Patent Description:
<NUM> system information transmitted from a base station to user equipment include minimum system information and other system information. The minimum system information is transmitted to the user equipment by broadcast; but among other kinds of system information, some of them are transmitted to the user equipment in an on-demand manner, that is, such kinds of system information are transmitted to the user equipment in response to receiving a request from the user equipment, and while other system information are transmitted to the user equipment by broadcast.

At present, when user equipment requests system information from a base station, the base station by default returns system information of a PCell (primary cell) to the user equipment, which limits the system information that the user equipment can obtain and may cause the user equipment to be unable to carry out certain services due to not obtaining the required system information.

<CIT> discloses systems, procedures, and instrumentalities for distributed control in wireless systems, such as <NUM> flexible radio access technology (RAT) (5gFLEX). <CIT> provides example procedures for WTRU and network operation associated with a distributed control plane architecture, connectionless data transfer and dedicated system information acquisition. <CIT> also discloses that distributed control may be provided, for example, by replicating a plurality of access control functions (ACFs) using a plurality of instances in a plurality of different transmission/reception points (TRPs) with multi-connectivity, where the plurality of TRPs may concurrently provide control services to a WTRU. <CIT> further discloses that centralized control functions may manage core network connectivity and/or a plurality of user plane instances for the WTRU and/or may facilitate coordination between the plurality of ACF instances for the WTRU in the plurality of different TRPs of the WTRU's configuration.

<CIT> discloses a macro cell, a small cell and a user equipment for a mobile communication system, where the mobile communication system includes the macro cell and a plurality of small cells. <CIT> also discloses that the macro cell stores first essential system information of itself, and performs the following operations: determining common system information between the macro cell and the small cells; storing the common system information; generating a primary system information message carrying the first essential system information and the common system information; and broadcasting the primary system information message periodically. In addition, <CIT> further discloses that when the user equipment is to obtain secondary system information (or called dedicated service system information) of the macro cell or the small cell, the user equipment may obtain the secondary system information by further transmitting a dedicated system information request message to the macro cell or the small cell.

In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system information reception method, a system information reception apparatus, a system information transmission method, a system information transmission apparatus, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a system information reception method as defined by claim <NUM>.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a system information reception apparatus as defined by claim <NUM>.

According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the user equipment sends the request message including the indication information of the cell to the base station, such that the base station determines the cell which the user equipment needs to obtain system information from, and then transmit the corresponding system information of the corresponding cell to the user equipment, thereby ensuring that the user equipment is not limited in the system information that the user equipment is obtained, so as to avoid a case where a certain service cannot be performed due to unavailability of required system information to the user equipment.

To more clearly explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required in describing the embodiments will be briefly described below.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments represent only part of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments.

The invention corresponds to the embodiments of <FIG> and <FIG>. Other embodiments are not encompassed by the wording of the claims but are considered as useful for understanding the invention.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a system information reception method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system information reception method shown in this embodiment is applicable to user equipment, such as mobile phones, tablet computers, etc., where the user equipment is user equipment in a connected state with a base station. As shown in <FIG>, the method includes steps S11 to S13.

At step S11, a cell corresponding to system information to be obtained is determined, where the system information is other system information among pieces of <NUM> system information.

In an embodiment, the user equipment determines system information based on a required service, for example, if MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) is required, then a search may be performed on system information related to the MBMS (for example, determining the system information related to the MBMS based on received system information from cells in the past), and a cell corresponding to the system information is then determined, so that the system information to be obtained is determined as the system information related to the MBMS of the cell.

At step S12, a request message is transmitted to a base station for requesting the system information of the cell, where the request message includes indication information of the cell.

In an embodiment, the indication information of the cell indicates, to the base station, the cell to which the system information to be obtained by the user equipment corresponds. The indication information of the cell may be a cell index of the cell, a global network unique cell identity of the cell, etc..

In an embodiment, in addition to the indication information of the cell, the request message may also include indication information of the system information. The indication information of the system information indicates, to the base station, which system information of the cell is the system information to be obtained by the user equipment, and may be an identity of the system information, an index of the system information, a bitmap of the system information, etc..

