Patent Description:
The following abbreviations are herewith defined, at least some of which are referred to within the following description: Third Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP"), <NUM>th Generation ("<NUM>"), <NUM> QoS Indicator ("5QI"), Positive-Acknowledgment ("ACK"), Aggregation Level ("AL"), Access and Mobility Management Function ("AMF"), Access Point ("AP"), Access Stratum ("AS"), Autonomous Uplink ("AUL"), Beam Failure Detection ("BFD"), Beam Failure Recovery ("BFR"), Binary Phase Shift Keying ("BPSK"), Base Station ("BS"), Buffer Status Report ("BSR"), Bandwidth ("BW"), Bandwidth Part ("BWP"), Cell RNTI ("C-RNTI"), Carrier Aggregation ("CA"), Contention-Based Random Access ("CBRA"), Clear Channel Assessment ("CCA"), Common Control Channel ("CCCH"), Control Channel Element ("CCE"), Cyclic Delay Diversity ("CDD"), Code Division Multiple Access ("CDMA"), Control Element ("CE"), Contention-Free Random Access ("CFRA"), Closed-Loop ("CL"), Coordinated Multipoint ("CoMP"), Channel Occupancy Time ("COT"), Cyclic Prefix ("CP"), Cyclical Redundancy Check ("CRC"), Channel State Information ("CSI"), Channel State Information-Reference Signal ("CSI-RS"), Common Search Space ("CSS"), Control Resource Set ("CORESET"), Downlink Feedback Information ("DFI"), Discrete Fourier Transform Spread ("DFTS"), Downlink Control Information ("DCI"), Downlink ("DL"), Demodulation Reference Signal ("DMRS"), Data Radio Bearer ("DRB"), Discontinuous Reception ("DRX"), Downlink Pilot Time Slot ("DwPTS"), Enhanced Clear Channel Assessment ("eCCA"), Enhanced LAA ("eLAA"), Enhanced Mobile Broadband ("eMBB"), Evolved Node B ("eNB"), Effective Isotropic Radiated Power ("EIRP"), European Telecommunications Standards Institute ("ETSI"), Frame Based Equipment ("FBE"), Frequency Division Duplex ("FDD"), Frequency Division Multiplexing ("FDM"), Frequency Division Multiple Access ("FDMA"), Frequency Division Orthogonal Cover Code ("FD-OCC"), Frequency Range <NUM> - sub <NUM> frequency bands and/or <NUM> to <NUM> ("FR1"), Frequency Range <NUM> - <NUM> to <NUM> ("FR2"), <NUM> Node B or Next Generation Node B ("gNB"), Global Navigation Satellite System ("GNSS"), General Packet Radio Services ("GPRS"), Guard Period ("GP"), Global Positioning System ("GPS"), Global System for Mobile Communications ("GSM"), Globally Unique Temporary UE Identifier ("GUTI"), Home AMF ("hAMF"), Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request ("HARQ"), Home Location Register ("HLR"), Handover ("HO"), Home PLMN ("HPLMN"), Home Subscriber Server ("HSS"), Identity or Identifier ("ID"), Information Element ("IE"), International Mobile Equipment Identity ("IMEI"), International Mobile Subscriber Identity ("IMSI"), International Mobile Telecommunications ("IMT"), Internet-of Things ("IoT"), Layer <NUM> ("L1"), Layer <NUM> ("L2"), Layer <NUM> ("L3"), Licensed Assisted Access ("LAA"), Load Based Equipment ("LBE"), Listen-Before-Talk ("LBT"), Logical Channel ("LCH"), Logical Channel Prioritization ("LCP"), Log-Likelihood Ratio ("LLR"), Long Term Evolution ("LTE"), Multiple Access ("MA"), Medium Access Control ("MAC"), Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services ("MBMS"), Modulation Coding Scheme ("MCS"), Master Information Block ("MIB"), Multiple Input Multiple Output ("MIMO"), Mobility Management ("MM"), Mobility Management Entity ("MME"), Mobile Network Operator ("MNO"), massive MTC ("mMTC"), Maximum Power Reduction ("MPR"), Machine Type Communication ("MTC"), Multi User Shared Access ("MUSA"), Non Access Stratum ("NAS"), Narrowband ("IVB"), Negative-Acknowledgment ("NACK") or ("NAK"), New Data Indicator ("NDI"), Network Entity ("NE"), Network Function ("NF"), Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access ("NOMA"), New Radio ("NR"), NR Unlicensed ("NR-U"), Network Repository Function ("NRF"), Network Slice Instance ("NSI"), Network Slice Selection Assistance Information ("IVSSAI"), Network Slice Selection Function ("NSSF"), Network Slice Selection Policy ("IVSSP"), Operation and Maintenance System ("OAM"), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing ("OFDM"), Open-Loop ("OL"), Other System Information ("OSI"), Power Angular Spectrum ("PAS"), Physical Broadcast Channel ("PBCH"), Power Control ("PC"), UE to UE interface ("PC5"), Primary Cell ("PCell"), Policy Control Function ("PCF"), Physical Cell Identity ("PCI"), Physical Downlink Control Channel ("PDCCH"), Packet Data Convergence Protocol ("PDCP"), Packet Data Network Gateway ("PGW"), Physical Downlink Shared Channel ("PDSCH"), Pattern Division Multiple Access ("PDMA"), Packet Data Unit ("PDU"), Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel ("PHICH"), Power Headroom ("PH"), Power Headroom Report ("PHR"), Physical Layer ("PHY"), Public Land Mobile Network ("PLMN"), Physical Random Access Channel ("PRACH"), Physical Resource Block ("PRB"), Physical Sidelink Control Channel ("PSCCH"), Primary Secondary Cell ("PSCell"), Physical Uplink Control Channel ("PUCCH"), Physical Uplink Shared Channel ("PUSCH"), Quasi Co-Located ("QCL"), Quality of Service ("QoS"), Quadrature Phase Shift Keying ("QPSK"), Registration Area ("RA"), RA RNTI ("RA-RNTI"), Radio Access Network ("RAN"), Radio Access Technology ("RAT"), Random Access Procedure ("RACH"), Random Access Preamble Identifier ("RAPID"), Random Access Response ("RAR"), Resource Block Assignment ("RBA"), Resource Element Group ("REG"), Radio Link Control ("RLC"), RLC Acknowledged Mode ("RLC-AM"), RLC Unacknowledged Mode/Transparent Mode ("RLC-UM/TM"), Radio Link Monitoring ("RLM"), Radio Network Temporary Identifier ("RNTI"), Reference Signal ("RS"), Remaining Minimum System Information ("RMSI"), Radio Resource Control ("RRC"), Radio Resource Management ("RRM"), Resource Spread Multiple Access ("RSMA"), Reference Signal Received Power ("RSRP"), Round Trip Time ("RTT"), Receive ("RX"), Sparse Code Multiple Access ("SCMA"), Scheduling Request ("SR"), Sounding Reference Signal ("SRS"), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access ("SC-FDMA"), Secondary Cell ("SCell"), Secondary Cell Group ("SCG"), Shared Channel ("SCH"), Sub-carrier Spacing ("SCS"), Service Data Unit ("SDU"), Serving Gateway ("SGW"), System Information Block ("SIB"), SystemInformationBlockType1 ("SIB1"), SystemInformationBlockType2 ("SIB2"), Subscriber Identity/Identification Module ("SIM"), Signal-to-Interference-Plus-Noise Ratio ("SINR"), Sidelink ("SL"), Service Level Agreement ("SLA"), Sidelink Synchronization Signals ("SLSS"), Session Management Function ("SMF"), Special Cell ("SpCell"), Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information ("S-NSSAI"), Scheduling Request ("SR"), Signaling Radio Bearer ("SRB"), Shortened TTI ("sTTI"), Synchronization Signal ("SS"), Sidelink SSB ("S-SSB"), Synchronization Signal Block ("SSB"), Supplementary Uplink ("SUL"), Subscriber Permanent Identifier ("SUPI"), Timing Advance ("TA"), Timing Alignment Timer ("TAT"), Transport Block ("TB"), Transport Block Size ("TBS"), Time-Division Duplex ("TDD"), Time Division Multiplex ("TDM"), Time Division Orthogonal Cover Code ("TD-OCC"), Transmission Power Control ("TPC"), Transmission Reception Point ("TRP"), Transmission Time Interval ("TTI"), Transmit ("TX"), Uplink Control Information ("UCI"), Unified Data Management Function ("UDM"), Unified Data Repository ("UDR"), User Entity/Equipment (Mobile Terminal) ("UE"), Uplink ("UL"), UL SCH ("UL-SCH"), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System ("UMTS"), User Plane ("UP"), UP Function ("UPF"), Uplink Pilot Time Slot ("UpPTS"), Ultra-reliability and Low-latency Communications ("URLLC"), UE Route Selection Policy ("URSP"), Vehicle-to-Vehicle ("V2V"), Visiting AMF ("vAMF"), Visiting NSSF ("vNSSF"), Visiting PLMN ("VPLMN"), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ("WiMAX").

