Patent Description:
Future vehicular communication systems may require high reliability and efficiency under various mobility conditions. On the other hand, communication systems are often variant in their performance, but the quality of the communication may be predicted.

However, many methods for the prediction of a quality of service (PQoS) are mainly based on radio maps (coverage maps). These methods usually do not take the mobility of the users into account.

<CIT> relates to a method and apparatus for estimating an achievable link throughput based on assistance information. The patent uses assistance information, such as Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) or a ratio of pilot energy to noise-plus-interference to estimate the available bandwidth. However, the mobility of user equipment (UE) is only taken into account on a very broad level, i.e. with regards to handover procedures occurring when the UE moves between different cells.

US patent application <CIT> relates to a radio communication system, a scheduling method, a radio base station device and to a radio terminal. US patent application <CIT> relates to a terminal device and method for radio network scan operation.

In said applications, a quality of service is predicted, however, the movement of the radio terminal is not taken into account.

US patent application <CIT> relates to a method for transmitting and receiving signals related to QoS prediction in a wireless communication system. In said application, the transmission of signals related to the QoS prediction is discussed, while details on the factors being used to perform the prediction are omitted.

<NPL>" discusses the impact of different prediction horizons with respect to <NUM> new radio, and compares their performance.

There may be a desire for providing an improved method for predicting a quality of service of a wireless communication link between a base station and a mobile transceiver.

This desire is addressed by the subject-matter of the independent claims.

Various aspects of the present disclosure are based on the finding, that a movement of a mobile transceiver, such as a vehicle, can lead to degradation of a performance of a wireless communication link between the mobile transceiver and the base station due to a resulting mismatch between a time-frequency-grid being used for the wireless communication link and an ideal time-frequency-grid that is adapted to the movement of the mobile transceiver. This mismatch may influence a spectral efficiency of the wireless communication link, and thus a throughput that is possible on the wireless communication link. The throughput may in turn be used to predict the quality of service of the wireless communication link, providing a more precise prediction of the quality of service.

Embodiments provide a method for predicting a future quality of service of a wireless communication link between a transceiver, such as a base station or a mobile transceiver, and a mobile transceiver. The method comprises obtaining information on a position and information on a movement of the mobile transceiver. The method comprises determining, based on the position of the mobile transceiver, a predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver. The method comprises determining, based on the position and movement of the mobile transceiver, a predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link. The method comprises determining, based on the predicted received power and based on the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link, a predicted throughput of the wireless communication link. The method comprises determining, based on the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link, the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link. By considering the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link, an accuracy of the throughput prediction for wireless communication links of fast-moving mobile transceivers, such as vehicles, may be increased, leading to an improved method for predicting a quality of service of a wireless communication link between a transceiver and a mobile transceiver.

In general, which grid configuration is optimal for a wireless communication link between a transceiver and a mobile transceiver depends on the movement and radio environment of the mobile transceiver, and in particular on the delay-Doppler spread of the wireless communication link. For example, the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link may be based on a predicted delay-Doppler spread of the wireless communication link.

In particular, a Doppler-component of the predicted delay-Doppler spread may be based on a velocity of the movement of the mobile transceiver. A delay-component of the predicted delay-Doppler spread may be based on the position of the mobile transceiver. Both components may be determined based on the information on the position and movement of the mobile transceiver.

For example, at least one of a Doppler-component and a delay-component of the delay-Doppler spread may be determined by retrieving the respective information from a database based on the movement and/or position of the mobile transceiver. For example, a prediction of the Doppler component may be retrieved from the database based on the relative velocity between the transceiver and the mobile transceiver. Additionally or alternatively, a prediction of the delay-Component may be retrieved from the database based on the position of the mobile transceiver.

In some cases, a coverage map may be used to determine the predicted received power, as the received power may be linked to the position of the mobile transceiver on the coverage map. For example, the predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver may be determined based on a coverage map of a radio environment of the transceiver.

