Patent Description:
As mobile communication technology advances, there has been a growing consensus that new radio (NR) networks/fifth generation (<NUM>) wireless systems will support three generic services, which, according to the International Telecommunication Union Radio communication Sector (ITU-R), are classified as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC). There are different requirements for the three services. In short, eMBB supports stable connections with very high peak data rates, as well as moderate rates for cell-edge users; mMTC supports a massive number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which are only sporadically active and send small data payloads; and URLLC supports low-latency transmissions of small payloads with very high reliability from a limited set of terminals, which are active according to patterns typically specified by outside events. That means, NR supports multiple services with various differentiated QoS requirements for the same user equipment (UE). For instance, a UE may have co-existing URLLC service and other lower priority services such as entertainment services (e.g. web surfing, video, music etc.), and URLLC contains services for latency sensitive devices for applications like factory automation, autonomous driving, and remote surgery. NR network shall be able to guarantee QoS for all services according to their respective service priority levels. Typically, URLLC is treated with high priority compared to other services such as entertainment services, which means that URLLC should not be interfered by those entertainment services. The document "<CIT>" discloses a method in which a mobile terminal efficiently transmits the control information to a base station enabling scheduled and non-scheduled transmission. The document "<CIT>" discloses a method for improving the implementation of Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP) in advanced wireless communication networks.

Buffer Status Report (BSR) is a kind of MAC Control Element (CE) from UE to Network carrying the information on how much data is in UE buffer to be transmitted. The network would allocate the amount of UL Grant (Resources for PUSCH) if the resource is available. With this mechanism, the network can optimize UL resources based on following logics: allocating UL resources (UL Grant) only when a UE has something to transmit; avoiding allocation of too much UL resources (more than what the UE needs) which may lead to waste of resources.

Power headroom indicates how much transmission power left for a UE to use in addition to the power being used by current transmission. Simply put, it can be described by a formula as below: Power Headroom = UE Max Transmission Power - PUSCH Power. Power Headroom Report (PHR) is a type of MAC CE that reports the headroom between the current UE transmit (Tx) power (estimated power) and the nominal power. Network uses this report value to estimate how much uplink bandwidth a UE can use for a specific subframe. Since the more resource block the UE is using, the higher UE transmit power gets, but the UE Tx power should not exceed the max power defined in the 3GPP specification. So a UE cannot use many resource blocks or much bandwidth if it does not have enough power headroom.

For the user data such as logical channels (LCHs) and control information such as MAC CEs transmission, the following has been defined in 3GPP: Logical channels shall be prioritized in accordance with the following order (highest priority listed first):.

The inventions is set out in the appended claims.

According to the current specification, it is observed that the control information, such as the regular/periodic BSR MAC CE and PHR MAC CE are of higher priority than user data of any logical channels, including the URLLC data. But some types of user data such as the URLLC data requires ultra-low delay and ultra-reliability for data transmission. It may not be proper to always transmit control information such as BSR or PHR before some types of user data such as URLLC data.

The present disclosure proposes a solution of determining relative priority between user data such as an LCH (or service, logical channel group) and control information such as a BSR or PHR MAC CE as illustrated in the appended claims.

With the present disclosure, the UL resource allocation between user data such as an LCH (or service, logical channel group) and control information such as a MAC CE is optimized. In addition, the quality of service (QoS) of URLLC can be improved.

The disclosure itself, the preferable mode of use and further objectives are best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

As used herein, the term "communication network" refers to a network following any suitable communication standards, such as new radio (NR), long term evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), high-speed packet access (HSPA), and so on. Furthermore, the communications between a terminal device and a network node in the communication network may be performed according to any suitable generation communication protocols, including, but not limited to, the first generation (<NUM>), the second generation (<NUM>), <NUM>, <NUM>, the third generation (<NUM>), <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> communication protocols, and/or any other protocols either currently known or to be developed in the future.

The term "network node" refers to a network device in a communication network via which a terminal device accesses to the network and receives services therefrom. The network node may refer to a base station (BS), an access point (AP), a multi-cell/multicast coordination entity (MCE), a controller or any other suitable device in a wireless communication network. The BS may be, for example, a node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), a next generation NodeB (gNodeB or gNB), a remote radio unit (RRU), a radio header (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a relay, a low power node such as a femto, a pico, and so forth.