In certain wireless communications networks, it may be undesirable to continue to use an active bandwidth part.

R2-<NUM> is a 3GPP discussion document titled "BWP switching due to LBT" submitted by Oppo at TSG-RAN WG2 meeting #<NUM> in Spokane, Washington, USA on 12th November <NUM>, this describes the impact of BWP operation in NR-U from a RAN2 perspective. R2-<NUM> is a 3GPP discussion document titled "Considerations on <NUM>-step RACH procedure for NR-U" submitted by ZTE also at TSG-RAN WG2 meeting #<NUM> in Spokane, Washington, USA on 12th November <NUM>, this describes some enhancements on <NUM>-step RACH procedure. R2-<NUM> is a 3GPP discussion document titled "Handling LBT failures" submitted by Ericsson also at TSG-RAN WG2 meeting #<NUM> in Spokane, Washington, USA on 12th November <NUM>, this describes some issues and proposed solutions to enhance RLF to combat LBT failures in UL transmissions. 3GPP TR <NUM> V16. <NUM> is a 3GPP technical specification titled "Study on NR-based access to unlicenced spectrum", dated December <NUM>, reports on a study to determine a single global solution for NR-based access to unlicensed spectrum, to be compatible with the NR concepts.

Claim <NUM> defines a method in a remote unit and claim <NUM> defines a remote unit. In the following, any method and/or apparatus referred to as embodiments but nevertheless do not fall within the scope of the appended claims are to be understood as examples helpful in understanding the invention.

Methods for autonomous bandwidth part switching are disclosed. Apparatuses and systems also perform the functions of the methods. One embodiment of a method includes determining that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part. In some embodiments, the method includes, in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value, autonomously switching the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part.

One apparatus for autonomous bandwidth part switching includes a processor that: determines that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part; and in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value, autonomously switches the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part.

<FIG> depicts an embodiment of a wireless communication system <NUM> for autonomous bandwidth part switching. In one embodiment, the wireless communication system <NUM> includes remote units <NUM> and network units <NUM>. Even though a specific number of remote units <NUM> and network units <NUM> are depicted in <FIG>, one of skill in the art will recognize that any number of remote units <NUM> and network units <NUM> may be included in the wireless communication system <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the remote units <NUM> may include computing devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), tablet computers, smart phones, smart televisions (e.g., televisions connected to the Internet), set-top boxes, game consoles, security systems (including security cameras), vehicle on-board computers, network devices (e.g., routers, switches, modems), aerial vehicles, drones, or the like. The remote units <NUM> may communicate directly with one or more of the network units <NUM> via UL communication signals. In certain embodiments, the remote units <NUM> may communicate directly with other remote units <NUM> via sidelink communication.

In one embodiment, a remote unit <NUM> may determine that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part. In some embodiments, the remote unit <NUM> may, in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value, autonomously switch the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part. Accordingly, the remote unit <NUM> may be used for autonomous bandwidth part switching.

<FIG> depicts one embodiment of an apparatus <NUM> that may be used for autonomous bandwidth part switching. The apparatus <NUM> includes one embodiment of the remote unit <NUM>. Furthermore, the remote unit <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a transmitter <NUM>, and a receiver <NUM>. In some embodiments, the input device <NUM> and the display <NUM> are combined into a single device, such as a touchscreen. In certain embodiments, the remote unit <NUM> may not include any input device <NUM> and/or display <NUM>. In various embodiments, the remote unit <NUM> may include one or more of the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the transmitter <NUM>, and the receiver <NUM>, and may not include the input device <NUM> and/or the display <NUM>.

In various embodiments, the processor <NUM> may: determine that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part; and, in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value, autonomously switch the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part.

The transmitter <NUM> is used to provide UL communication signals to the network unit <NUM> and the receiver <NUM> is used to receive DL communication signals from the network unit <NUM>, as described herein.