In some examples, one or more further factors may be considered when determining the throughput. For example, the method may comprise determining a predicted interference on the wireless communication link. The predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined further based on the predicted interference on the wireless communication link. Additionally, or alternatively, the method may comprise determining a predicted receiver noise power at the mobile transceiver. The predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined further based on the predicted receiver noise power at the mobile transceiver. Both the predicted interference and the predicted receiver noise power may be considered to increase the accuracy of the prediction of the throughput.

For example, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined based on a predicted Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratio (SINR) based on the predicted received power, based on the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link, based on a predicted interference on the wireless communication link and based on a predicted receiver noise power at the mobile transceiver. The SINR may be determined based on all or based on a subset of the afore-mentioned factors.

In some cases, the spectral efficiency may be considered, which is, in general, based on the SINR and the modulation/coding scheme being used at the respective SINR. In other words, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined based on a modulation scheme that is selected based on the predicted Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratio.

Another potential factor is the availability of wireless resources at the transceiver, e.g. the availability of wireless resources at a base station, if the transceiver is a base station - the more mobile transceivers communicate with the base station at the same time, the fewer wireless resources may be available for the mobile transceiver. Accordingly, the transceiver may be a base station. The predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined further based on an availability of wireless resources at the base station.

In general, the proposed concept may be used in a multitude of scenarios. For example, the wireless communication link may be based on a multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication system. The wireless communication link may be based on one of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)-based wireless communication system, an Orthogonal Time-Frequency-Space (OTFS)-based wireless communication system, and a Filter-Bank Multi Carrier (FBMC)-based wireless communication system. These wireless communication systems are multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication systems. The predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined based on a multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication system being used for the wireless communication link. For example, the multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication system being used for the wireless communication link has consequences regarding the signal shape being used and regarding the modulation/coding being used, which may have an impact on the throughput.

In various examples, the method comprises providing information on the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link to the mobile transceiver. For example, the information on the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link may be used by the mobile transceiver to adapt the communication over the wireless communication link.

Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to a computer program having a program code for performing the above method, when the computer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component.

Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus comprising one or more interfaces for communicating in a mobile communication system and a control module configured to carry out the above method.

In various examples, the above-referenced method steps are performed by the transceiver. The method may be extended to further include method steps being performed by the mobile transceiver. Thus, the method may comprise receiving, by the mobile transceiver and from the transceiver, such as another mobile transceiver or a base station, the information on the future quality of service of a wireless communication link between the mobile transceiver and the mobile transceiver. The information on the future quality of service of the wireless communication link is based on the predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver and based on the predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration being used for the wireless communication link. For example, the information on the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link may be used by the mobile transceiver to adapt the communication over the wireless communication link.

Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to a system comprising a transceiver with the above-referenced apparatus, the system further comprising a mobile transceiver comprising a second apparatus, the second apparatus comprising one or more interfaces for communicating in a mobile communication system and a control module configured to carry out method steps being performed by the mobile transceiver.

As used herein, the term, "or" refers to a non-exclusive or, unless otherwise indicated (e.g., "or else" or "or in the alternative").

It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes" or "including," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components or groups thereof.

<FIG> and <FIG> show flow charts of examples of a method for predicting a future quality of service of a wireless communication link between a transceiver <NUM> and a mobile transceiver <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). In the following, the transceiver <NUM> is described as base station <NUM>. However, the transceiver <NUM> may alternatively be another mobile transceiver <NUM>. The method comprises obtaining <NUM> information on a position and information on a movement of the mobile transceiver. The method comprises determining <NUM>, based on the position of the mobile transceiver, a predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver. The method comprises determining <NUM>, based on the position and movement of the mobile transceiver, a predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link. The method comprises determining <NUM>, based on the predicted received power and based on the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link, a predicted throughput of the wireless communication link. The method comprises determining <NUM>, based on the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link, the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of examples of a corresponding apparatus <NUM> for predicting the future quality of service of a wireless communication link between the transceiver and the mobile transceiver. The apparatus <NUM> comprises one or more interfaces <NUM> for communicating in a mobile communication system. The apparatus comprises a control module <NUM> configured to carry out the method introduced in connection with <FIG> and/or 1b. For example, the one or more interfaces may be used to communicate with the mobile transceiver <NUM>, and the control module may be used to perform calculations. In general, the functionality of the apparatus <NUM> is provided by the control module <NUM>, in conjunction with the one or more interfaces <NUM> with regards to communication. The one or more interfaces <NUM> are coupled with the control module <NUM>. <FIG> further shows the transceiver/base station <NUM> comprising the apparatus <NUM>. <FIG> further shows a system comprising the transceiver/base station <NUM> (with the apparatus <NUM>) and the mobile transceiver <NUM>.

