DESC:
FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING BANDWIDTH PART SWITCHING IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK
2. APPLICANT(S)
Name Nationality Address
JIO PLATFORMS LIMITED INDIAN Office - 101, Saffron, Nr. Centre Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat, India
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
[001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to intellectual property rights such as, but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, integrated circuit (IC) layout design, and/or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (herein after referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.

TECHNICAL FIELD
[002] The present disclosure relates generally to a field of wireless communication networks. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for managing Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching in a wireless communication network.

DEFINITION
[003] As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used to indicate otherwise.
[004] The term “Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching,” as used herein, refers to a process of changing the active bandwidth part of a User Equipment (UE) to another pre-configured bandwidth part. This process allows for dynamic adjustment of the spectrum allocation to better suit current traffic demands and network conditions.
[005] The term “BWP delay switch period,” as used herein, refers to a duration required for the UE to switch from one BWP to another BWP. This period includes a time taken for the UE to retune its radio frequency (RF) components and to synchronize with a new BWP.
[006] The term “measurement gap period,” as used herein, refers to specific intervals during which the UE pauses its regular communication activities to perform measurements on downlink signals from neighboring cells or different frequency layers. These measurements are critical for functions such as handover decisions, cell reselection, and radio link monitoring.
[007] The term “gNodeB (gNB)” as used herein, refers to a type of network node in a 5G New Radio (NR) architecture responsible for managing radio resources and ensuring communication between the UE and the core network.

BACKGROUND
[008] The following description of related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may 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 be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.
[009] In the wireless communication systems, Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching is a crucial mechanism that allows efficient use of spectrum and enhances the performance of User Equipment (UE). The concept of BWP involves a division of a carrier bandwidth into multiple parts, each with different configurations, enabling flexible resource allocation based on traffic demands and channel conditions. This is particularly significant in the context of fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR) technology, where the ability to dynamically switch between different BWPs is essential for optimizing a network performance and a user experience.
[0010] In typical implementations, the BWP switching may be triggered by various conditions, such as changes in traffic load, quality of service requirements, or radio conditions. However, one of the challenges associated with the BWP switching is a potential overlap between the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period. Measurement gaps are periods during which the UE is required to perform measurements on downlink signals to support functions like handover, cell reselection, and radio link monitoring. These measurements are critical for maintaining robust connectivity, especially in edge cell scenarios where signal conditions may be challenging.
[0011] When the BWP switch delay period overlaps with a measurement gap period, the UE may miss essential measurements, leading to incomplete or inaccurate measurement reports. This may adversely affect the network performance, resulting in suboptimal handovers, degraded user experience, and inefficient resource utilization. Additionally, if the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occur back-to-back, the UE may experience significant servicing/scheduling gaps, further impacting its performance and the overall network efficiency.
[0012] There is, therefore, a need for a system and a method that overcomes the limitations of the prior art.

