative of the instance of receipt of at least one of the CSI report, and the SR
falling within a first BWP switch delay period. In response to the determination of
the first event, the processing unit is further configured to determine, at the base
10 station, a time period for switching the BWP for the UE, based on completion of
the first event.
[0018] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a nontransitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more instructions for
15 managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in the wireless communication system,
the one or more instructions include executable code which, when executed by one
or more units of a system, causes the one or more units to perform certain functions.
The one or more instructions when executed causes a transceiver unit of the system
to receive, at a base station, from a user equipment (UE), a trigger signal for
20 switching of BWP. The one or more instructions when executed further causes a
processing unit of the system to detect, at the base station, an instance of receipt of
at least one of a Channel Status Information (CSI) report, and a Scheduling Request
(SR). The one or more instructions when executed further causes the processing
unit of the system to determine, at the base station, a first event indicative of the
25 instance of receipt of at least one of the CSI report, and the SR falling within a first
BWP switch delay period. In response to the determination of the first event, the
one or more instructions when executed further causes the processing unit of the
system to determine, at the base station, a time period for switching the BWP for
the UE, based on completion of the first event.
30
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
7
[0019] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.
5 [0020] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method
for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication
system.
[0021] It is an object of the present disclosure to optimize resource utilization
10 and avoid the wastage by delaying the bandwidth switching, especially when UE
has to receive important information such as CSI, SR.
[0022] It is another object of the present disclosure to timely receive the CSI,
SR information, thereby preventing the transmission error and/or interruption
15 caused due to loss of the information.
[0023] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide proper BWP
switch operations, promoting fair resource distribution and network efficiency.
20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and
constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the
disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same
25 parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not
necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the
principles of the present disclosure. Also, the embodiments shown in the figures are
not to be construed as limiting the disclosure, but the possible variants of the method
and system according to the disclosure are illustrated herein to highlight the
30 advantages of the disclosure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
8
disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components or
circuitry commonly used to implement such components.
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th
5 generation core (5GC) network architecture.
[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device
upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in
accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.
10
[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for managing
bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication system, in
accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
15 [0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram for managing bandwidth parts
(BWP) switching in the wireless communication system, in accordance with
exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary signalling flow diagram for a method
20 for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in the wireless communication
system, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates another exemplary signalling flow diagram for
another method for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in the wireless
25 communication system, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the
present disclosure.
[0031] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed
description of the disclosure.
9
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various
5 specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of
embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that
embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific
details. Several features described hereafter may each be used independently of one
another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not
10 address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the
problems discussed above.
[0033] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is
not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure.
15 Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those
skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary
embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the
function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope
of the disclosure as set forth.
20
[0034] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a
thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one
of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these
specific details. For example, circuits, systems, processes, and other components
25 may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the
embodiments in unnecessary detail.
[0035] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", "primary",
"secondary", "target" and the like, herein do not denote any order, ranking, quantity,
30 or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.
10
[0036] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a
process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a
structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the
5 operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in
parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged.
A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional
steps not included in a figure.
10 [0037] The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean
serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the
subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any
aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not
necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or
15 designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques
known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms
“includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed
description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive—in a manner
similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word—without precluding
20 any additional or other elements.
[0038] As used herein, a “processing unit” or “processor” or “operating
processor” includes one or more processors, wherein processor refers to any logic
circuitry for processing instructions. A processor may be a general-purpose
25 processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal
processor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in
association with a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) core, a controller, a
microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate
Array circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform
30 signal coding data processing, input/output processing, and/or any other
11
functionality that enables the working of the system according to the present
disclosure. More specifically, the processor or processing unit is a hardware
processor.
5 [0039] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-userdevice”, “a smart-device”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld
device”, “a wireless communication device”, “a mobile communication device”, “a
communication device” may be any electrical, electronic and/or computing device
or equipment, capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. The
10 user equipment/device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, smart
phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant,
tablet computer, wearable device or any other computing device which is capable
of implementing the features of the present disclosure. Also, the user device may
contain at least one input means configured to receive an input from unit(s) which
15 are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.