Yet further examples of the network node comprise multi-standard radio (MSR) radio equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, positioning nodes and/or the like. More generally, however, the network node may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged, and/or operable to enable and/or provide a terminal device access to a wireless communication network or to provide some service to a terminal device that has accessed to the wireless communication network.

The term "terminal device" refers to any end device that can access a communication network and receive services therefrom. By way of example and not limitation, the terminal device may refer to a mobile terminal, a user equipment (UE), or other suitable devices. The UE may be, for example, a subscriber station, a portable subscriber station, a mobile station (MS) or an access terminal (AT). The terminal device may include, but not limited to, portable computers, image capture terminal devices such as digital cameras, gaming terminal devices, music storage and playback appliances, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a wearable device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a vehicle, and the like. In the following description, terms "terminal device" and "UE" will be used interchangeably.

As yet another specific example, in an Internet of things (IoT) scenario, a terminal device may also be called an IoT device and represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring, sensing and/or measurements etc., and transmits the results of such monitoring, sensing and/or measurements etc. to another terminal device and/or a network equipment. The terminal device may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) context be referred to as a machine-type communication (MTC) device.

As one particular example, the terminal device may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances, e.g. refrigerators, televisions, personal wearables such as watches etc. In other scenarios, a terminal device may represent a vehicle or other equipment, for example, a medical instrument that is capable of monitoring, sensing and/or reporting etc. on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an exemplary device architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The diagram in <FIG> may represent a simplified architecture of a terminal device such as a UE which may be connected to a network node such as a base station in a wireless communication network. For simplicity, the device architecture of <FIG> only depicts some exemplary components such as the UE transmitting two types of data to the gNB and gNB transmitting an uplink grant to the UE. In practice, a terminal device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may further include any additional elements or components suitable to support communication between the terminal device and a network node (such as a gNB) or another terminal device.

As shown in <FIG>, multiple terminal devices support three types of services, which are eMBB, URLLC and mMTC. Each of the terminal devices may get UL grants to transmit user data or control information. The services may be URLLC service or entertainment services such as web surfing, video, music etc. The different services may have differentiated QoS requirements. Typically, URLLC is treated with high priority compared to other services such as entertainment services, which means that URLLC should not be interfered by those entertainment services. The control information may be BSR to let the network node know how much data in UE buffer is to be sent out. So the network node will allocate UL resource for the UE. The control information may also be PHR to let the network node know how much transmission power left for a UE to use in addition to the power being used by current transmission. The network node may use this report to estimate how much uplink bandwidth a UE can use for a specific subframe. Since the more resources the UE is using, the higher UE Tx power gets, but the UE Tx power should not exceed the max power defined in the specification. So a UE cannot use many resource blocks or much bandwidth if it does not have enough power headroom.

As described above, because the control information, such as the regular/periodic BSR MAC CE and PHR MAC CE are of higher priority than user data of any logical channels, including the URLLC data. Regular/periodic BSR MAC CE and PHR MAC CE may be carried in the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) while the URLLC data may be left in the transmission buffer of UE, when the resources indicated by the uplink (UL) grant is insufficient to accommodate both the MAC CEs and the URLLC data. This may result in the long delay of the buffered URLLC data in the transmission buffer of UE.

The followings are the two examples for this problem:.

In this case, when the capacity provided by the UL grant is large enough to carry all the URLLC data but not enough to carry both of all URLLC data and the regular/periodic BSR MAC CE, partial URLLC data and the BSR MAC CE will be carried using the granted resources and there is still some URLLC data queuing in UE side. The queued URLLC data shall wait for another grant and such a delay could be unendurable for URLLC service with very tight delay budget, e.g. shorter than <NUM> millisecond.

When the resources indicated by the UL grant can accommodate all URLLC data but not both URLLC data and PHR MAC CE, higher priority for PHR than URLLC data may result in long delay of URLLC data.