SUMMARY
[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for managing Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching in a wireless communication network is described. The method includes receiving, by a receiving module, a trigger for a BWP switch for a UE from a network node. The method further includes determining, by a processing engine, one or more predefined conditions based on a BWP switch delay period and a measurement gap period of the UE. If the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, the method further includes postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period.
[0014] In some embodiments, the method includes retuning, by the UE, a new BWP once the time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is over.
[0015] In some embodiments, the one or more predefined conditions includes whether the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period, or whether the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively.
[0016] In some embodiments, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, the method includes postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period, and retuning, by the UE, the new BWP once the time interval associated with the measurement gap period is over.
[0017] In some embodiments, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, the method includes postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger such that the measurement gap period completely falls within the BWP switch delay period, and retuning, by the UE, new the BWP once the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is over.
[0018] In some embodiments, to postpone the BWP switch trigger the method include adjusting, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger to set a boundary match for the BWP switch delay period with the measurement gap period.
[0019] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for managing BWP switching in a wireless communication network is described. The system comprises a memory, a receiving module to receive a trigger for a BWP switch for a UE from a network node, and a processing engine communicatively coupled with the memory, configured to receive the trigger for the BWP switch from the receiving module. The processing engine is configured to determine one or more predefined conditions based on a BWP switch delay period and a measurement gap period of the UE. If the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, the processing engine is configured to postpone the BWP switch trigger based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period.
[0020] In some embodiments, the processing engine is further is configured to retune, by the UE, a new BWP once the time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is over.
[0021] In some embodiments, the one or more predefined conditions includes whether the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period, or whether the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively.
[0022] In some embodiments, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, the processing engine is further configured to postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period, and retune, by the UE, the new BWP once the time interval associated with the measurement gap period is over.
[0023] In some embodiments, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, the processing engine is further configured to postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the measurement gap period completely falls within the BWP switch delay period, and retune, by the UE, the new BWP once the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is over.
[0024] In some embodiments, to postpone the BWP switch trigger the processing engine is further configured to adjust the BWP switch trigger to set a boundary match for the BWP switch delay period with the measurement gap period.
[0025] In another exemplary embodiment, a user equipment (UE) is described. The UE is communicatively coupled with a network, the coupling comprises steps of receiving, by the network, a connection request from the UE, sending, by the network, an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request, the network is configured for performing a method for managing BWP switching for the UE. The method comprising steps of receiving, by a receiving module, a trigger for a BWP switch for a UE from a network node. The method further includes determining, by a processing engine, one or more predefined conditions based on a BWP switch delay period and a measurement gap period of the UE. If the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, the method further includes postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period.
[0026] The foregoing general description of the illustrative embodiments and the following detailed description thereof are merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure and are not restrictive.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0027] Some of the objectives of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
[0028] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a system for managing bandwidth part (BWP) switching for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network.
[0029] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a system for postponing BWP switching such that the UE retunes to a new BWP after the time interval associated with one of the measurement gap period and the BWP switch delay period is over, if the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period.
[0030] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a system for postponing the BWP switching such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period, and the UE retunes to the new BWP after the time interval associated with one of the measurement gap period and the BWP switch delay period is over, if the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively.
[0031] Another objective of the present disclosure is to dynamically adjust the BWP switch trigger to prevent overlap with the measurement gap period, thereby enhancing the accuracy and reliability of network measurements.
[0032] Other objectives and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
[0033] 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 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. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.
[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture for implementing a system for managing bandwidth part (BWP) switching in a wireless communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of the system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method for managing the BWP switching in case when a time interval associated with a BWP switch delay period is lesser than a measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary scenario when the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0038] FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary scenario when the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0039] FIG. 4C illustrates an exemplary scenario for managing the BWP switching in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0040] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of the method for managing the BWP switching in case when the time interval associated with a BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0041] FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary scenario when the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period in case when the time interval associated with a BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0042] FIG. 6B illustrates an exemplary scenario when the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0043] FIG. 6C illustrates an exemplary scenario for managing the BWP switching in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0044] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of the method for managing the BWP switching in the wireless communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0045] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which or with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[0046] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
100 – Network architecture
102 - User
104 –User Equipment (UE)
106 – Network
108 – System
200- Block diagram
202 – Processor(s)
204 – Memory
206 –Interface(s)
208 – Processing engine
210 – Receiving module
212 – Determining module
214 – Postponing module
216 – Database
300- Flow diagram
500- Flow diagram
302, 502 – Network node
700- Flow diagram
800 – Computing system
810 – External Storage Device
820 – Bus
830 – Main Memory
840 – Read Only Memory
850 – Mass Storage Device
860 – Communication Port
870 – Processor
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0047] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various 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 can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.
[0048] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. 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.
[0049] 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, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0050] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that 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 operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can 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. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.
[0051] 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 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 like the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.
[0052] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0053] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be noted that the terms “mobile device”, “user equipment”, “user device”, “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used interchangeably for the purpose of describing the invention. These terms are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or imply any specific functionality or limitations on the described embodiments. The use of these terms is solely for convenience and clarity of description. The invention is not limited to any particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.
[0054] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.
[0055] The new concept in the 5G of wireless access technology, also known as a New Radio (NR), is Bandwidth Part (BWP). The BWP is a portion of the total channel bandwidth configured for a cell that is used by a user equipment (UE) at a specific moment of operation. A network cell configures multiple BWPs out of the total channel bandwidth and selects a specific one at each moment of operation.
[0056] The BWP is a contiguous set of physical resource blocks selected from a contiguous subset of the common resource blocks for a given numerology on a given carrier.
[0057] BWP switching is the process of switching between an active and an inactive BWP. Further, the BWP switching prevents the deactivation of all BWPs or activating more than one simultaneously. Additionally, the BWP switching exhibits some delay due to the inherent processing time of the RRC. The BWP switch delay is a period during which no Tx/Rx activity occurs from the UE.
[0058] As known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, a selection and switching of the BWP can be done with different mechanisms as listed below:
[0059] Radio Resource Control (RRC) Based Adaptation: This method is more suitable for semi-static cases since the processing of RRC messages requires extra time, allowing the latency to reach approximately 10 milliseconds. Due to longer switching latency and signaling overhead, the RRC-based method can be used for configuring a BWP set at any stage of the call or for slow adaptation type services (e.g., voice), where the resource allocation does not change rapidly within the same data session.
[0060] MAC CE (Control Element): This method is used upon the initiation of the Random-Access procedure.
[0061] Downlink Control Information (DCI) Based Adaptation: This method is based on a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) channel, where a specific BWP can be activated by a BWP indicator in DCI Format 0_1 (UL Grant) and Format 1-1 (DL scheduling). This method better fits on-the-fly BWP switching, as it has a latency as low as 2 milliseconds. However, this method requires additional considerations for error handling as the UE may fail to decode the DCI with the BWP activation/deactivation command.
[0062] Timer-Based implicit fallback to the default BWP is a mechanism designed to mitigate possible DCI errors. If the UE is not explicitly scheduled with a BWP after the timer expires, it will automatically switch to the default BWP.
[0063] Bandwidth Switching operation DCI-based
[0064] The BWP switching involves deactivating the currently active BWP and activating another configured BWP. In Time Division Duplex (TDD), Downlink and Uplink, the BWPs differ only by the transmission bandwidth and numerology and are switched together.
µ New Radio (NR) Slot length (ms) BWP switch delay TBWPswitchDelay (slots)
Type 1 Note 1 Type 2 Note 1
0 1 1 3
1 0.5 2 5
2 0.25 3 9
3 0.125 6 18
Note 1: Depends on UE capability.
Note 2: If the BWP switch involves changing of SubCarrier Spacing (SCS), the BWP switch delay is determined by the smaller SCS between the SCS before BWP switch and the SCS after the BWP switch.