[0040] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or
computer-readable medium including any mechanism for storing information in a
form readable by a computer or similar machine. For example, a computer-readable
20 medium includes read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”),
magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices or other
types of machine-accessible storage media. The storage unit stores at least the data
that may be required by one or more units of the system to perform their respective
functions.
25
[0041] As used herein “interface” or “user interface” refers to a shared
boundary across which two or more separate components of a system exchange
information or data. The interface may also refer to a set of rules or protocols that
define communication or interaction of one or more modules or one or more units
12
with each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may
be called.
[0042] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded
5 herein, may be software modules or hardware processors, the processors being a
general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a
digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more
microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller,
Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array
10 circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.
[0043] As used herein the transceiver unit include at least one receiver and at
least one transmitter configured respectively for receiving and transmitting data,
signals, information or a combination thereof between units/components within the
15 system and/or connected with the system.
[0044] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions
have several shortcomings. The present disclosure aims to overcome the abovementioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing
20 method and system of managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless
communication system.
[0045] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th
generation core (5GC) network architecture, in accordance with exemplary
25 implementation of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 1, the 5GC network
architecture [100] includes a user equipment (UE) [102], a radio access network
(RAN) [104], an access and mobility management function (AMF) [106], a Session
Management Function (SMF) [108], a Service Communication Proxy (SCP) [110],
an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) [112], a Network Slice Specific
30 Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF) [114], a Network Slice
13
Selection Function (NSSF) [116], a Network Exposure Function (NEF) [118], a
Network Repository Function (NRF) [120], a Policy Control Function (PCF) [122],
a Unified Data Management (UDM) [124], an application function (AF) [126], a
User Plane Function (UPF) [128], a data network (DN) [130], wherein all the
5 components are assumed to be connected to each other in a manner as obvious to
the person skilled in the art for implementing features of the present disclosure.
[0046] Radio Access Network (RAN) [104] is the part of a mobile
telecommunications system that connects user equipment (UE) [102] to the core
10 network (CN) and provides access to different types of networks (e.g., 5G network).
It consists of radio base stations and the radio access technologies that enable
wireless communication.
[0047] Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) [106] is a 5G core
15 network function responsible for managing access and mobility aspects, such as UE
registration, connection, and reachability. It also handles mobility management
procedures like handovers and paging.
[0048] Session Management Function (SMF) [108] is a 5G core network
20 function responsible for managing session-related aspects, such as establishing,
modifying, and releasing sessions. It coordinates with the User Plane Function
(UPF) for data forwarding and handles IP address allocation and QoS enforcement.
[0049] Service Communication Proxy (SCP) [110] is a network function in the
25 5G core network that facilitates communication between other network functions
by providing a secure and efficient messaging service. It acts as a mediator for
service-based interfaces.
14
[0050] Authentication Server Function (AUSF) [112] is a network function in
the 5G core responsible for authenticating UEs during registration and providing
security services. It generates and verifies authentication vectors and tokens.
5 [0051] Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function
(NSSAAF) [114] is a network function that provides authentication and
authorization services specific to network slices. It ensures that UEs can access only
the slices for which they are authorized.
10 [0052] Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) [116] is a network function
responsible for selecting the appropriate network slice for a UE based on factors
such as subscription, requested services, and network policies.
[0053] Network Exposure Function (NEF) [118] is a network function that
15 exposes capabilities and services of the 5G network to external applications,
enabling integration with third-party services and applications.
[0054] Network Repository Function (NRF) [120] is a network function that
acts as a central repository for information about available network functions and
20 services. It facilitates the discovery and dynamic registration of network functions.
[0055] Policy Control Function (PCF) [122] is a network function responsible
for policy control decisions, such as QoS, charging, and access control, based on
subscriber information and network policies.
25
[0056] Unified Data Management (UDM) [124] is a network function that
centralizes the management of subscriber data, including authentication,
authorization, and subscription information.
15
[0057] Application Function (AF) [126] is a network function that represents
external applications interfacing with the 5G core network to access network
capabilities and services.
5 [0058] User Plane Function (UPF) [128] is a network function responsible for
handling user data traffic, including packet routing, forwarding, and QoS
enforcement.
[0059] Data Network (DN) [130] refers to a network that provides data services
10 to user equipment (UE) in a telecommunications system. The data services may
include but are not limited to Internet services, private data network related services.