<FIG> depicts one embodiment of an apparatus <NUM> that may be used for transmitting information. The apparatus <NUM> includes one embodiment of the network unit <NUM>. Furthermore, the network unit <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a transmitter <NUM>, and a receiver <NUM>. As may be appreciated, the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the input device <NUM>, the display <NUM>, the transmitter <NUM>, and the receiver <NUM> may be substantially similar to the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the input device <NUM>, the display <NUM>, the transmitter <NUM>, and the receiver <NUM> of the remote unit <NUM>, respectively.

In various embodiments, the transmitter <NUM> may transmit information. Although only one transmitter <NUM> and one receiver <NUM> are illustrated, the network unit <NUM> may have any suitable number of transmitters <NUM> and receivers <NUM>.

In certain configurations, such as for LTE eLAA, AUL transmissions may be enabled through a combination of RRC signaling and an activation message conveyed by DCI in a physical control channel. In various embodiments, an RRC configuration may include subframes in which a UE is allowed and/or enabled to transmit autonomously, and eligible HARQ process IDs. In some embodiments, an activation message may include a RBA and a MCS from which a UE may be able to determine a transport block size for any AUL transmission.

In various embodiments, it may be possible to autonomously retransmit data pertaining to a transport block that has not been received correctly by an eNB. In such embodiments, a UE may monitor DFI that may be transmitted by the eNB and may include HARQ-ACK information for AUL-enabled HARQ process IDs. In some embodiments, if a UE detects a NACK message, the UE may try to autonomously access a channel for a retransmission of the same transport block in a corresponding HARQ process. In certain embodiments, as a safe-guard against errors, an autonomous uplink transmission may include at least a HARQ process ID and an NDI accompanying a PUSCH (e.g., AUL-UCI).

In some embodiments, an eNB may transmit an uplink grant through a DCI that assigns uplink resources for a retransmission of the same transport block using a HARQ process. In various embodiments, an eNB transmits an uplink grant through a DCI that assigns uplink resources for a transmission of a new transport block using a HARQ process. In such embodiments, even though a HARQ process ID may be eligible for AUL transmissions, the eNB may still have access to this process at any time through a scheduling grant (e.g., DCI). In certain embodiments, if a UE detects a grant for an UL transmission for a subframe that is eligible for AUL (e.g., according to the RRC configuration), the UL transmission may follow the received grant and an AUL transmission may not be performed in that subframe.

In certain embodiments, unlicensed cells experiencing systematic LBT failures (e.g., high congestion) may have some negative impact on L2 procedures (e.g., LCP procedure, UL transmission procedure, PDCP routing for split bearer operation). In such embodiments, TBs may be generated for transmission on an unlicensed cell and/or PDCP data packets may be routed to unlicensed cells even though actual transmission on PHY may not occur due to a high number of LBT failures. This may negatively impact reordering delays and may be avoided.

As used herein, the term eNB and/or gNB may be used for a base station but may be replaceable by any other radio access node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, AP, NR, etc.). Moreover, various embodiments described herein may be described in the context of <NUM> NR; however, such embodiments may be equally applicable to other mobile communication systems supporting serving cells and/or carriers configured in an unlicensed spectrum LTE mobile wireless or cellular telecommunications system.

In a first embodiment, a UE may autonomously deactivate an uplink of a NR-U cell for a certain time period if the cell is experiencing a high LBT failure rate, a high CCA failure rate, and/or a high channel occupancy. LBT and/or CCA failure rate measurements (e.g., channel occupancy measurement) described herein may be performed by the UE while the UE has data it intends to transmit as well as if there is no intended transmission by the UE. In such an embodiment, the UE may still monitor a downlink of the unlicensed cell for downlink channels such as PDCCH and/or PDSCH. In one embodiment, deactivating an uplink may mean that a UE may not attempt to or perform any UL transmissions on an unlicensed cell (e.g., no PUCCH transmission, no PUSCH transmission, no SRS transmission, etc.). In one implementation of the first embodiment, the UE may still be allowed to attempt and perform a random access procedure (e.g., PRACH transmission) on the NR-U cell that is temporarily deactivated for uplink transmissions. A random access procedure may be triggered if the UE autonomously deactivates the uplink on an NR-U cell experiencing a high LBT failure rate. A predefined preamble or PRACH resource may be used to inform the gNB about the high LBT failure rate and that the UE subsequently stopped and/or deactivated the uplink.