The following description relates to the method of <FIG> and/or 1b, to the corresponding apparatus <NUM> and base station <NUM> of <FIG>, and to a corresponding computer program.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to wireless communication devices, such as a transceiver/base station and a mobile communication device, and to corresponding methods, apparatuses and computer programs. In the following, two wireless communication devices may be assumed that communicate with each other, a base station and a mobile transceiver. This communication is usually performed using wireless transmissions that are exchanged between the two wireless communication devices over a (wireless) channel. In at least some embodiments, the channel may be assumed to be a doubly-dispersive channel. This communication may be sub-divided into smaller and smaller units. In general, in wireless communication, a frame or data frame is considered to be a coherent unit that comprises or represents a plurality of symbols. For example, a frame may be defined as cyclically repeated data block that comprises (or consists of) one or a plurality of time slots. In these time slots, data may be transmitted via a plurality of different carrier frequencies. For example, in embodiments each frame comprises a plurality of time slots, which are transmitted via a plurality of carrier frequency. Correspondingly, the data frame may be considered to be transmitted in the time frequency plane, wherein the time slots span across the time dimension of the time-frequency plane, and wherein the carrier frequencies span across the frequency dimension of the time-frequency plane. This time-frequency plane can be used to model a (logical) grid that spans via the time dimension and the frequency dimension. This is a logical construct, which is, during transmission of the data frames, mapped to the time slots and carrier frequencies. In general, this grid in the time-frequency plane is delimited by the bandwidth range being used to transmit the data frame, and by the time that is used to transmit the frame (the time being subdivided into the one or the plurality of time slots). Accordingly, in embodiments, each data frame is based on a two-dimensional grid in a time-frequency plane having a time dimension resolution and a frequency dimension resolution.

Grids (in the time-frequency plane and in the delay-Doppler plane) may be used to represent the signals. In multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication systems, computationally feasible equalizers may suffer from mismatched time-frequency grids. Parity may be achieved with perfect gird matching of the Gabor synthesis and analysis pulses with the delay and Doppler spread of the channel. However, this might not be achieved in practice due to the varying mobility of users, and correspondingly changing channels. This may lead to performance degradation (higher error rates). In many cases, this may be caused by a mismatch of the grid, as perfect grid matching is assumed in theoretical studies on multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication systems, such as OTFS, OFDM and FBMC. For example, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined based on a multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication system being used for the wireless communication link. For example, the wireless communication link may be based on a multicarrier transmission-based wireless communication system. For example, the wireless communication link may be based on one of an OFDM-based wireless communication system, an OTFS-based wireless communication system, and a FBMC-based wireless communication system. Unfortunately, grid mismatch may cause significant performance degradation.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are based on the finding that this grid, or rather a grid mismatch, e.g. a performance degradation due to the grid being used being different from an ideal time-frequency grid for the wireless communication link, has a major impact on a throughput of a wireless communication link, and thus also an impact on a predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link.

To obtain an improved performance, a time resolution and frequency resolution for the grid in the time-frequency plane that matches the channel that is used for the communication between the wireless communication devices may be chosen. Such a time resolution and frequency resolution for the grid in the time-frequency plane that matches the channel that is used for the communication between the wireless communication devices, such as the transceiver/base station and the mobile transceiver, may be denoted an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration for the communication over the wireless communication link. In other words, the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration is one that matches the channel that is used for the communication between the wireless communication devices. For example, in different scenarios, signals transmitted via the channel may experience different amounts of delay spread and Doppler spread. To account for such different channels, the grid may be chosen such that the respective properties of the channel are taken into account. For lower relative velocities, less resolution in the time domain may be required, and a higher resolution in the frequency domain may be desired if higher delays occur. For example, at higher relative velocities, a grid having a higher resolution (i.e. more points) in the time dimension may be advantageous (to allow for a higher Doppler spread), while at lower relative velocities, a grid having a higher resolution (i.e. more points) in the frequency dimension may be advantageous.