[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device
[200] upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in
15 accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. In an
implementation, the computing device [200] (herein, also referred to as a computing
system [200]) may also implement a method for managing bandwidth parts (BWP)
switching in a wireless communication system utilising the system [300]. In another
implementation, the computing device [200] itself implements the method for
20 managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in the wireless communication system
using one or more units configured within the computing device [200], wherein said
one or more units are capable of implementing the features as disclosed in the
present disclosure.
25 [0061] The computing device [200] may include a bus [202] or other
communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware
processor [204] coupled with bus [202] for processing information. The hardware
processor [204] may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor. The
computing device [200] may also include a main memory [206], such as a random30 access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus [202]
16
for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor [204]. The
main memory [206] also may be used for storing temporary variables or other
intermediate information during execution of the instructions to be executed by the
processor [204]. Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media
5 accessible to the processor [204], render the computing device [200] into a specialpurpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the
instructions. The computing device [200] further includes a read only memory
(ROM) [208] or other static storage device coupled to the bus [202] for storing static
information and instructions for the processor [204].
10
[0062] A storage device [210], such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solidstate drive is provided and coupled to the bus [202] for storing information and
instructions. The computing device [200] may be coupled via the bus [202] to a
display [212], such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD),
15 Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, Organic LED (OLED) display, etc. for
displaying information to a computer user. An input device [214], including
alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may be coupled to the
bus [202] for communicating information and command selections to the processor
[204]. Another type of user input device may be a cursor controller [216], such as a
20 mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating direction
information and command selections to the processor [204], and for controlling
cursor movement on the display [212]. The input device typically has two degrees
of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allow
the device to specify positions in a plane.
25
[0063] The computing device [200] may implement the techniques described
herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware
and/or program logic which in combination with the computing device [200] causes
or programs the computing device [200] to be a special-purpose machine.
30 According to one implementation, the techniques herein are performed by the
computing device [200] in response to the processor [204] executing one or more
17
sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory [206]. Such
instructions may be read into the main memory [206] from another storage medium,
such as the storage device [210]. Execution of the sequences of instructions
contained in the main memory [206] causes the processor [204] to perform the
5 process steps described herein. In alternative implementations of the present
disclosure, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with
software instructions.
[0064] The computing device [200] also may include a communication
10 interface [218] coupled to the bus [202]. The communication interface [218]
provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link [220] that is
connected to a local network [222]. For example, the communication interface
[218] may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem,
satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a
15 corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, the communication
interface [218] may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data
communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be
implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface [218]
sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital
20 data streams representing various types of information.
[0065] The computing device [200] can send messages and receive data,
including program code, through the network(s), the network link [220] and the
communication interface [218]. In the Internet example, a server [230] might
25 transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet [228], the
ISP [226], the local network [222], a host [224] and the communication interface
[218]. The received code may be executed by the processor [204] as it is received,
and/or stored in the storage device [210], or other non-volatile storage for later
execution.
30
18
[0066] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system [300] for
managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication system,
is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present
disclosure. The system [300] comprises at least one transceiver unit [302] and at
5 least one processing unit [304]. Also, all of the components/ units of the system
[300] are assumed to be connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below.
As shown in the figures all units shown within the system [300] should also be
assumed to be connected to each other. Also, in FIG. 3 only a few units are shown,
however, the system [300] may comprise multiple such units or the system [300]
10 may comprise any such numbers of said units, as required to implement the features
of the present disclosure. Further, in an implementation, the system [300] may be
present in a user device/ user equipment [102] to implement the features of the
present disclosure. The system [300] may be a part of the user device [102]/ or may
be independent of but in communication with the user device [102] (may also
15 referred herein as a UE). In another implementation, the system [300] may reside
in a server or a network entity. In yet another implementation, the system [300] may
reside partly in the server/ network entity and partly in the user device.
[0067] The system [300] is configured for managing BWP switching in the
20 wireless communication system, with the help of the interconnection between the
components/units of the system [300].
[0068] As would be understood, the BWP may be a designated portion
extracted from the overall carrier bandwidth which represents a subset of the total
25 available spectrum in the telecommunication network. The BWP switching may
refer to switching between an active and an inactive BWP to prevent the
deactivation of all BWPs and/or for activating more than one BWPs simultaneously.