At step S13, the system information of the cell from the base station is received.

In an embodiment, by sending a request message including the indication information of the cell to the base station, the base station determines the cell which the user equipment needs to obtain system information from, and then the corresponding system information of the corresponding cell is transmitted to the user equipment, thereby ensuring that the user equipment is not limited in the system information that the user equipment is obtained, so as to avoid a case where a certain service cannot be performed due to unavailability of required system information to the user equipment.

When the cell is not a primary cell, and/or when the cell does not belong to a secondary cell group, the request message includes the indication information of the cell.

In an embodiment, when the cell is not the primary cell, and/or does not belong to the secondary cell group (SCG), the request message includes the indication information of the cell, in other words, when the cell is the primary cell or belongs to the secondary cell group, the request message includes no indication information of the cell.

When the cell is the primary cell, the request message transmitted by the user equipment to the base station includes no indication information of the primary cell. In this case, the base station transmits the system information of the primary cell to the user equipment by default.

When the cell belongs to the secondary cell group, the user equipment transmits the request message to a secondary base station (SgNB) corresponding to a secondary cell through a signaling radio bearer (SRB) of the secondary base station, and the request message includes no indication information of the cell. In this case, the secondary base station transmits the system information of the cell belonging to the secondary cell group to the user equipment by default.

Optionally, the cell is a serving cell to the user equipment, and the request message includes a radio resource control (RRC) message.

In an embodiment, the user equipment may transmit the request message to the base station in the form of the RRC message.

Optionally, the cell is a non-serving cell to the user equipment, and the request message includes an RRC message, and/or a first message (MSG1) or a third message (MSG3) of random access.

In an embodiment, if the cell is a non-serving cell to the user equipment, the user equipment may transmit a request message to the base station in the form of the RRC message. In this case, the RRC message may be sent by the user equipment to a base station of a serving cell, and the RRC message may be forwarded by the base station associated with the serving cell to a base station of the non-serving cell.

In an embodiment, if the cell is a non-serving cell to the user equipment, the request message may also be carried in the first message or the third message of random access during a procedure of random accessing to the non-serving cell by the user equipment.

Among them, if the request message is carried in the first message of random access, the base station may store a correspondence between preambles and cells and system information in advance, and determine system information of a cell corresponding to the received preamble based on the correspondence. For example, if preamble A is received, then system information C of cell B can be transmitted to the user equipment based on the correspondence. For example, if preamble X is received, then system information Z of cell Y can be transmitted to the user equipment based on the correspondence.

Optionally, the indication information of the cell includes a global network unique cell identity of the cell and/or a cell index of the cell.

In an embodiment, for all cells, the indication information of the cell transmitted by the user equipment to the base station may be a cell index of the cell or a global network unique cell identity of the cell. Optionally, if the cell is a serving cell to the user equipment, the indication information can be a cell index, and if the cell is a non-serving cell to the user equipment, the indication information can be a global network unique cell identity of the cell.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a process of receiving system information from a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, that the system information of the cell from the base station is received includes steps S131 to S132.

At step S131, a response message which is transmitted by the base station to the user equipment in response to the request message is received.

At step S132, the system information is obtained from the response message.

In an embodiment, the base station may have the system information of the cell requested by the user equipment carried in the response message, and transmit the response message to the user equipment. The user equipment may obtain the requested system information of the cell in the response message from the base station.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating another process of receiving system information from a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiments shown in <FIG>, that the system information of the cell from the base station is received includes steps S133 to S135.

At step S133, a response message which is transmitted by the base station to the user equipment in response to the request message is received.

At step S134, a time window for receiving the system information is determined based on the response message.

At step S135, the system information broadcast by the base station is received in the time window.

In an embodiment, the base station may broadcast system information at certain time windows. The response message sent by the base station to the user equipment may indicate the number of time windows in which the user equipment is to monitor, and a time window offset which indicates the number of time windows that the user equipment is to skip before starting monitoring.