In theory, it may be possible to select "the" perfect grid for each communication. In practice however, it may be more useful to limit the number of grid configurations (or communication modes), in order to reduce an implementation complexity of the wireless communication device. The grid configurations define a combination of a frequency dimension resolution and a time dimension resolution of the two-dimensional grid in the time-frequency plane.

In general, the position and movement of the mobile transceiver may be used to determine the grid mismatch. The method thus comprises obtaining <NUM>, e.g. receiving, information on a position and information on a movement of the mobile transceiver. Such information may be available at the transceiver/base station, e.g. as the transceiver/base station tracks the mobile transceiver for beam-forming and/or handover purposes, or the information on the position and/or the information on the movement of the mobile transceiver may be received from the mobile transceiver. For example, the information on the position of the mobile transceiver may comprise coordinates of the mobile transceiver, or a position of the mobile transceiver on a coverage map surrounding the transceiver/base station. This information may be used to predict a delay-spread of the wireless communication link, and thus an "ideal" configuration of a time-component of the time-frequency-grid. The information on the movement of the mobile transceiver may comprise information on a velocity of the mobile transceiver relative to the transceiver/base station, information on a movement vector of the mobile transceiver, and/or information a past and/or future path of the mobile transceiver. This information may suffice to determine the velocity of the mobile transceiver relative to the transceiver/base station, predict the Doppler spread of the wireless communication link based on the velocity, and thus determine the "ideal" configuration of a frequency component of the time-frequency-grid.

The method comprises determining <NUM>, based on the position and movement of the mobile transceiver, the predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link. In this context, the term "ideal time-frequency-grid configuration" must not be taken literally, as the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration is also time-and-location-variant and thus changes depending on the progress of the mobile transceiver. Instead, the "ideal time-frequency-grid configuration" may be a configuration, among a plurality of pre-defined grid configurations, that most closely matches a predicted delay-Doppler spread of the wireless communication link, e.g. at a given time. In other words, the "ideal time-frequency-grid configuration" might not be considered ideal at any point of the progress of the mobile transceiver, but the best among a plurality of pre-defined grid configurations, with regards to a predicted delay-Doppler-spread of the wireless communication link. For example, the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link may be based on the predicted delay-Doppler spread of the wireless communication link. As pointed out above, a Doppler-component of the predicted delay-Doppler spread may be based on a velocity of the movement of the mobile transceiver. A delay-component of the predicted delay-Doppler spread may be based on the position of the mobile transceiver. To simplify calculations, the predicted delay-Doppler-spread may be determined based on pre-calculated values for various locations around the transceiver/base station and for various velocities of mobile transceivers. For example, a database may be used to store values regarding a delay-spread and/or Doppler-spread for a given position and/or movement of the mobile transceiver. For example, the values regarding the delay-spread and/or Doppler-spread may be based on, or comprise, second-order statistics of the wireless channel of the transceiver. For example, at least one of a Doppler-component and a delay-component of the delay-Doppler spread may be determined by retrieving the respective information from a database based on the movement and/or position of the mobile transceiver, and/or using a data-driving algorithm, which may be based on machine-learning. For example, a machine-learning model may be trained to output at least one of a Doppler-component and a delay-component of the delay-Doppler spread based on a position and/or movement of the mobile transceiver. For example, the machine-learning model may be trained using historic data on the delay-component and/or Doppler-component and the corresponding position and/or movement as training data. For example, a supervised learning algorithm may be used to train the machine-learning model.