[0069] For managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless
30 communication system, the transceiver unit [302] receives, at a base station [502],
19
from a user equipment (UE) [102], a trigger signal for switching of BWP. The
trigger signal may for example, be a message or a request for triggering the
switching of the BWP. In an example, the trigger signal may be a physical uplink
control channel (PUCCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in an
5 uplink bandwidth part (UL BWP) according to the configured length.
[0070] After receiving the trigger signal for switching the BWP, the processing
unit [304] detects, at the base station [502], an instance of receipt of at least one of
a Channel Status Information (CSI) report, and a Scheduling Request (SR). The
10 instance may refer to a case which indicates an occurrence or an upcoming
occurrence of a receipt of either the CSI report or the SR. Further, the CSI may refer
to an information essential for effective radio resource scheduling and allocation
among the UEs in wireless communication systems. Further, the SR may refer to a
request message or a command which may be used for requesting uplink shared
15 channel (UL-SCH) resources for new transmission.
[0071] In certain implementations of the present disclosure, the CSI report may
comprise at least one of a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix
Index (PMI), and a Rank Indicator (RI). The CQI may be a measure of the downlink
20 channel quality reported by the UE [102] to the base station [502] (such as
gNodeB). The PMI may refer to an index that indicates the preferred precoding
matrix to be used by the base station [502] for spatial multiplexing in a multipleinput multiple-output (MIMO) transmission. The RI may refer to an indicator used
to indicate the number of spatial layers or data streams that can be effectively
25 supported by the MIMO channel.
[0072] In certain implementations of the present disclosure, for detecting the
first event, the processing unit [304] may assess at least one of a periodicity of the
CSI report, and a periodicity of the SR, to determine the instance of receipt of the
30 CSI report, and the SR relative to a first BWP switch delay period. The periodicity
20
of the CSI and the periodicity of the SR may refer to a time period or time interval
within which a former and a latter instance of the CSI or the SR may be received at
the base stations [502]. Also, the periodicity allows for better determination of the
occurrence or the upcoming occurrence of the CSI report or the SR report.
5
[0073] In certain implementations of the present disclosure, the detection of
the instance is based on a timing information configuration, wherein the timing
information configuration comprises a periodicity of receipt of the corresponding
CSI report, and SR. The timing information configuration may refer to a set of
10 parameters which provides timing instants set by the base station [502] provided to
the UE [102]. The timing instants indicates the timing information within which the
UE [102] is permitted to transmit a Scheduling Request. This timing information
configuration may include the set of parameters such as the SR-periodicity and a
SR-offset. Similarly, the timing information configuration may refer to a set of
15 parameters which provides certain time intervals which may be set by a higher layer
(RRC message). The UE [102] is required to send the CSI report within the time
interval that is configured by higher layer (RRC Message) along with information
associated with the CQI, the PMI, and the RI with reporting periods configured by
the higher layer using the PUCCH.
20
[0074] On detection of the instance, the processing unit [304] determines, at
the base station [502], a first event indicative of the instance of receipt of at least
one of the CSI report, and the SR falling within the first BWP switch delay period.
As used herein, ‘BWP switch delay period’ may refer to a specific time interval
25 between the initiation of a BWP switch request and the actual execution of the BWP
switch. For example, the BWP switch delay period may refer to a specific duration
of time during which the UE [102] transitions from one BWP to another BWP
within the network. During the BWP switch period, the UE [102] may experience
minimal or no data transmission activity to ensure a smooth and efficient BWP
30 switch. The BWP switch delay period is crucial for managing the timing of the BWP
21
switch to minimize disruption to ongoing communications and to optimize the
overall network performance and resource utilization.
[0075] In other words, during the first BWP switch delay period, any CSI
5 report and/or SR that is transmitted may not be received due to lack of
communication. As provided above, in case receipt of either the CSI report or the
SR may fall within the first BWP switch delay period, then there will be a period of
no transmission and reception activity between the base station [502] and the UE
[102] during the BWP switching. Further, due to existence of such period, UE [102]
10 will miss the CSI report or the SR. In order to avoid such a scenario, we need to
determine such first events to be handled.