After receiving the response message, the user equipment can determine the time window in which the user equipment monitors, and then receive the system information of the cell broadcast by the base station in the time window in which the user equipment monitors. The response message may also carry the indication information of the cell, such that when the user equipment receives the system information during the time window indicated by the response message, the user equipment can determine that the received system information is the system information of the cell based on the indication information of the cell carried in the response message.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating yet another process of receiving system information from a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiments shown in <FIG>, that the system information of the cell from the base station is received includes steps S136 to S137.

At step S136, a time window for receiving the system information is determined based on pre-stored configuration information.

At step S137, the system information broadcast by the base station is received in the time window.

In an embodiment, the user equipment may store the configuration information in advance, the configuration information indicates the time window in which the user equipment monitors, and then after sending the request message to the base station, the user equipment may monitor in the corresponding time window based on the pre-stored configuration information so as to receive the system information of the cell broadcast by the base station in the time window in which the user equipment monitors.

The user equipment is configured with a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group, where,
if the cell corresponding to the system information belongs to the master cell group, that the request message is transmitted to the base station for requesting the system information of the cell includes:.

In an embodiment, if the user equipment is configured with a master cell group and a secondary cell group, that is, the user equipment is configured with dual connectivity, then the user communicates with both the master base station and the secondary base station.

Among them, if the cell corresponding to the system information requested by the user equipment belongs to the master cell group, the user equipment transmits the request message to the master base station through the signaling radio bearer of the master base station, and if the cell corresponding to the system information requested by the user equipment belongs to the secondary cell group, the user equipment transmits the request message to the secondary base station through the signaling radio bearer of the secondary base station. In view of this, the user equipment can transmit the request message to the corresponding base station based on the cell group to which the cell corresponding to the requested system information belongs, thus, interaction between the base stations is unnecessary.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a system information transmission method. The system information transmission method shown in this embodiment is applicable to a base station, such as a <NUM> base station.

As shown in <FIG>, the system information transmission method includes steps S51 to S53.

At step S51, a request message from user equipment for requesting system information is received, where the request message includes indication information of a cell to which the system information belongs and indication information of the system information.

At step S52, the cell is determined based on the indication information of the cell, and the system information is determined based on the indication information of the system information.

At step S53, the system information of the cell is transmitted to the user equipment.

In an embodiment, corresponding to the embodiment shown in <FIG>, by receiving the request message including the indication information of the cell from the user equipment, the base station determines the cell from which the user equipment is to obtain system information, and then the corresponding system information of the corresponding cell is transmitted to the user equipment, thereby ensuring that the user equipment is not limited in the system information that the user equipment obtains, so as to avoid a case where a certain service cannot be performed due to unavailability of required system information to the user equipment.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a process of transmitting system information of a cell to user equipment. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, step S53, that the system information of the cell is transmitted to the user equipment includes step S531.

At step S531, a response message associated with the request message is transmitted to the user equipment, where the response message includes the system information.

In an embodiment, corresponding to the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the system information of the cell requested by the user equipment may be carried in the response message and transmitted to the user equipment by the base station, and the user equipment may obtain the requested system information of the cell in the response message transmitted by the base station.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating another process of transmitting system information of a cell to user equipment. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, that the system information of the cell is transmitted to the user equipment includes steps S532 to S533.

At step S532, a response message is transmitted to the user equipment in response to the request message, where the response message indicates a time window in which the user equipment receives the system information.

At step S533, the system information is broadcast.

This embodiment corresponds to the embodiment shown in <FIG>.

In the embodiment, the base station may broadcast system information at certain time windows. The response message sent by the base station to the user equipment may indicate the number of time windows in which the user equipment is to monitor, and a time window offset. For example, based on the time window offset, it is determined the number of time windows to be skipped from receiving the response message to starting monitoring content broadcast by the base station. After receiving the response message, the user equipment can determine the time window in which the user equipment monitors, and then receive the system information of the cell broadcast by the base station in the time window in which the user equipment monitors.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a process of determining system information. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, that the cell is determined based on the indication information of the cell, and the system information is determined based on the indication information of the system information includes step S521.