[0065] When the BWP switching occurs, there is a switching delay at the UE due to RF retuning. Considering this aspect, the delay requirement for the BWP switching is defined in the NR specification. For DCI-based BWP switching, the delay requirement is the minimum allowable slot offset between the downlink slot in which the UE received the BWP switching DCI and the first slot in which the UE can receive the PDSCH for downlink BWP switching or transmit the PUSCH for uplink BWP switching on the new BWP.
[0066] In an embodiment, a Serving Cell may be configured with one or multiple BWPs, and the maximum number of BWP per Serving Cell. The BWP switching for a Serving Cell is used to activate an inactive BWP and deactivate an active BWP at a time. The BWP switching is controlled by the PDCCH indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant, 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 firstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id and/or firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id respectively is active without receiving PDCCH indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant. The active BWP for a Serving Cell is indicated by either RRC or PDCCH. For unpaired spectrum, a DL BWP is paired with a UL BWP, and BWP switching is common for both UL and DL.
[0067] For each SCell a dormant BWP may be configured with dormantBWP-Id by RRC signalling. Entering or leaving dormant BWP for SCells is done by BWP switching per SCell or per dormancy SCell group based on instruction from PDCCH. The dormancy SCell group configurations are configured by RRC signalling. Upon reception of the PDCCH indicating leaving dormant BWP, the DL BWP indicated by firstOutsideActiveTimeBWP-Id or by firstWithinActiveTimeBWP-Id is activated. Upon reception of the PDCCH indicating entering dormant BWP, the DL BWP indicated by dormantBWP-Id is activated. The dormant BWP configuration for SpCell or PUCCH SCell is not supported.
[0068] Measurement gaps are opportunities given to the UE to perform measurements on downlink signals. the UE cannot perform inter-frequency or inter- Radio Access Technology (RAT) measurements while also transmitting or receiving. Even for intra-frequency measurements, a 5G UE may require measurement gaps if such measurements are to be performed outside the UEs currently active BWP.
[0069] The network configures the UE with measurement gaps via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling. The network configures the measurement gaps such that these measurement gaps do not coincide with UE transmissions or receptions. It is possible to start with a few gaps and later reconfigure the UE with more gaps to gather neighbor cell measurements, for instance, if a handover looks likely. The measurement gaps are periodic.
[0070] If the UE requires measurement gaps to identify and measure intra-frequency cells and/or inter-frequency cells and/or inter-RAT Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) cells, and the UE does not support independent measurement gap patterns for different frequency ranges, in order for the requirements in the following clauses to apply the network must provide a single per-UE measurement gap pattern for concurrent monitoring of all frequency layers.
[0071] If the UE requires measurement gaps to identify and measure intra-frequency cells and/or inter-frequency cells and/or inter-RAT E-UTRAN cells, and the UE supports independent measurement gap patterns for different frequency ranges, in order for the requirements in the following clauses to apply the network must provide either per-FR measurement gap patterns for frequency range where UE requires per-FR measurement gap for concurrent monitoring of all frequency layers of each frequency range independently, or a single per-UE measurement gap pattern for concurrent monitoring of all frequency layers of all frequency ranges.
[0072] If the UE is configured via LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) to measure Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) for any Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD), PRS-Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), UE Rx-Tx time difference measurement and PRS-RSRP measurement, in order for the requirements to apply, the network must provide
- a single per-UE measurement gap pattern for concurrent monitoring of all positioning frequency layers and intra-frequency, inter-frequency and/or inter-RAT frequency layers of all frequency ranges, or
- if UE supports independent measurement gap patterns for different frequency ranges for PRS measurement, i.e. supporting independentGapConfigPRS-r17, per-frequency range (FR) measurement gap pattern for the frequency range for concurrent monitoring of all positioning frequency layers and intra-frequency, inter-frequency cells and/or inter-RAT frequency layers in the corresponding frequency range.
[0073] During the per-UE measurement gaps the UE:
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding E-UTRAN PCell, E-UTRAN SCell(s) and New Radio (NR) serving cells for E-UTRA-NR dual connectivity except the reception of signals used for Radio resource management (RRM) measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding NR serving cells for standalone (SA) (with single carrier or Carrier Aggregation (CA) configured) except the reception of signals used for RRM measurement(s), PRS measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding PCell, SCell(s) and E-UTRAN serving cells for NR-E-UTRA dual connectivity except the reception of signals used for RRM measurement(s), PRS measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding NR serving cells for New Radio Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) except the reception of signals used for RRM measurement(s), PRS measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
[0074] During the per-FR measurement gaps the UE:
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding E-UTRAN PCell, E-UTRAN SCell(s) and NR serving cells in the corresponding frequency range for E-UTRA-NR dual connectivity except the reception of signals used for RRM measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding NR serving cells in the corresponding frequency range for SA (with single carrier or CA configured) except the reception of signals used for RRM measurement(s), PRS measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding PCell, SCell(s) and E-UTRAN serving cells in the corresponding frequency range for NR-E-UTRA dual connectivity except the reception of signals used for RRM measurement(s), PRS measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
- is not required to conduct reception/transmission from/to the corresponding NR serving cells in the corresponding frequency range for NR-DC except the reception of signals used for RRM measurement(s), PRS measurement(s) and the signals used for random access procedure.
[0075] Currently, a gNB (e.g., a network node) may trigger the BWP switch for the UE. However, if there is a measurement gap that wholly or partly overlaps the BWP switch delay period, the UE may miss the measurement. This impacts UE servicing and resources when the measurements are required for critical situations, such as edge cell cases. Additionally, the UE may lose a significant amount of servicing/scheduling period if the BWP switch interval and the measurement gap are located back-to-back.
[0076] Accordingly, there is a need for a system and a method to manage the BWP switching for the UE when at least a part of the measurement gap overlaps with the BWP switch delay period, or the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs back-to-back or occurs consecutively.
[0077] The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing a system and a method for managing the BWP switching that ensures the UE can perform necessary measurements without interruption and minimizes the impact on UE servicing. The present disclosure addresses this need by providing a method to adjust the timing of BWP switches to avoid conflicts with the measurement gaps, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of BWP management in the wireless communication network.
[0078] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0079] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of network architecture (100) for implementing a system (108) for managing bandwidth part (BWP) switching in a wireless communication network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0080] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the network architecture (100) may include one or more user equipments (UEs) (104-1, 104-2…104-N) associated with one or more users (102-1, 102-2…102-N) in an environment. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more users (102-1, 102-2…102-N) may collectively referred to as the users (102). Similarly, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more UEs (104-1, 104-2…104-N) may be collectively referred to as the UE (104). Although only three UE (104) are depicted in FIG. 1, however, any number of the UE (104) may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description.