[0076] In response to determination of the first event, the processing unit [304]
determines, at the base station [502], a time period for switching the BWP for the
15 UE [102] based on the completion of the first event. The time period may be such
that it occurs after completion of the receipt of at least one of the CSI report, and
the SR. In an embodiment, the time period may be an instance when the BWP
switching may be performed. Also, the BWP switch delay period may be
determined based on a receipt of either the CSI report and/or the SR. In other words,
20 the BWP switching of the UE [102] may be delayed by a time duration. The time
duration of delay may depend on the completion of receipt of the CSI report and/or
the SR. The time duration of delay helps in mitigating the potential loss in receipt
of the CSI report or the SR. For example, when it is detected that there is a first
event, then for handling the first events, the time duration of delay is added to
25 determine the time period for BWP switching, such that the BWP switching is
initiated after completion of the receipt of the CSI report and/or the SR.
[0077] In certain exemplary implementations of the present disclosure the
BWP switch delay period is determined based on a predefined time interval required
30 for transitioning between a currently active BWP, and a different BWP. The
22
predefined time interval may refer to a time period which may be allocated for the
BWP switching. The predefined time interval may be determined based on a time
taken during the BWP switching. As may be understood, the currently active BWP
may refer to a BWP which is actively performing its respective network functions
5 in normal conditions, and the different BWP may refer to the BWP which may be
kept as spare or backup to be activated in case of BWP switching. Accordingly, the
predefined time interval may be determined based on the time taken during the
BWP switching.
10 [0078] It may be noted that when BWP switching happens, there is a switching
delay at the UE [102] due to certain reasons such as radio frequency (RF) retuning.
Accordingly, the delay requirement on BWP switching, for DCI-based BWP
switching, may be the minimum allowable slot offset between the downlink slot in
which the UE [102] received BWP switching DCI and the first slot in which the UE
15 [102] is able to receive the PDSCH for DL BWP switching or transmit PUSCH for
UL BWP switching on the new BWP.
[0079] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the processing unit
[304] may also execute, at the base station [502], a BWP switching during the BWP
20 switching period. The BWP switching may refer to deactivating the currently active
BWP and activating another configured BWP, such as in time division duplex
(TDD), downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) BWPs differ only by the transmission
bandwidth and numerology and may be switched together. In further
implementation of the present disclosure, for the BWP switching, the processing
25 unit [304] may deactivate, at the base station [502], a currently active BWP, and
subsequently activate a different BWP.
[0080] In an implementation, the BWP switching refers to activating an
inactive BWP and deactivating an active BWP at a time. The BWP switching may
30 be controlled by the PDCCH indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant,
23
by the bwp-InactivityTimer, by RRC signalling, or by the MAC entity itself upon
initiation of Random-Access procedure. Upon RRC (re-)configuration of
firstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id and/or firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id for SpCell or
activation of an SCell, the DL BWP and/or UL BWP indicated by
5 firstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id and/or firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id respectively, is
active without receiving PDCCH indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink
grant. The active BWP for the UE is indicated by either RRC or PDCCH.
[0081] For the UE configured with the BWPs, the system [300] may be
10 configured to check if a BWP is activated. If the BWP is activated, the system [300]
may be configured to:
▪ transmit on UL-SCH on the BWP;
▪ transmit on RACH on the BWP, if PRACH occasions are configured;
▪ monitor the PDCCH on the BWP;
15 ▪ transmit PUCCH on the BWP, if configured;
▪ report CSI for the BWP;
▪ transmit SRS on the BWP, if configured;
▪ receive DL-SCH on the BWP;
▪ (re-)initialize any suspended configured uplink grants of configured grant
20 Type 1 on the active BWP according to the stored configuration.
[0082] However, if the system [300] determines that the BWP is deactivated,
the system [300] may be configured to:
▪ not transmit on UL-SCH on the BWP;
25 ▪ not transmit on RACH on the BWP;
▪ not monitor the PDCCH on the BWP;
▪ not transmit PUCCH on the BWP;
▪ not report CSI for the BWP;
▪ not transmit SRS on the BWP;
24
▪ not receive DL-SCH on the BWP;
▪ clear any configured downlink assignment and configured uplink grant of
configured grant Type 2 on the BWP;
▪ suspend any configured uplink grant of configured grant Type 1 on the
5 inactive BWP.