Therefore, leaving the control of priority determination between control information such as MAC CEs and use data such as logical channels (LCHs) fully to the network may be insufficient. The more advanced mechanism to give more control to UE should be developed.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method <NUM> according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The method <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> may be performed by an apparatus implemented in a terminal device or communicatively coupled to a terminal device.

According to the exemplary method <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, the terminal device such as a UE can determine a first priority for a first type of user data and a second priority for control information according to a transmission resource situation, as shown in block <NUM>. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the network node may have configured priorities for the control information and the user data, but the terminal device can determine the priority between user data such as LCHs and control information such as MAC CEs by itself. Optionally, the terminal device can inform the new priority order to the network node. The user data may comprise at least one of: the data of a logical channel, LCH, a service, and LCH groups. The control information may comprise at least one of: buffer status report, BSR, and power headroom report, PHR, and may be other types of control information. The first type of user data may be URLLC data, and the second type of the user data may be non-URLLC data, such as eMMB or mMTC data. The transmission resource may comprise at least one of: resources indicated by an uplink, UL, grant, and power headroom, PH, for the terminal device. The transmission resource situation may comprise at least one of: the resources indicated by the UL grant is sufficient or insufficient for the first type of user data; the PH value is higher than or lower than or equal to a predetermined threshold; there is power scaling of Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) or Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) occurs, wherein the threshold may be determined based on at least one of: a reference Modulation and Coding Scheme, MCS, a number of Physical Resource Blocks, PRBs, an MCS table, and a predefined offset.

According to the exemplary method <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, the terminal device such as a UE can transmit the first type of user data and the control information according to the determined first priority and the second priority, as shown in block <NUM>.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the transmission resource situation may comprise the transmission resource being sufficient or insufficient. Determining a first priority for a first type of user data and a second priority for control information according to a transmission resource situation may comprise: determining the first priority for the first type of user data higher than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is sufficient for the first type of user data.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the transmission resource situation may comprise the transmission resource being sufficient or insufficient. Determining a first priority for a first type of user data and a second priority for control information according to a transmission resource situation may comprise: determining the first priority for the first type of user data lower than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is insufficient for the first type of user data.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the transmission resource situation may comprise the transmission resource being sufficient or insufficient. Determining a first priority for a first type of user data and a second priority for control information according to a transmission resource situation may comprise: determining the first priority for the first type of user data higher than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is sufficient for the first type of user data; and determining the first priority for the first type of user data lower than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is insufficient for the first type of user data. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, transmitting the first type of user data and the control information according to the determined first priority and the second priority may comprise: transmitting the first type of user data, and then transmitting the control information.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, transmitting the first type of user data and the control information according to the determined first priority and the second priority may also comprise: transmitting the first type of user data, without transmission of the control information.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, transmitting the first type of user data and the control information according to the determined first priority and the second priority may also comprise: transmitting the first type of user data, and then transmitting a scheduling request, SR, for transmission of the control information.

According to the exemplary method <NUM>, when there are other types of user data to be transmitted, the terminal device such as a UE can further determine a third priority for a second type of user data, which may comprise: determining the third priority for the second type of user data lower than the first priority for the first type of user data and/or the second priority for control information, and then transmit the second type of user data according to the determined third priority for the second type of user data, which may comprise: transmitting the second type of user data after the transmission of the control information.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, when a regular/periodic BSR MAC CE (for simplicity only mention BSR afterwards) is triggered and there is an UL grant for URLLC data transmission: in case there is URLLC data and the resources indicated by the existing UL grant is insufficient to accommodate all URLLC data, the UE shall prioritize the BSR over URLLC data, i.e. BSR is assigned with existing resource first. Upon the reception of the BSR, the gNB may immediately send another UL grant to UE so that the UE can empty the buffered URLLC data as soon as possible. In case there is URLLC data and the resources indicated by the existing UL grant is sufficient to accommodate all URLLC data, the UE shall prioritize URLLC data over the BSR, i.e. assign the resources to URLLC data first. An SR can be triggered in order to transmit the data for the low priority service. In case there is no URLLC data, BSR is always higher prioritized over data of any other LCH (i.e. non-URLLC LCH).