In another implementation of the first embodiment, the UE may autonomously deactivate a current uplink BWP of an NR-U cell for a certain time period if the cell is experiencing a high LBT failure rate, a high CCA failure rate, and/or a high channel occupancy. In such an implementation, the UE may switch to the initial BWP or switch to another BWP (e.g., configured UL BWP).

In certain implementations of the first embodiment, the UE may deactivate the unlicensed cell that is experiencing a high LBT failure rate, a high CCA failure rate, and/or a high channel occupancy (e.g., uplink and downlink of the cell - if configured). In such an implementation, the UE is still able to communicate with the network node (e.g., gNB) over some other aggregated serving cell (e.g., the UE is configured for carrier aggregation or dual connectivity mode). If the UE has only one serving cell that has high congestion (e.g., a high LBT failure rate, a high CCA failure rate, and/or a high channel occupancy) or the UE's Pcell is experiencing high congestion, the UE may not disable uplink transmissions on that because no communication to the gNB in the uplink may otherwise be possible.

In some embodiments, if a certain NR-U serving cell is experiencing high congestion, a UE may not consider this congested unlicensed cell for an AUL transmission. In such embodiments, if AUL is enabled for an unlicensed cell that is experiencing high congestion, the UE may refrain from generating and transmitting a TB on that cell (e.g., the UE may autonomously release the AUL grants configured for the congested NR-U cell). It should be noted that for AUL transmissions, the UE autonomously decides to transmit a TB (e.g., upon arrival of uplink data in the buffer). In certain embodiments, if a UE keeps using an NR-U cell for uplink transmissions irrespective of high congestion, the UE may generate TBs (e.g., for AUL transmissions) that may get stuck on that congested NR-U cell for transmission. This may in turn lead to an increased reordering delay at the receiving side. It should be noted that internally routing already generated TBs to a different serving cell may not work well (e.g., due to non-matching TB sizes and other complexities). As may be appreciated, in the first embodiment, a MAC layer may be aware of whether a serving cell is experiencing high congestion. This may be ensured by UE internal communication (e.g., the PHY may report LBT and/or CCA failures or channel occupancy to the MAC or may notify the MAC about predefined events like LBT and/or CCA failures or channel occupancy exceeding a certain threshold).

In some embodiments, in addition to a buffer size, a UE may consider an LBT failure rate, a CCA failure rate, and/or a channel occupancy of an unlicensed cell if determining whether to perform an autonomous uplink transmission. In certain embodiments, a UE performs an autonomous uplink transmission unless there is no data available for transmission (e.g., if no data is available the UE may skip the autonomous uplink transmission). In certain embodiments of the first embodiment, the UE may consider also an LBT failure rate, a CCA failure rate, and/or channel occupancy in addition to a buffers status if determining whether to perform an AUL transmission or whether to skip an AUL transmission. If an LBT failure rate, a CCA failure rate, or a channel occupancy is too high (e.g., exceeding a preconfigured threshold), the UE may skip an AUL transmission even if there is data available for transmission.

In various implementations of the first embodiment, the UE may restrict certain logical channels for transmission on an unlicensed cell that is experiencing a high LBT failure rate, a high CCA failure rate, and/or high channel occupancy. In such implementations, only those logical channels that are delay intolerant (e.g., service may tolerate large transmission and/or reordering delay), may be mapped to a NR-U cell for which channel access may fail for a longer time. In certain embodiments, an RRC configuration for each logical channel may indicate whether a corresponding logical channel may be mapped to an NR-U cell that is experiencing high congestion. This may be done using a one bit flag. In some embodiments, only logical channels and/or bearers configured with a certain 5QI value are allowed to be mapped to an NR-U cell experiencing high congestion.

In some implementations of the first embodiment, the UE may autonomously suspend AUL configurations configured for a cell that is experiencing high congestion/high LBT failures.

In various embodiments, a gNB may configure an LBT failure rate threshold, a CCA failure rate threshold, and/or a channel occupancy threshold for an unlicensed cell. If the determined and/or measured CCA failure rate, LBT failure rate, number of LBT failures, and/or channel occupancy exceeds the threshold and/or is greater than or equal to the threshold, the UE may autonomously stop and/or suspend UL transmissions on that cell or may not perform any autonomous uplink transmission.