[0081] In an embodiment, the UE (104) may include smart devices operating in a smart environment, for example, an Internet of Things (IoT) system. In such an embodiment, the UE (104) may include, but are not limited to, smartphones, smart watches, smart sensors (e.g., mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, etc.), networked appliances, networked peripheral devices, networked lighting system, communication devices, networked vehicle accessories, networked vehicular devices, smart accessories, tablets, smart television (TV), computers, smart security system, smart home system, other devices for monitoring or interacting with or for the users (102) and/or entities, or any combination thereof. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (104) may include, but not limited to, intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that may integrate seamlessly with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system or any other device that is network-connected.
[0082] Additionally, in some embodiments, the UE (104) may include, but not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smartphone, a phablet device, and so on), a wearable computer device (e.g., a head-mounted display computer device, a head-mounted camera device, a wristwatch computer device, and so on), a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or another type of portable computer, a media playing device, a portable gaming system, and/or any other type of computer device with wireless communication capabilities, and the like. In an embodiment, the UE (104) may include, but are not limited to, any electrical, electronic, electromechanical, or equipment, or a combination of one or more of the above devices, such as virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other computing device, wherein the UE (104) may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, an audio aid, a microphone, a keyboard, and input devices for receiving input from the user (102) or the entity such as touchpad, touch-enabled screen, electronic pen, and the like. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (104) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used.
[0083] Referring to FIG. 1, the UE (104) may communicate with a system (108) through a network (wireless communication network) (106) for sending or receiving various types of data. In an embodiment, the network (106) may include at least one of a 5G network, 6G network, or the like. The network (106) may enable the UE (104) to communicate with other devices in the network architecture (100) and/or with the system (108). The network (106) may include a wireless card or some other transceiver connection to facilitate this communication. In another embodiment, the network (106) may be implemented as, or include any of a variety of different communication technologies such as a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), the Internet, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or the like.
[0084] In an embodiment, the network (106) may include, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth. The network (106) may also include, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet-switched network, a circuit-switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or some combination thereof.
[0085] In an embodiment, the UE (104) is communicatively coupled with the network (106). The network (106) may receive a connection request from the UE (104). The network (106) may send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104). The UE (104) may transmit a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. The network (106) may enable the system (108) to manage BWP switching in the network (wireless communication network) (106).
[0086] Although FIG. 1 shows exemplary components of the network architecture (100), in other embodiments, the network architecture (100) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 1. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture (100) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the network architecture (100).
[0087] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram (200) of the system (108), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0088] Referring to FIG. 2, in an embodiment, the system (108) may include one or more processor(s) (202). The one or more processor(s) (202) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the one or more processor(s) (202) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (204) of the system (108). The memory (204) may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The memory (204) may include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as random-access memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.
[0089] In an embodiment, the system (108) may include an interface(s) (206). The interface(s) (206) may include a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I/O), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) (206) may facilitate communication through the system (108). The interface(s) (206) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the system (108). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, a processing engine (208) and a database (216).
[0090] In an embodiment, the processing engine (208) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine (208). In examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing engine (208) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing engine (208) may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing engine (208). In such examples, the system may comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the system and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing engine (208) may be implemented by electronic circuitry.
[0091] In an embodiment, the database (216) includes data that may be either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processor (202) or the processing engine (208). In an embodiment, the database (216) may be indicative of including, but not limited to, a relational database, a distributed database, a cloud-based database, or the like.
[0092] In an embodiment, the processing engine (208) may include a plurality of modules. The plurality of modules of the processing engine (208) may include, but is not limited to, a receiving module (210), a determining module (212), and a postponing module (214).
[0093] The receiving module (210) is configured to receive a trigger for a BWP switch for the UE. The BWP switch trigger is an event or signal that initiates the process of switching from one BWP to another BWP for the UE in the wireless communication network. In some embodiments, the BWP switch trigger may be received from a network node (e.g., gNB). In an embodiment, the BWP switch trigger may be initiated based on various conditions internal to the gNB, such as load or traffic scenarios or a current channel condition of a particular BWP. The gNB may determine when to switch the UE to another BWP based on these conditions to optimize resource utilization and network performance. Additionally, the BWP switch trigger may be inactivity-based, where the gNB monitors a predefined inactivity period and, upon detecting inactivity, switches the UE to another BWP with a more suitable configuration.
[0094] Once the BWP switch trigger is received from the network node (e.g., gNB), the determining module (212) is configured to determine one or more predefined conditions based on the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period of the UE. The one or more predefined conditions may include whether the BWP switch delay period overlaps with at least a part of the measurement gap period, or the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively.
[0095] If the one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, the postponing module (214) is configured to postpone the BWP switch trigger. The BWP switch trigger may be postponed based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period. The postponing ensures that the UE can perform the necessary measurements without interruption and minimizes the impact on UE servicing.
[0096] Once the time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is over, the UE (104) may retune to a new BWP.
[0097] In a more elaborate way, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, the processing engine (208) may further determine the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period. Upon determining, if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is found to be lesser than the measurement gap period, the postponing module (214) may postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within the measurement gap period. The UE (104) then retunes to the new BWP once the measurement gap period is over.
[0098] In an alternative embodiment, upon determining, if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is found to be greater than the measurement gap period, the postponing module (214) may postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the measurement gap period falls completely within the BWP switch delay period. Further, the UE retunes to the new BWP once the BWP switch delay period is over.