[0083] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram [400] for
managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication system,
in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown.
10 In an implementation the method [400] is performed by the system [300]. Further,
in an implementation, the system [300] may be present in a server device to
implement the features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the
method [400] starts at step [402].
15 [0084] For managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless
communication system, initially, at step [404], the method [400] involves receiving,
by a transceiver unit [302], at a base station [502], from a user equipment (UE)
[102], a trigger signal for switching of BWP.
20 [0085] Then, at step [406], the method [400] leads to detecting, by a processing
unit [304] connected to at least the transceiver unit [302], at the base station [502],
an instance of receipt of at least one of a Channel Status Information (CSI) report,
and a Scheduling Request (SR).
25 [0086] In certain implementations of the present disclosure, the CSI report may
comprise at least one of a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix
Index (PMI), and a Rank Indicator (RI).
[0087] In certain implementations of the present disclosure, the method [600]
30 comprises assessing, by the processing unit [304], at least one of a periodicity of
25
the CSI report, and a periodicity of the SR, to determine the the instance of receipt
of the CSI report, and the SR relative to the BWP switch delay period.
[0088] In certain other implementations of the present disclosure, the detection
5 of the instance of receipt of at least one of the CSI report, and the SR is based on a
timing information configuration. The timing information configuration comprises
a periodicity of receipt of the corresponding CSI report, and SR.
[0089] On detection of first event, at step [408], the method [400] comprises
10 determining, by the processing unit [304], at the base station [502], a first event
indicative of the instance of receipt of at least one of the CSI report, and the SR
falling within a first BWP switch delay period.
[0090] In response to the determination of the first event, at step [410], the
15 method [400] involves determining, by the processing unit [304], at the base station
[502], a time period for switching the BWP for the UE [102], based on completion
of the first event. In an embodiment, the time period may be such that it occurs after
completion of the receipt of the CSI report. In an embodiment, the time period may
be an instance when the BWP switching may be performed.
20
[0091] In another implementation of the present disclosure, the BWP switching
comprises deactivation, by the processing unit [304] at the base station [502], of a
currently active BWP, and a subsequent activation of a different BWP.
25 [0092] In one implementation of the present disclosure, the first BWP switch
delay period is determined based on a predefined time interval required for
transitioning between the currently active BWP, and the different BWP.
26
[0093] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the method comprises
executing, by the processing unit [304], at the base station [502], the trigger signal
to facilitate the BWP switching of the UE [102].
5 [0094] Thereafter, at step [412], the method [400] is terminated.
[0095] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary signalling flow diagram for a method
[500] for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication
system, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure, is
10 shown. In an implementation the method [500] may be performed by the system
[300]. Further, in an implementation, the system [300] may be present in a server
device to implement the features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in FIG.
5, the method [500] may be performed between two entities, namely, the base
station [502] and the UE [102]. As would be understood, the base station [502] may
15 be a fixed transceiver that is the main communication point for one or more wireless
client devices and serves as a central connection point for enabling communication
between the wireless devices. For example, the base station [502] may be eNodeB,
gNodeB, etc.
20 [0096] For managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless
communication system, initially, at step 1, the method [500] involves receiving, at
the base station [502], a trigger signal for switching of BWP. The trigger signal may
be received from a user equipment (UE) [102].
25 [0097] Then, at step 2, the method [500] includes checking if the CSI receipt
occasion is falling within the BWP switch delay period. Checking may be done by
detecting, at the base station [502], the first event indicative of the instance of
receipt of CSI report. Further, if the first event falls during the BWP switch delay
period, then, in order to delay such occasions, BWP switching is postponed. The
30 BWP switching may be postponed to an instance after the receipt of the CSI report.
27
[0098] Then at step 3, the method [500] involves receiving the CSI report. It
may be noted that the delayed instance of BWP switching may be determined based
on the instance of receipt of the CSI report, in such a way that the switch delay due
5 to switching does not impact receipt of the CSI report.
[0099] Then at step 4, the method [500] involves executing the BWP switching
during the BWP switching period after receipt of the CSI report. The BWP
switching may be done by deactivating a currently active BWP, and, subsequently,
10 activating a different BWP. In an embodiment, the time period for switching BWP
may be such that it occurs after completion of the receipt of the CSI report. In an
embodiment, the time period may be an instance when the BWP switching may be
performed.