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, when a PHR MAC CE (for simplicity only mention PHR afterwards) is triggered. If the PH value is lower than a preconfigured threshold, which means a potential power limitation may occur, the PHR is higher prioritized over data of any LCH (including URLLC LCH), otherwise, PHR is lower prioritized than URLLC data. Upon the reception of the PHR, the gNB can take a timely proper action to enhance the data transmission ahead of occurrence of power limitation, e.g. UL TTI bundling or uplink beam refinement. If power scaling of Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) or Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) occurs, which means that the P field of in the triggered PHR is set to <NUM>, the PHR is prioritized over data of any LCH (including URLLC LCH), otherwise, the priority of PHR is lower than URLLC data, wherein the P field a field of the Extended PHR MAC Control Elements which is described in 3GPP TS <NUM> V15. <NUM>, which indicates whether the MAC entity applies power backoff due to power management. The MAC entity shall set P=<NUM> if the corresponding PCMAX,c field would have had a different value if no power backoff due to power management had been applied. Upon the reception of such PHR, the gNB can take a timely proper action to enhance the data transmission, e.g. UL TTI bundling or uplink beam refinement. If the PH is above a preconfigured threshold, which means that there is no power limitation for the UE, the PHR is lower prioritized than URLLC data. In any cases, PHR is higher prioritized than any other LCH, which means the non-URLLC LCH. As an example, the threshold for PH can be defined as a function of a set of parameters such as reference MCS, number of PRBs, MCS-table and a preconfigured offset etc..

According to the exemplary method <NUM>, the terminal device such as a UE can further indicate the priority to the network node with an indicator contained in the first type of user data, such as the URLLC data, and can also indicate whether more user data with the first type is to be transmitted to the network node with an indicator contained in the first type of user data or reusing a R bit in MAC subheader of the first type of user data, wherein the R bit in MAC subheader is described in 3GPP TS <NUM> V15. A MAC PDU consists of one or more MAC subPDUs. Each MAC subPDU consists of one of the following: A MAC subheader only (including padding); A MAC subheader and a MAC SDU; A MAC subheader and a MAC CE; A MAC subheader and padding. The MAC SDUs are of variable sizes. Each MAC subheader corresponds to either a MAC SDU, a MAC CE, or padding. A MAC subheader except for fixed sized MAC CE, padding, and a MAC SDU of CCCH of size <NUM> bits consists of the four header fields R/F/LCID/L. A MAC subheader for fixed sized MAC CE, padding, and a MAC SDU of CCCH of size <NUM> bits consists of the two header fields R/LCID.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the R bit in the subheader of MAC SDU for URLLC LCH can be used to indicate change of the priority order. If the R bit is set to <NUM> in the subhead of MAC SDU for URLLC LCH, it indicates that there is a BSR not transmitted. The gNB can send an UL grant to the UE so that the UE can transmit BSR as well as service data. If R bit is set to <NUM> in the subhead of MAC SDU for URLLC LCH, it means that BSR is not needed (i.e. there is no data to transmit for UE). In this case, the gNB does not need to send a UL grant to the UE.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, if there is data of URLLC LCH, and the resources indicated by the UL grant cannot provide even enough capacity to carry all the data of URLLC LCH, the BSR is not transmitted using the grant. But the R bit in the MAC SDU for URLLC LCH is used to indicate if there are more URLLC data to be transmitted in UE side. If the R bit in the MAC SDU for URLLC LCH is set, the gNB can send another UL grant for the URLLC data to be transmitted in the UE side.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method <NUM> according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As described in connection with <FIG>, the method <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> may be performed by an apparatus implemented in a network node or communicatively coupled to a network node. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the network node such as a gNB may receive a first type of user data and control information according to a first priority and a second priority, as shown in block <NUM>. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the first priority for a first type of user data and the second priority for control information is determined according to a transmission resource situation. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the network node may have configured priorities for the control information and the user data, while the terminal device can determine the priority between LCHs and MAC CEs by itself. Optionally, the terminal device can inform the new priority order to the network node. The user data may comprise at least one of: the data of a logical channel, LCH, a service, and LCH groups. The control information may comprise at least one of: buffer status report, BSR, and power headroom report, PHR, and may be other types of control information. The first type of user data may be URLLC data, and the second type of the user data may be non-URLLC data, such as eMMB or mMTC data. The transmission resource may comprise at least one of: resources indicated by an uplink, UL, grant, and power headroom, PH, for the terminal device. The transmission resource situation may comprise at least one of: the resources indicated by the UL grant is sufficient or insufficient for the first type of user data; the PH value is higher than or lower than or equal to a predetermined threshold; there is power scaling of Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) or Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) occurs, wherein the threshold may be determined based on at least one of: a reference Modulation and Coding Scheme, MCS, a number of Physical Resource Blocks, PRBs, an MCS table, and a predefined offset.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the transmission resource situation may comprise the transmission resource being sufficient or insufficient, and the first priority for a first type of user data and the second priority for control information is determined according to a transmission resource situation may comprise: the first priority for the first type of user data is determined higher than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is sufficient for the first type of user data; and/or the first priority for the first type of user data is determined lower than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is insufficient for the first type of user data.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, receiving the first type of user data and the control information according to the determined first priority and the second priority may comprise: receiving the first type of user data, and then receiving the control information; or receiving the first type of user data, without reception of the control information; or receiving the first type of user data, and then receiving a scheduling request, SR, for reception of the control information.