At step S521, if the cell determined based on the indication information of the cell belongs to another base station than the base station, the system information of the cell is obtained from the another base station.

In an embodiment, if the cell corresponding to the system information required by the user equipment does not belong to a base station connected with the user equipment, but belongs to a different base station, then after receiving the request message from the user equipment, the base station can determine the different base station to which the cell belongs based on the indication information of the cell in the request message, and the system information of the cell may be obtained from the different base station and then transmitted to the user equipment.

Corresponding to the foregoing embodiments of a system information reception method and a system information transmission method, the present disclosure also provides embodiments of a system information reception apparatus and a system information transmission apparatus.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a system information reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The apparatus is applicable to user equipment, such as mobile phones, tablet computers, etc., where the user equipment is user equipment in a connected state. As shown in <FIG>, the apparatus includes:.

In response to the cell not being a primary cell, and/or in response to the cell not belonging to a secondary cell group, the request message includes the indication information of the cell.

Optionally, the cell is a serving cell to the user equipment, and the request message includes a radio resource control message.

Optionally, the cell is a non-serving cell to the user equipment, and the request message includes a radio resource control message, and/or a first message or a third message of random access.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a message receiving module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the message receiving module <NUM> includes:.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating another message receiving module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the message receiving module <NUM> includes:.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating yet another message receiving module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the message receiving module <NUM> includes:.

The user equipment is configured with a master cell group and a secondary cell group, where,.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a system information transmission apparatus. The apparatus is applicable to a base station, such as a <NUM> base station. As shown in <FIG>, the apparatus includes:.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a message transmitting module. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the message transmitting module <NUM> includes:
a first response submodule <NUM> configured to transmit a response message associated with the request message to the user equipment, where the response message includes the system information.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating another message transmitting module. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the message transmitting module <NUM> includes:.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a determining module. As shown in <FIG>, on the basis of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the determining module <NUM> includes:
an obtaining submodule <NUM> configured to obtain, in response to the cell determined based on the indication information of the cell belonging to another base station than the base station, the system information of the cell from the another base station.

The specific manners in which the respective modules of the apparatus in the above embodiments operates have been described in detail in the related method embodiments, and will not be elaborated here.

Since the apparatus embodiments essentially correspond to the method embodiments, reference may be made to the description of related parts of the method embodiments. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative, where the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, may be located in one place or distributed to multiple units in a network. Some or all of the modules may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the objectives of the present disclosure. It can be understood and implemented by those of ordinary skill in the art without any creative effort.

An example mentioned by way of background only also provides an electronic device, including:.

An example mentioned by way of background only also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the system information reception method described in any of the above embodiments.

An example mentioned by way of background only also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the system information transmission method described in any of the above embodiments.

As shown in <FIG> is a structural diagram illustrating a system information transmission apparatus <NUM>. Apparatus <NUM> may be provided as a base station. With reference to <FIG>, apparatus <NUM> may include processing component <NUM>, radio transmitting/receiving component <NUM>, antenna component <NUM>, and a signal processing part unique to a radio interface, and the processing component <NUM> may further include one or more processors.

One of the processors of the processing component <NUM> may be configured to execute the system information transmission method described in any of the above embodiments.

<FIG> is a structural diagram illustrating a system information reception apparatus <NUM>. For example, apparatus <NUM> may be a mobile phone, a computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a messaging device, a game console, a tablet device, a medical device, a fitness device, a personal digital assistant, etc..

With reference to <FIG>, apparatus <NUM> may include one or more of the following components: processing component <NUM>, memory <NUM>, power component <NUM>, multimedia component <NUM>, audio component <NUM>, input/output (I/O) interface <NUM>, sensor component <NUM>, and communication component <NUM>.

Processing component <NUM> generally controls the overall operations of apparatus <NUM>, such as operations associated with display, telephone calls, data communications, camera operations, and recording operations. Processing component <NUM> may include one or more processors <NUM> to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the above method. In addition, processing component <NUM> may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between processing component <NUM> and other components. For example, processing component <NUM> may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia component <NUM> and processing component <NUM>.