In a second embodiment, a UE may take into account an LBT failure rate, a CCA failure rate, or a channel occupancy of an unlicensed cell if deciding on the routing of PDCP PDUs in a transmitting PDCP entity to associated RLC entities for split bearer operation. In certain embodiments, routing is performed by PDCP for split bearers by considering a configured threshold, (e.g., ul-DataSplitThreshold). If the total amount of PDCP data volume and RLC data volume pending for initial transmission in the two associated RLC entities is equal to or larger than ul-DataSplitThreshold, a PDCP transmitting entity submits the PDCP PDU to either the primary RLC entity or the secondary RLC entity, or else the PDCP PDUs are submitted to the primary RLC entity.

In various embodiments, such as in NR-U, an impact of LBT may be considered for routing data to the different paths (e.g., primary and/or secondary RLC entity) for split bearer operation. This may be beneficial if one of the paths of the split bearer is over an unlicensed spectrum and the other path is over a licensed spectrum. If the channel conditions in the unlicensed spectrum changes (e.g., channel occupancy or probability of successful LBT and/or CCA drops to a low level, such as below a preconfigured threshold), the UE may continue to transmit by submitting the PDCP PDU only to the licensed spectrum regardless of the configured threshold. Otherwise reordering delay may be increased if data is stuck on one link which cannot be used for transmission due to high congestion. In one implementation of the second embodiment, the UE only considers serving cells for routing of PDCP PDUs in the transmitting PDCP entity that are not highly congested. If all serving cells of a cell group are highly congested, a transmitting PDCP entity may not submit PDCP PDUs to the RLC entity of the cell group. In some embodiments, a UE may temporarily deactivate and/or suspend a cell group for PDCP routing regardless of a configured threshold (e.g., even if a total amount of PDCP data volume and RLC data volume pending for initial transmission in the associated RLC entities is equal to or larger than ul-dataSplitThreshold). In certain embodiments, a UE may route PDCP PDUs to a cell group that is not deactivated and/or suspended for routing. In various embodiments, a UE may ignore a configured threshold ul-dataSplitThreshold and a configuration of a primary and/or secondary RLC entity for routing operation.

In some embodiments, a UE uses legacy routing rules (e.g., based on a configured threshold ul-dataSplitThreshold and/or RLC configurations) for cell groups for which at least one serving cell is not congested for which at least one serving cell is active for routing.

In certain implementations of the second embodiment, the UE doesn't report buffer status information for bearers of a cell group that is temporarily deactivated and/or suspended due to high congestion. For example, a PDCP transmitting entity doesn't indicate a PDCP data volume to a MAC entity for the purpose of buffer status reporting associated with a cell group temporarily deactivated and/or suspended for routing purposes (e.g., the PDCP data volume is set to zero). In some embodiments, a UE may set an RLC data volume to zero for bearers of a cell group that is temporarily deactivated and/or suspended due to high congestion.

In a third embodiment, a gNB configures a UE to indicate whether the UE is allowed to autonomously deactivate and/or suspend an unlicensed serving cell (e.g., temporarily deactivate the uplink of an unlicensed cell) if the serving cell is experiencing high congestion.

In one implementation of the third embodiment, the UE starts a timer if the serving cell is experiencing high congestion and deactivates and/or suspends the serving cell (e.g., for the purpose of UL transmission and PDCP routing) as long as the timer is running. In such an implementation, the timer may be started in a MAC layer and the serving cell may be deactivated and/or suspended if the measured and/or determined LBT failure rate and/or CCA failure rate exceeds a preconfigured threshold or if PHY indicates to the MAC layer a high LBT failure event, a high CCA failure event, a high channel occupancy, and/or another predefined case.

In certain implementations of the third embodiment, the UE autonomously deactivates and/or suspends an unlicensed serving cell (e.g., temporarily deactivate the uplink of an unlicensed cell) for UL transmission or PDCP routing as described in the first and second embodiment if the serving cell is experiencing high congestion and activates the serving cell (e.g., resumes the previously suspended uplink operations) if the channel occupancy, LBT failure rate, and/or CCA failure rate gets back to a normal level of congestion (e.g., based on an indication from PHY). High congestion and/or a normal level of congestion may be determined in a UE based on configured thresholds.