[0099] In an embodiment, the postponing module (214) may adjust the BWP switch trigger by setting a boundary match for the BWP switch delay period with the measurement gap period. The setting of the boundary match involves aligning a start or end times of the BWP switch delay period with a start or end times of the measurement gap period to ensure that the two periods coincide as much as possible. The boundary match is designed to optimize the timing so that the UE retuning activities occur within the measurement gap, minimizing disruption to the ongoing operations and measurements of the UE. This is explained in greater detail with the help of an exemplary scenario of FIGS. 4A – 4C.
[00100] Therefore, the system (108) optimizes the timing of BWP switches to avoid conflicts with measurement gaps, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of BWP management in the wireless communication network. In some embodiments, the system (108) may be a network node. As will be described in greater detail in conjunction with FIG. 3, the network node may be configured to manage the BWP switching.
[00101] Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of the system (108), in other embodiments, the system (108) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the system (108) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the system (108).
[00102] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method (300) for managing the BWP switching in case when a time interval associated with a BWP switch delay period is lesser than a measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00103] In an embodiment, the exemplary method (300) may include a network node (302) (e.g., a gNB) and the UE (104). The network node (302) may be configured to manage the BWP switch for the UE (104). The network node (302) and the UE (104) may wirelessly communicate via the network (106). The network (106) may provide a coverage area over which the UE (104) and the network node (302) may establish a connection. The coverage area may be an example of a geographic area over which the network node (302) and the UE (104) may support the communication of signals according to one or more radio access technologies.
[00104] In order to manage the BWP switching, initially, at step (304) of the method (300), the network node (302) may check whether the BWP switch conditions are met to trigger the BWP switch. The BWP switch conditions may include multiple criteria, such as the current traffic demand, UE activity level, signal quality, and overall network conditions. For example, the network node (302) may monitor parameters like channel quality indicators (CQI), received signal strength (RSSI), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to determine if the current BWP is no longer optimal for maintaining a stable connection. Additionally, in some embodiments, the BWP switch may be triggered based on other factors, such as a sudden change in UE mobility patterns, increased interference, or if the UE is in a power-saving state. If these conditions are satisfied, the network node (302) initiates the BWP switch triggering process to switch the UE to a different BWP.
[00105] At step (306) of the method (300), the network node (302) (e.g., gNB) may postpone the BWP switch trigger if one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled. For example, the network node (302) may postpone the BWP switch trigger if the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of measurement gap period, or the BWP switch delay period and measurement gap period occurs consecutively. In an example, if the measurement gap period overlaps with the BWP switch delay period, then the UE (104) may lose the measurement opportunity. Additionally, if the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively, in that case the UE (104) may be losing significant time without scheduling/getting serviced. Therefore, the postponing ensures that the UE (104) can perform the necessary measurements without interruption and minimizes the impact on UE servicing,
[00106] At step (308) of the method (300), the UE (104) may detect whether the measurement gap period containing the BWP switch period. To further elaborate, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is found to be lesser than the measurement gap period, the network node (302) may postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period. Further, the UE (104) detects whether the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period or not (i.e., if the measurement gap period contains the BWP switch period).
[00107] If the measurement gap period contains the BWP switch period, at step (310) of the method (300), the UE (104) may retune a BWP (e.g., a new BWP after the measurement gap period is over).
[00108] At step (312) method (300), the network node (302) may request the UE (104) for performing scheduling on the retuned BWP.
[00109] In the wireless communication network, scheduling refers to a process of allocating resources for the data transmission and reception between the network node (e.g., gNB) and the UE. For example, after the UE retunes to the new BWP, the network node (302) may perform the scheduling tasks, such as, but are not limited to, resource allocation, control signaling, timing coordination, feedback and adaptation.
[00110] In the resource allocation, the network node assigns specific time-frequency resources (e.g., physical resource blocks) on the retuned BWP for the UE to transmit or receive data.
[00111] In the control signaling, the network node may send a scheduling grant via the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) to inform the UE about the allocated resources and transmission timing.
[00112] In the timing coordination, the network node ensures that the UE data transmissions align with the network timing structure, avoiding interference with other UEs and optimizing the use of available bandwidth.
[00113] In the feedback and adaptation, the network node (302) continuously monitors the UE’s feedback on channel conditions and adjusts the scheduling decisions to maintain the optimal performance and Quality of Service (QoS).
[00114] Therefore, by effectively managing these scheduling tasks, the network node ensures that the UE can easily switch to the new BWP and continue its communication activities with minimal disruption.
[00115] FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary scenario (400A) when the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00116] As depicted in FIG. 4A, the BWP switch delay period may overlap some part of the measurement gap period. For example, the BWP switch delay period may occur between a time interval of 5 time slots (for example, from time slots t3 to t7). Additionally, the measurement gap period may occur between a time interval of 7 time slots (for example, from time slots t6 to t12). Thus, the BWP switch delay period may overlap with the measurement gap period between the time slots t6 to t7. In such scenario, the time interval of the BWP switch delay period is less than the time interval of the measurement gap period.
[00117] FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary scenario (400B) when the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00118] As depicted in FIG. 4B, the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period may occur consecutively. For example, the BWP switch delay period may occur between a time interval of 5 time slots (for example, from time slots t1 to t5). Additionally, the measurement gap period may occur between a time interval of 7 time slots (for example, from time slots t6 to t12). Thus, the BWP switch delay period may occur consecutively with the measurement gap period. In such scenario, the time interval of the BWP switch delay period is less than the time interval of the measurement gap period.
[00119] FIG. 4C illustrates an exemplary scenario (400C) for managing the BWP switching in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00120] The BWP switch period is a period during which UE does not perform any transmission/reception (Tx/Rx) activities. The UE transmission activity may include uplink channel carrying data or control information, random access preamble, uplink subcarrier spacing, and the like. The UE reception activity may include uplink assignment message, downlink subcarrier spacing, RRC message, and the like. The UE measurements may include Channel State Information (CSI), Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS), Reference Signal (RS), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Power per Branch (RSRPB), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), Signal-to-Noise and Interference Ratio (SINR), Synchronization Signal (SS) and Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), and the like. Therefore, if the measurement gap period overlaps with BWP switch period, the UE may lose measurement opportunities. Further, if the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period may occur consecutively, then the UE may lose a lot of servicing/scheduling tasks.