15 [0100] Referring to FIG. 6, an exemplary signalling flow diagram for a method
[600] for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication
system, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure, is
shown. In an implementation the method [600] may be performed by the system
[300]. Further, in an implementation, the system [300] may be present in a server
20 device to implement the features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in FIG.
6, the method [600] may be performed between two entities, namely, the base
station [602] and the UE [102]. The base station [602] is substantially to the base
station [502] shown in FIG. 5.
25 [0101] For managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless
communication system, initially, at step S1, the method [600] involves receiving,
at the base station [602], a trigger signal for switching of BWP. The trigger signal
may be received from a user equipment (UE) [102].
28
[0102] Then, at step S2, the method [600] includes checking if the SR receipt
occasion is falling within the BWP switch delay period. Checking may be done by
detecting, at the base station [602], the first event indicative of the instance of
receipt of the SR. Further, if the first event falls during the BWP switch delay
5 period, then, in order to delay such occasions, BWP switching is postponed. The
BWP switching may be postponed to an instance after the receipt of the SR.
[0103] Then at step S3, the method [600] involves receiving the SR. It may be
noted that the delayed instance of BWP switching may be determined based on the
10 instance of receipt of the SR, in such a way that the switch delay due to switching
does not impact receipt of the SR.
[0104] Then at step S4, the method [600] involves executing the BWP
switching during the BWP switching period after receipt of the SR. The BWP
15 switching may be done by deactivating a currently active BWP, and, subsequently,
activating a different BWP. In an embodiment, the time period for switching BWP
may be such that it occurs after completion of the receipt of the SR. In an
embodiment, the time period may be an instance when the BWP switching may be
performed.
20
[0105] The present disclosure further discloses a non-transitory computer
readable storage medium storing one or more instructions for managing bandwidth
parts (BWP) switching in a wireless communication system, the one or more
instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of
25 a system [300], causes the one or more units to perform certain functions. The one
or more instructions when executed causes a transceiver unit [302] of the system
[300] to receive, at a base station [502], from a user equipment (UE) [102], a trigger
signal for switching of BWP. The one or more instructions when executed further
causes a processing unit [304] of the system [300] to detect, at the base station
30 [502], an instance of receipt of at least one of a Channel Status Information (CSI)
29
report, and a Scheduling Request (SR). The one or more instructions when executed
further causes the processing unit [304] of the system [300] to determine, at the
base station [502], a first event indicative of the instance of receipt of at least one
of the CSI report, and the SR falling within a first BWP switch delay period. In
5 response to the determination of the first event, the one or more instructions when
executed further causes the processing unit [304] of the system [300] to determine,
at the base station [502], a time period for switching the BWP of the UE [102],
based on completion of the first event.
10 [0106] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a
technically advanced solution for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in
the wireless communication system. The present solution improves the user
experience while promoting efficient resource utilization and load balancing and
also focusing on enhancing network performance. Further, the present disclosure
15 allows for postponing BWP switching based on the CSI report or SR to be
transmitted from UEs during the interval of BWP switching. The present solution
enables the delaying of the BWP switching in order to avoid the miss of information
that is periodically transmitted by the UE. By delaying BWPs, the present
disclosure helps balance network loads and prevents resource wastage, ultimately
20 leading to improved network efficiency thereby providing optimized resource
utilization. The present solution provides efficient resource allocation, coupled with
control information updates, results in a better QoS for wireless communication
services, resulting in fewer disruption in user experience, reduced latency, thereby
providing overall improved Quality of Service (QoS).
25
[0107] Further, the present disclosure contributes to load balancing within the
network by avoiding switching of BWPs when the CSI report or SR are scheduled
to be transmitted during BWP switch delay period ensuring fair resource
distribution. Further, by dynamically considering the control information before
30 switching the BWPs, the present disclosure provides optimization of the utilization
of available resources which may further lead to cost savings for network operators
30
and a more sustainable wireless infrastructure. With reduced transmission
interruptions and enhanced QoS, users benefit from an overall improved wireless
communication experience. This is especially valuable in densely populated urban
areas and during network congestion and results in improved user experience. The
5 present disclosure also provides a scalable solution which can accommodate the
evolving needs of wireless communication networks, including the transition to 5G
and beyond and is also able to adapt to changing network conditions and
requirements. Accordingly, it may be understood that the method of postponing
BWP switching in accordance with the current disclosure provides an improved
10 user experience, better resource utilization, and enhanced QoS within wireless
communication systems.