According to the exemplary method <NUM>, when there are other types of user data to be received, the network node such as a gNB can further receive a second type of user data according to a third priority for the second type of user data, which may comprise: receive the second type of user data after the reception of the control information.

According to the exemplary method <NUM>, the network node such as a gNB can further obtain the priority from the terminal device such as a UE from an indicator contained in the first type of user data, such as the URLLC data, and can also obtain whether more user data with the first type to be received from the terminal device such as a UE from an indicator contained in the first type of user data or reusing a R bit in MAC subheader of the first type of user data, wherein the R bit in MAC subheader is described in 3GPP TS <NUM> V15. A MAC PDU consists of one or more MAC subPDUs. Each MAC subPDU consists of one of the following: A MAC subheader only (including padding); A MAC subheader and a MAC SDU; A MAC subheader and a MAC CE; A MAC subheader and padding. The MAC SDUs are of variable sizes. Each MAC subheader corresponds to either a MAC SDU, a MAC CE, or padding. A MAC subheader except for fixed sized MAC CE, padding, and a MAC SDU of CCCH of size <NUM> bits consists of the four header fields R/F/LCID/L. A MAC subheader for fixed sized MAC CE, padding, and a MAC SDU of CCCH of size <NUM> bits consists of the two header fields R/LCID.

It will be realized that parameters, variables and settings related to the determination, transmission and reception described herein are just examples. Other suitable network settings, the associated configuration parameters and the specific values thereof may also be applicable to implement the proposed methods.

The proposed solution according to one or more exemplary embodiments can make UL resource allocation between user data such as an LCH (or service, logical channel group) and control information such as a BSR or PHR MAC CE optimized. In addition, the quality of service (QoS) of URLLC can be improved.

The various blocks shown in <FIG> may be viewed as method steps, and/or as operations that result from operation of computer program code, and/or as a plurality of coupled logic circuit elements constructed to carry out the associated function(s). The schematic flow chart diagrams described above are generally set forth as logical flow chart diagrams. As such, the depicted order and labeled steps are indicative of specific embodiments of the presented methods. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more steps, or portions thereof, of the illustrated methods. Additionally, the order in which a particular method occurs may or may not strictly adhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown.

<FIG> are block diagrams illustrating an apparatus <NUM> and <NUM> according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> and <NUM> may comprise one or more processors such as processor <NUM> and <NUM>, and one or more memories such as memory <NUM> and <NUM>, storing computer program codes <NUM> and <NUM>. The memory <NUM> and <NUM> may be non-transitory machine/processor/computer readable storage medium. In accordance with some exemplary embodiments, the apparatus <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented as an integrated circuit chip or module that can be plugged or installed into a terminal device as described with respect to <FIG>, and a network node as described with respect to <FIG>.