[00121] To overcome the above-mentioned problems, the system (108) or the network node (302) may postpone the BWP switch delay period to set boundary match with the measurement gap period such that BWP switch delay period falls within the measurement gap period. Tunning of the UE (104) to the new BWP is performed based on considering whichever period is higher (for example, depending on whether the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is greater).
[00122] The present FIG. 4C illustrates a solution (400C) to the above-mentioned problems. As depicted in FIG. 4C, the BWP switch delay period is managed to fall within the measurement gap period. This approach ensures that the UE (104) does not lose any measurement opportunities, as the BWP switch is postponed until after the measurement gap period is complete.
[00123] Referring to FIG. 4C, in the time slots from t0 to t13, initially, the UE is tuned to BWP1 at specific frequency (f1) at time slot t5. The measurement gap period occurs from time slots t6 to slot t12, covering a total of 7 slots (Y slots). During this measurement gap period, the BWP switching from BWP1 to BWP2 is postponed. In other words, as the measurement gap period arrives between time slots (t6 to t12), the BWP switch trigger may be postponed such that the BWP switch delay period of 6 time slots (e.g., t0 to t5) may arrive between time slots (t6 to t10) and the new BWP (e.g., BWP2 at specific frequency) may start after time period t12. In this way, the UE (104) may retune to the new BWP i.e., to the BWP2 at specific frequency (f2) after the measurement gap period (for example, after time period t12).
[00124] In this way, the postponing of BWP switch enables efficient utilization of the available spectrum. This efficient use of spectrum enhances overall network capacity and performance. Thereby, ensuring better resource utilization and quality of service (QOS).
[00125] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method (500) for managing the BWP switching in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00126] In an embodiment, the exemplary method (500) may include a network node (502) (e.g., a gNB) and the UE (104). The network node (502) may be configured to manage the BWP switch for the UE (104). The network node (502) and the UE (104) may wirelessly communicate via the network (106).
[00127] In order to manage the BWP switching, initially, at step (504) of the method (500), the network node (502) may check whether the BWP switch conditions are met to trigger the BWP switch. The BWP switch conditions may include multiple criteria, such as the current traffic demand, UE activity level, signal quality, and overall network conditions. For example, the network node (502) may monitor parameters like channel quality indicators (CQI), received signal strength (RSSI), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to determine if the current BWP is no longer optimal for maintaining a stable connection. Additionally, in some embodiments, the BWP switch may be triggered based on other factors, such as a sudden change in UE mobility patterns, increased interference, or if the UE is in a power-saving state. If these conditions are satisfied, the network node (502) initiates the BWP switch triggering process to switch the UE to a different BWP.
[00128] At step (506) of the method (500), the network node (502) (e.g., gNB) may postpone the BWP switch trigger if one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled. For example, the network node (502) may postpone the BWP switch trigger if the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of measurement gap period, or the BWP switch delay period and measurement gap period occurs consecutively. In an example, if the measurement gap period overlaps with the BWP switch delay period, then the UE (104) may lose the measurement opportunity. Additionally, if the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occur consecutively, in that case the UE (104) may be losing significant time without scheduling/getting serviced. Therefore, the postponing ensures that the UE (104) can perform the necessary measurements without interruption and minimizes the impact on UE servicing.
[00129] At step (508) of the method (500), the UE (104) may detect whether the BWP switch delay period containing the measurement gap period. To further elaborate, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is found to be greater than the measurement gap period, the network node (502) may postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the measurement gap period falls completely within the BWP switch delay period. Further, the UE (104) detects whether the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period or not (i.e., if the BWP switch period contains the measurement gap period).
[00130] If the BWP switch period contains the measurement gap period, at step (510) of the method (500), the UE (104) may retune a BWP (e.g., a new BWP) after the BWP switch delay period is over.
[00131] At step (512) method (500), the network node (502) may request the UE (104) for performing scheduling tasks on the retuned BWP.
[00132] FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary scenario (600A) when the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period in case when the time interval associated with a BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00133] In FIG. 6A, the BWP switch delay period may overlap some part of the measurement gap period. For example, the BWP switch delay period may occur between a time interval of 7 time slots (for example, from time slots t3 to t9). Additionally, the measurement gap period may occur between a time interval of 5 time slots (for example, from time slots t8 to t12). Thus, the BWP switch delay period may overlap with the measurement gap period between the time slots t8 to t9. In the present scenario, the time interval of the BWP switch delay period is greater than the time interval of the measurement gap period.
[00134] FIG. 6B illustrates an exemplary scenario (600B) when the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00135] Further, in FIG. 6B, the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period may occur consecutively. For example, the BWP switch delay period may occur between a time interval of 7 time slots (for example, from time slots t1 to t7). Additionally, the measurement gap period may occur between a time interval of 4 time slots (for example, from time slots t8 to t12). Thus, the BWP switch delay period may occur consecutively with the measurement gap period. In the present scenario, the time interval of the BWP switch delay period is greater than the time interval of the measurement gap period.
[00136] FIG. 6C illustrates an exemplary scenario (600C) for managing the BWP switching in case when the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00137] If the measurement gap period overlaps with BWP switch period, the UE may lose measurement opportunities. Further, if the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period may occur consecutively, then the UE may lose a lot of servicing/scheduling tasks. To overcome the above-mentioned problems, the system (108) or the network node (502) may postpone the BWP switch delay period to set a boundary match with the measurement gap period such that the measurement gap period falls within the BWP switch delay period. The UE (104) may retune to new BWP after the BWP switch delay period is over.
[00138] The present FIG. 6C illustrates a solution to the above-mentioned problems. In the time slots from t0 to t13, initially, the UE is tuned to BWP1 at specific frequency at time slot t5. In this scenario, as the time interval of the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, the BWP switch trigger is postponed such that such that the measurement gap period falls completely within the BWP switch delay period to ensure minimal disruption in the UE activity and measurement opportunities. The BWP switch delay period of 7 time slots (for example, from t1 to t7) is adjusted to occur between time slots t6 and t12 and the measurement gap period of time slots t8 to t12 is adjusted to occur between time slots t6 to t10, covering a total of 5 slots (Y slots). During this BWP switch delay period, the BWP switching from BWP1 to BWP2 is postponed. In other words, as the measurement gap may arrive between time slots t6 to t10, the BWP switch trigger may be postponed such that the BWP switch delay period of 7 time slots may arrive between time slots t6 to t12 and the new BWP may start after the BWP switch delay period (e.g., after the time slot t12). In this way, the UE (104) may retune to new BWP (e.g., BWP2 at specific frequency) after the BWP switch interval.