Memory <NUM> is configured to store various types of data to support operation at apparatus <NUM>. Examples of such data include instructions for any application or method operating on apparatus <NUM>, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, and so on. Memory <NUM> may be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), read only memory (ROM), magnetic memory, flash memory, disk or optical disk.

Power component <NUM> provides power to various components of apparatus <NUM>. Power component <NUM> may include a power management system, one or more power sources, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power for apparatus <NUM>.

Multimedia component <NUM> includes a screen between apparatus <NUM> and the user that provides an output interface. If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touch screen to receive input signals from the user. The touch sensor may sense not only the boundary of the touch or sliding action, but also the duration and pressure related to the touch or sliding operation. In some embodiments, multimedia component <NUM> includes a front camera and/or a rear camera. When apparatus <NUM> is in an operation mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front camera and/or the rear camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front and rear camera can be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zooming capabilities.

Audio component <NUM> is configured to output and/or input audio signals. For example, audio component <NUM> includes a microphone (MIC) that is configured to receive an external audio signal when apparatus <NUM> is in an operation mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode, and a voice recognition mode. The received audio signal may be further stored in memory <NUM> or transmitted via communication component <NUM>. In some embodiments, audio component <NUM> further includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

I/O interface <NUM> provides an interface between processing component <NUM> and a peripheral interface module. The peripheral interface module may be a keyboard, a click wheel, a button, or the like. These buttons may include, but are not limited to, a home button, a volume button, a start button, and a lock button.

Sensor component <NUM> includes one or more sensors for providing apparatus <NUM> with status assessment in various aspects. For example, sensor component <NUM> can detect an open/closed state of apparatus <NUM>, a relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of apparatus <NUM> and sensor component <NUM> can also detect a change in position of apparatus <NUM> or a component of apparatus <NUM>, the presence or absence of user contact with apparatus <NUM>, orientation or acceleration/deceleration of apparatus <NUM>, and temperature change of apparatus <NUM>. Sensor component <NUM> may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Sensor assembly <NUM> may also include a light sensor, such as a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) or Charged Coupled Device (CCD) image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, sensor component <NUM> may further include an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

Communication component <NUM> is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between apparatus <NUM> and other devices. Apparatus <NUM> may access a wireless network based on a communication standard, such as Wi-Fi, <NUM>, <NUM>, or a combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, communication component <NUM> receives broadcast signals or broadcast related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In one exemplary embodiment, communication component <NUM> also includes a near field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module can be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology and other technologies.

In an exemplary embodiment, apparatus <NUM> may be implemented by one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors or other electronic components for performing the system information reception method as described in any of the above embodiments.

In an exemplary embodiment, there is also provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions, such as memory <NUM> including instructions executable by processor <NUM> of apparatus <NUM> to implement the above method. For example, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, a random access memory (RAM), a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, and an optical data storage device.

Other implementations of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art after implementing the disclosure by referring to the specification. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure which are in accordance with the general principles of the present disclosure and include common general knowledge or conventional technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure. The specification and examples therein are only illustrative, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the above described structures shown in the drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A system information reception method, being applicable to user equipment, the user equipment communicating with both a master base station and a secondary base station, and the method comprising:
determining (S11) a cell of which system information is to be obtained;
transmitting (S12) a request message to a base station for requesting the system information of the cell, wherein in response to the cell not being a primary cell, and/or in response to the cell not belonging to a secondary cell group, the request message comprises indication information of the cell; and
receiving (S13) the system information of the cell from the base station;
wherein the user equipment is configured with a master cell group and a secondary cell group, and
characterized in that,
in response to the cell of which the system information is to be obtained belonging to the master cell group, transmitting the request message to the base station for requesting the system information of the cell comprises:
transmitting the request message to the master base station corresponding to the master cell group through a signaling radio bearer of the master base station; and
in response to the cell of which the system information is to be obtained belonging to the secondary cell group, transmitting the request message to the base station for requesting the system information of the cell comprises:
transmitting the request message to the secondary base station corresponding to the secondary cell group through a signaling radio bearer of the secondary base station.