[0108] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed
implementations, it will be appreciated that many implementations can be made and
15 that many changes can be made to the implementations without departing from the
principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the implementations
of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to
be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative
and non-limiting.
20
[0109] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be
acknowledged that the functionality described for the various components/units can
be implemented interchangeably. While specific embodiments may disclose a
particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various
25 configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The
functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed
as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative
arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended
functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope
30 of the present disclosure.
31
We Claim:
1. A method for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless
communication system, the method comprising:
5 - receiving, by a transceiver unit [302], at a base station [502], from a
user equipment (UE) [102], a trigger signal for switching of BWP;
- detecting, by a processing unit [304] connected to at least the
transceiver unit [302], at the base station [502], an instance of receipt
of at least one of a Channel Status Information (CSI) report, and a
10 Scheduling Request (SR); and
- determining, by the processing unit [304], at the base station [502], a
first event indicative of the instance of receipt of at least one of the CSI
report, and the SR falling within a first BWP switch delay period,
wherein, in response to determination of the first event, the method
15 comprises:
- determining, by the processing unit [304], at the base station [502],
a time period for switching the BWP for the UE [102], based on
completion of the first event.
20 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprises executing,
by the processing unit [304], at the base station [502], the trigger signal at
least one of during the determined time period, and at the determined time
period, to facilitate switching the BWP for the UE [102].
25 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the BWP switching comprises
deactivation, by the processing unit [304] at the base station [502], of a
currently active BWP, and a subsequent activation of a different BWP.
32
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first BWP switch delay period
is determined based on a predefined time interval required for transitioning
between the currently active BWP, and the different BWP.
5 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprises assessing,
by the processing unit [304], at least one of a periodicity of the CSI report,
and a periodicity of the SR, to determine the instance of receipt of the CSI
report, and the SR, relative to the first BWP switch delay period.
10 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the CSI report comprises at least
one of a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix Index (PMI),
and a Rank Indicator (RI).
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection of the instance of
15 receipt of at least one of the CSI report and the SR is based on a timing
information configuration, wherein the timing information configuration
comprises a periodicity of receipt of the corresponding CSI report, and SR.
8. A system [300] for managing bandwidth parts (BWP) switching in a wireless
20 communication system, the system [300] comprising:
- a transceiver unit [302] configured to receive, at a base station [502],
from a user equipment (UE) [102], a trigger signal for switching of
BWP; and
- a processing unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302],
25 the processing unit [304] configured to:
- detect, at the base station [502], an instance of receipt of at least one
of a Channel Status Information (CSI) report, and a Scheduling
Request (SR); and
33
- determine, at the base station [502], a first event indicative of the
instance of receipt of at least one of the CSI report, and the SR falling
within a first BWP switch delay period,
wherein, in response to determination of the first event, the processing
5 unit [304] is configured to:
- determine, at the base station [502], a time period for switching the
BWP for the UE [102], based on completion of the first event.
9. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit [304] is
10 configured to execute, at the base station [502], the trigger signal at least one
of during the determined time period ,and at the determined time period, to
facilitate switching the BWP for the UE [102].
10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein for the BWP switching, the
15 processing unit [304] is configured to deactivate, at the base station [502], a
currently active BWP, and subsequently activate a different BWP.
11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first BWP switch delay
period is determined based on a predefined time interval required for
20 transitioning between the currently active BWP, and the different BWP.
12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit [304] is
configured to assess at least one of a periodicity of the CSI report, and a
periodicity of the SR, to determine the instance of receipt of the CSI report,
25 and the SR, relative to the first BWP switch delay period.
13. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein the CSI report comprises at
least one of a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix Index
(PMI), and a Rank Indicator (RI).
30
34
14. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein the detection of the instance
of receipt of at least one of the CSI report and the SR is based on a timing
information configuration, wherein the timing information configuration
comprises a periodicity of receipt of the corresponding CSI report, and SR.