In addition to the predicted grid mismatch, the predicted received power of the wireless communication link is used for the prediction of the throughput. Thus, the method comprises determining <NUM>, based on the position of the mobile transceiver, the predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver. Again, the predicted received power of the wireless communication link can be obtained from a database, e.g. from a coverage map, based on the position of the mobile transceiver. In other words, the predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver may be determined based on a coverage map of a radio environment of the transceiver/base station. For example, the database and/or the coverage map may comprise, for the coverage area of the transceiver/base station, pre-calculated values for the predicted received power, which may be obtained based on the position of the mobile transceiver. For example, the transceiver/base station and/or the apparatus <NUM> for the transceiver/base station may comprise the base station and/or the coverage map.

The method comprises Determining <NUM>, e.g. calculating, based on the predicted received power and based on the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link. For example, the predicted received power may be divided by the power of the influence of the mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link. This ratio may subsequently be used to determine a modulation/coding scheme that is feasible under these conditions, which may, in turn, be used to predict the throughput.

There are several other factors that may also be considered when predicting the throughput. For example, the above ratio is a ratio that expresses how well wireless transmissions of the transceiver/base station over the wireless communication link can be received by the mobile transceiver (or vice versa). In addition to the received power and the power loss due to grid mismatch, interference on the wireless communication link and/or noise at the receiver may be considered, e.g. to calculate a Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratio. Accordingly, the method may comprise determining <NUM> a predicted interference (e.g. by one or more other mobile transceivers) on the wireless communication link. The method may comprise determining <NUM> a predicted receiver noise power at the mobile transceiver (which may be based on the bandwidth). Both factors are commonly calculated within mobile communication systems, e.g. channel quality reporting of a mobile transceiver towards the transceiver/base station. Based on these three or four components, the throughput may be predicted. For example, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined further based on the predicted interference on the wireless communication link and/or further based on the predicted receiver noise power at the mobile transceiver.

For example, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined based on a predicted Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratio. For example, the SINR may be based on the predicted received power (P), based on the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link (Pgrid mismatch), based on a predicted interference on the wireless communication link (Pinterfernce) and based on a predicted receiver noise power (σ<NUM>) at the mobile transceiver. For example, <MAT>, or a similar formula, may be used to determine the SINR.

The predicted throughput may be derived from the SINR. For example, as shown in <FIG>, depending on the SINR, different modulation schemes/coding schemes may be used by the transceiver/base station, which define or limit the throughput that can be reached. For example, the throughput may be based on a combination of the modulation scheme being used (e.g. QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM) and cording rate being used. Furthermore, the throughput may be based on a usage of MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output). For example, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined based on a modulation scheme (and coding rate) that is selected based on the predicted Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratio. For example, the higher the SINR, the more complex the modulation scheme and/or coding scheme being used can be, leading to a higher spectral efficiency, and thus throughput.

Another factor in the determination of the predicted throughput is how busy the transceiver/base station is. Depending on the amount of traffic caused by other transceivers, only a portion of the (theoretical) throughput determined afore may be available for the mobile transceiver, e.g. as the mobile transceiver may have to share the wireless resources available to the transceiver/base station with other mobile transceivers. For example, the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link may be determined further based on an availability of wireless resources at the transceiver/base station. For example, the theoretical throughput that is predicted based on the SINR may be the theoretical maximum, which may be reduced based on the availability of wireless resources at the transceiver/base station. For example, the available wireless resources may be based on one or more of time resources, frequency resources, coding resources and spatial resources at available at the transceiver/base station.

The method comprises determining <NUM>, based on the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link, the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link. The predicted future quality of service may be communicated to the mobile transceiver, or to adapt the quality of content being transmitted over the wireless link by the transceiver/base station. In other words, the method may comprise adapting a current or future communication of the transceiver/base station over the wireless communication link based on the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link. Additionally or alternatively, the method may comprise providing <NUM> information on the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link to the mobile transceiver <NUM>.