In various embodiments, a UE may inform a gNB if the UE has temporarily deactivated and/or suspended an unlicensed cell due to high congestion. An indication used to inform the gNB may be made using physical control signaling, MAC control signaling, or any higher layer signaling. The signaling may be done via a serving cell (e.g., if the UE is aggregating multiple serving cells) that is not congested. In some embodiments, the indication may be transmitted on a congested unlicensed cell by a random access procedure (e.g., using a predefined preamble and/or PRACH resource) that indicates the high congestion. Similar indications and/or signaling may be used by the UE to inform the gNB that a NR-U cell previously experiencing high congestion has returned to a normal level of congestion (e.g., a previously deactivated and/or suspended unlicensed cell has been activated and/or resumed).

<FIG> is a flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method <NUM> for autonomous bandwidth part switching. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> is performed by an apparatus, such as the remote unit <NUM>. In certain embodiments, the method <NUM> may be performed by a processor executing program code, for example, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or the like.

The method <NUM> may include determining <NUM> that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> includes, in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value, autonomously switching <NUM> the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part.

The channel parameter comprises a measure of listen before talk failures. In some embodiments, the predetermined value is configured by a network entity. In various embodiments, the method <NUM> further comprises performing a random access procedure in response to autonomously switching the active uplink bandwidth part.

In one embodiment, the method <NUM> further comprises receiving information enabling autonomous switching of the active uplink bandwidth part. In certain embodiments, the method <NUM> further comprises autonomously suspending configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value. In some embodiments, autonomously suspending the configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell comprises suspending the configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part without receiving instructions from a network device indicating to suspend the configured uplink grants.

In various embodiments, deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part without receiving instructions from a network device indicating to deactivate the first uplink bandwidth part. In one embodiment, the first uplink bandwidth part and the second uplink bandwidth part correspond to an unlicensed cell. In certain embodiments, the method <NUM> further comprises transmitting information indicating that the channel parameter corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell is greater than the predetermined value.

In some embodiments, the information is transmitted via a non-congested serving cell. In various embodiments, the information is transmitted via physical control signaling, medium access control signaling, or high layer signaling.

In one embodiment, a method comprises: determining that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part; and in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value, autonomously switching the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part.

The channel parameter comprises a measure of listen before talk failures.

In some embodiments, the predetermined value is configured by a network entity.

In various embodiments, the method further comprises performing a random access procedure in response to autonomously switching the active uplink bandwidth part.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises receiving information enabling autonomous switching of the active uplink bandwidth part.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises autonomously suspending configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value.

In some embodiments, autonomously suspending the configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell comprises suspending the configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part without receiving instructions from a network device indicating to suspend the configured uplink grants.

In various embodiments, deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part without receiving instructions from a network device indicating to deactivate the first uplink bandwidth part.

In one embodiment, the first uplink bandwidth part and the second uplink bandwidth part correspond to an unlicensed cell.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises transmitting information indicating that the channel parameter corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell is greater than the predetermined value.

In some embodiments, the information is transmitted via a non-congested serving cell.

In various embodiments, the information is transmitted via physical control signaling, medium access control signaling, or high layer signaling.

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises: a processor that: determines that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part; and, in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value, autonomously switches the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part.

In various embodiments, the processor performs a random access procedure in response to autonomously switching the active uplink bandwidth part.

In one embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a receiver that receives information enabling autonomous switching of the active uplink bandwidth part.

In certain embodiments, the processor autonomously suspends configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell in response to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value.

In some embodiments, the processor autonomously suspending the configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell comprises the processor suspending the configured uplink grants corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part without receiving instructions from a network device indicating to suspend the configured uplink grants.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a transmitter that transmits information indicating that the channel parameter corresponding to the active uplink bandwidth part of the serving cell is greater than the predetermined value.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) in a remote unit, the method comprising:
determining (<NUM>) that a channel parameter corresponding to an active uplink bandwidth part of a serving cell is greater than a predetermined value at a time in which the active uplink bandwidth part is a first bandwidth part, wherein the serving cell is an unlicensed cell; and
in response (<NUM>) to determining that the channel parameter is greater than the predetermined value:
autonomously switching the active uplink bandwidth part from the first uplink bandwidth part to a second uplink bandwidth part configured for the serving cell, wherein switching the active uplink bandwidth part comprises deactivating the first uplink bandwidth part;
suspending configured uplink grants on the first uplink bandwidth part; and
performing a random access procedure on the unlicensed cell,
wherein the channel parameter comprises a measure of listen before talk failures.