[00139] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method (700) for managing BWP switching in the wireless communication network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00140] At step (702), the method (700) includes receiving, by a receiving module, a trigger for a BWP switch for a UE from the network node (e.g., the gNB). In an embodiment, the BWP switch trigger may be initiated based on various conditions internal to the gNB, such as load or traffic scenarios or a current channel condition of a particular BWP. The gNB may determine when to switch the UE to another BWP based on the conditions to optimize resource utilization and network performance. Additionally, the BWP switch trigger may be inactivity-based, where the gNB monitors a predefined inactivity period and, upon detecting inactivity, switches the UE to another BWP with a more suitable configuration.
[00141] At step (704), the method (700) includes determining, by the processing engine, one or more predefined conditions based on a BWP switch delay period and a measurement gap period of the UE. The one or more predefined conditions may include whether the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period, or whether the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively (e.g., occurs back-to-back).
[00142] At step (706), the method (700) includes if the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period. In one embodiment, the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period may be lesser than the measurement gap period. In another embodiment. In one embodiment, the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period.
[00143] In some embodiments, the method (700) includes retuning, by the UE, a new BWP once the time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is over. By way of an example, initially the UE may be tuned to the BWP1 at specific frequency (f1). If the UE identifies the need for the switch, the BWP switch trigger may be received to switch from the BWP1 at specific frequency (f1) to the new BWP (e.g., BWP2 at specific frequency (f2)). The UE may retune to the new BWP i.e., to the BWP2 at specific frequency (f2) once the time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is over.
[00144] In some embodiments, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, the method includes postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period, and retuning, by the UE, the BWP once the time interval associated with the measurement gap period is over.
[00145] In some embodiments, when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, the method includes postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger such that the measurement gap period completely falls within the BWP switch delay period, and retuning, by the UE, the BWP once the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is over.
[00146] In some embodiments, to postpone the BWP switch trigger the method include adjusting, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger to set a boundary match for the BWP switch delay period with the measurement gap period. The setting of the boundary match may include aligning a start or end times of the BWP switch delay period with a start or end times of the measurement gap period to ensure that the two periods coincide as much as possible. The boundary match is designed to optimize the timing so that the UE retuning activities occur within the measurement gap, minimizing disruption to the ongoing operations and measurements of the UE.
[00147] In one exemplary embodiment, a user equipment (UE) is described. The UE is communicatively coupled with a wireless communication network, the coupling comprises steps of receiving, by the wireless communication network, a connection request from the UE, sending, by the wireless communication network, an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request, the wireless communication network is configured for performing a method for managing BWP switching for the UE. The method comprising steps of receiving, by the receiving module, a trigger for a BWP switch for a UE from a network node. The method further includes determining, by the processing engine, one or more predefined conditions based on a BWP switch delay period and a measurement gap period of the UE. If the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, the method further includes postponing, by the processing engine, the BWP switch trigger based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period
[00148] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary computer system (800) in which or with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[00149] As shown in FIG. 8, the computer system (800) may include an external storage device (810), a bus (820), a main memory (830), a read-only memory (840), a mass storage device (850), communication port(s) (860), and a processor (870). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system may include more than one processor and communication ports. The processor (870) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure. The communication port(s) (860) may be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10/100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. The communication port(s) (560) may be chosen depending on a network, such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system connects.
[00150] The main memory (830) may be random-access memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory (840) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information e.g., start-up or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions for the processor (870). The mass storage device (850) may be any current or future mass storage solution, which can be used to store information and/or instructions. Exemplary mass storage device (850) includes, but is not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and/or Firewire interfaces), one or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g., an array of disks.
[00151] The bus (820) communicatively couples the processor (870) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (820) may be, e.g., a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)/PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the processor (870) to the computer system.
[00152] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, joystick, and a cursor control device, may also be coupled to the bus (820) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system. Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through the communication port(s) (860). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system limit the scope of the present disclosure.
[00153] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.
[00154] The present disclosure provides technical advancement related to the managing of the BWP switching in the 5G NR technology. This advancement addresses the limitations of existing solutions by efficiently handling the overlap between BWP switch delay periods and measurement gap periods. The disclosure involves a method for adjusting the timing of BWP switches to set boundary matches with measurement gaps, which offer significant improvements in network performance and resource utilization. By implementing a postpone strategy for BWP switches, the present disclosure enhances the reliability and efficiency of BWP management, resulting in uninterrupted measurement activities and optimal UE servicing.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[00155] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for managing the Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching for the User Equipment (UE) in the wireless communication network.
[00156] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that effectively manage the overlap between BWP switch delay periods and measurement gap periods, ensuring that the UE can perform necessary measurements without interruption.
[00157] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for postponing BWP switching such that the UE retunes to a new BWP after the time interval associated with one of the measurement gap period and the BWP switch delay period is over, if the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period.
[00158] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for postponing the BWP switching such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period, and the UE retunes to the new BWP after the time interval associated with one of the measurement gap period and the BWP switch delay period is over, if the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively.
,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We Claim:
1. A method (700) for managing Bandwidth Part switching in a wireless communication network (106), the method (700) comprising:
receiving (702), by a receiving module (210), a trigger for a Bandwidth Part (BWP) switch for a User Equipment (UE) (104) from a network node (302, 502);
determining (704), by a processing engine (208), one or more predefined conditions based on a BWP switch delay period and a measurement gap period of the UE (104); and
if the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, postponing (706), by the processing engine (208), the BWP switch trigger based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period.