In some implementations, the one or more memories <NUM> and <NUM>, and the computer program codes <NUM> and <NUM>, may be configured to, with the one or more processors <NUM> and <NUM>, cause the apparatus <NUM> and <NUM> at least to perform any operation of the method as described in connection with <FIG>. In other implementations, the one or more memories <NUM> and <NUM>, and the computer program codes <NUM> and <NUM>, may be configured to, with the one or more processors <NUM> and <NUM>, cause the apparatus <NUM> and <NUM> at least to perform any operation of the method as described in connection with <FIG>.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus <NUM> according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> may comprise a determining module <NUM> and a transmitting module <NUM>. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus <NUM> may be implemented in a terminal device such as a UE. The determining module <NUM> may be operable to carry out the operation in block <NUM>, and the transmitting module <NUM> may be operable to carry out the operation in block <NUM>. Optionally, the determining module <NUM> and/or the transmitting module <NUM> may be operable to carry out more or less operations to implement the proposed methods according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus <NUM> according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> may comprise a receiving module <NUM>. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus <NUM> may be implemented in a network node such as a gNB. The receiving module <NUM> may be operable to carry out the operation in block <NUM>. Optionally, receiving module <NUM> may be operable to carry out more or less operations to implement the proposed methods according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

With reference to <FIG>, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes a telecommunication network <NUM>, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises an access network <NUM>, such as a radio access network, and a core network <NUM>. The access network <NUM> comprises a plurality of base stations 812a, 812b, 812c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 813a, 813b, 813c. Each base station 812a, 812b, 812c is connectable to the core network <NUM> over a wired or wireless connection <NUM>. A first UE <NUM> located in a coverage area 813c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 812c. A second UE <NUM> in a coverage area 813a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 812a.

An intermediate network <NUM> may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; the intermediate network <NUM>, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network <NUM> may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a host computer communicating via a base station with a UE over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

The host computer <NUM> further comprises a processing circuitry <NUM>, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. The host application <NUM> may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE <NUM> connecting via an OTT connection <NUM> terminating at the UE <NUM> and the host computer <NUM>.

In the embodiment shown, the hardware <NUM> of the base station <NUM> further includes a processing circuitry <NUM>, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.

The hardware <NUM> of the UE <NUM> further includes a processing circuitry <NUM>, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.

It is noted that the host computer <NUM>, the base station <NUM> and the UE <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> may be similar or identical to the host computer <NUM>, one of base stations 912a, 912b, 912c and one of UEs <NUM>, <NUM> of <FIG>, respectively.

In <FIG>, the OTT connection <NUM> has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host computer <NUM> and the UE <NUM> via the base station <NUM>, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.

Wireless connection <NUM> between the UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM> is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE <NUM> using the OTT connection <NUM>, in which the wireless connection <NUM> forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the latency and the power consumption, and thereby provide benefits such as lower complexity, reduced time required to access a cell, better responsiveness, extended battery lifetime, etc..

The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection <NUM> may be implemented in software <NUM> and hardware <NUM> of the host computer <NUM> or in software <NUM> and hardware <NUM> of the UE <NUM>, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection <NUM> passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which the software <NUM>, <NUM> may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating the host computer <NUM>'s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software <NUM> and <NUM> causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or 'dummy' messages, using the OTT connection <NUM> while it monitors propagation times, errors etc..

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with an embodiment.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with an embodiment.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with an embodiment.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with an embodiment.

In general, the various exemplary embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose chips, circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) implemented at a terminal device, comprising:
determining (<NUM>) a first priority for a first type of user data and a second priority for control information according to a transmission resource situation;
transmitting (<NUM>) the first type of user data and the control information according to the determined first priority and the second priority;
characterized in that, the transmission resource situation comprises whether a transmission resource is sufficient, and determining (<NUM>) a first priority for a first type of user data and a second priority for control information according to a transmission resource situation comprises:
determining the first priority for the first type of user data higher than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is sufficient for the first type of user data; and
determining the first priority for the first type of user data lower than the second priority for control information when the transmission resource is insufficient for the first type of user data.