2. The method (700) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising retuning, by the UE (104), a new BWP once the time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is over.

3. The method (700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined conditions comprises whether the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period, or whether the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively.

4. The method (700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, performing following steps:
postponing, by the processing engine (208), the BWP switch trigger such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period; and
retuning, by the UE (104), the new BWP once the time interval associated with the measurement gap period is over.

5. The method (700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, performing following steps:
postponing, by the processing engine (208), the BWP switch trigger such that the measurement gap period completely falls within the BWP switch delay period; and
retuning, by the UE (104), the new BWP once the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is over.

6. The method (700) as claimed in claim 5, wherein postponing the BWP switch trigger comprises:
adjusting, by the processing engine (208), the BWP switch trigger to set a boundary match for the BWP switch delay period with the measurement gap period.

7. A system (108) for managing Bandwidth Part switching in a wireless communication network (106), the system (108) comprising:
a memory (204);
a receiving module (210) configured to receive a trigger for a Bandwidth Part (BWP) switch for a User Equipment (UE) (104) from a network node (302, 502); and
a processing engine (208) communicatively coupled with the memory (204), configured to:
determine one or more predefined conditions based on a BWP switch delay period and a measurement gap period of the UE (104); and
if the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled, postpone the BWP switch trigger based on a time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period.

8. The system (108) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing engine (208) is further configured to retune, by the UE (104), a new BWP once the time interval associated with one of the BWP switch delay period or the measurement gap period is over.

9. The system (108) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the one or more predefined conditions comprises whether the BWP switch delay period overlaps at least a part of the measurement gap period, or whether the BWP switch delay period and the measurement gap period occurs consecutively.

10. The system (108) as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is lesser than the measurement gap period, the processing engine (208) is configured to:
postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the BWP switch delay period falls completely within measurement gap period; and
retune, by the UE (104), the new BWP once the time interval associated with the measurement gap period is over.

11. The system (108) as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the determined one or more predefined conditions are fulfilled and if the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is greater than the measurement gap period, the processing engine (208) is configured to:
postpone the BWP switch trigger such that the measurement gap period completely falls within the BWP switch delay period; and
retune, by the UE (104), the new BWP once the time interval associated with the BWP switch delay period is over.

12. The system (108) as claimed in claim 11, wherein to postpone the BWP switch trigger, the processing engine (208) is configured to:
adjust the BWP switch trigger to set a boundary match for the BWP switch delay period with the measurement gap period.

13. A user equipment (UE) (104) communicatively coupled with a wireless communication network (106), the coupling comprises steps of:
receiving, by the wireless communication network (106), a connection request from the UE (104);
sending, by the wireless communication network (106), an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104); and
transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request, wherein the wireless communication network (106) is configured to execute a method (700) for managing Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching in the wireless communication network (106) as claimed in claim 1.