For example, the predicted future quality of service may define a predicted minimal, average or maximal throughput of the wireless communication link for a point of time or time interval in the future. In other words, information on the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link may comprise the information on the predicted throughput of the wireless link, e.g. information on a predicted minimal, average and/or maximal throughput of the wireless link. Additionally, the predicted future quality of service may define a predicted minimal, average or maximal latency of the wireless communication link for a point of time or time interval in the future. In other words, information on the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link may comprise the information on the predicted latency of the wireless link, e.g. information on a predicted minimal, average and/or maximal latency of the wireless link.

The transceiver/base station <NUM> and the mobile transceiver <NUM>, or the apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and an apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> may communicate through a mobile communication system. The mobile communication system may, for example, correspond to one of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-standardized mobile communication networks, where the term mobile communication system is used synonymously to mobile communication network. The messages (input data, measured data, control information) may hence be communicated through multiple network nodes (e.g. internet, router, switches, etc.) and the mobile communication system, which generates delay or latencies considered in embodiments.

The mobile or wireless communication system may correspond to a mobile communication system of the 5th Generation (<NUM>, or New Radio) and may use mm-Wave technology. The mobile communication system may correspond to or comprise, for example, a Long-Term Evolution (LTE), an LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) or a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), an evolved-UTRAN (e-UTRAN), a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) or Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network, a GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), or mobile communication networks with different standards, for example, a Worldwide Inter-operability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) network IEEE <NUM> or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) IEEE <NUM>, generally an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) network, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Wideband-CDMA (WCDMA) network, a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) network, a Spatial Division Multiple Access (SDMA) network, etc..

Service provision may be carried out by a network component, such as the base station <NUM>. A base station can be operable or configured to communicate with one or more active mobile transceivers/vehicles and a base station can be located in or adjacent to a coverage area of another base station, e.g. a macro cell base station or small cell base station. Hence, embodiments may provide a mobile communication system comprising the mobile transceiver/vehicle <NUM> and the base station <NUM>, wherein the base stations may establish macro cells or small cells, as e.g. pico-, metro-, or femto cells. A mobile transceiver or UE may correspond to a smartphone, a cell phone, a laptop, a notebook, a personal computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) -stick, a car, a vehicle, a road participant, a traffic entity, traffic infrastructure etc. A mobile transceiver may also be referred to as User Equipment (UE) or mobile in line with the 3GPP terminology.

A base station can be located in the fixed or stationary part of the network or system. A base station may be or correspond to a remote radio head, a transmission point, an access point, a macro cell, a small cell, a micro cell, a femto cell, a metro cell etc. A base station can be a wireless interface of a wired network, which enables transmission of radio signals to a UE or mobile transceiver. Such a radio signal may comply with radio signals as, for example, standardized by 3GPP or, generally, in line with one or more of the above listed systems. Thus, a base station may correspond to a NodeB, an eNodeB, a gNodeB, a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), an access point, a remote radio head, a relay station, a transmission point, etc., which may be further subdivided in a remote unit and a central unit.

A mobile transceiver or vehicle <NUM> can be associated with a base station or cell, such as the base station <NUM>. The term cell refers to a coverage area of radio services provided by a base station, e.g. a NodeB (NB), an eNodeB (eNB), a gNodeB, a remote radio head, a transmission point, etc. A base station may operate one or more cells on one or more frequency layers, in some embodiments a cell may correspond to a sector. For example, sectors can be achieved using sector antennas, which provide a characteristic for covering an angular section around a remote unit or base station. In some embodiments, a base station may, for example, operate three or six cells covering sectors of <NUM>° (in case of three cells), <NUM>° (in case of six cells) respectively. A base station may operate multiple sectorized antennas. In the following a cell may represent an according base station generating the cell or, likewise, a base station may represent a cell the base station generates.

The apparatus <NUM> may be comprised in a server, a base station, a NodeB, a relay station, a mobile transceiver, or any service coordinating network entity in embodiments. It is to be noted that the term network component may comprise multiple sub-components, such as a base station, a server, etc..

In embodiments the one or more interfaces <NUM> may correspond to any means for obtaining, receiving, transmitting or providing analog or digital signals or information, e.g. any connector, contact, pin, register, input port, output port, conductor, lane, etc. which allows providing or obtaining a signal or information. An interface may be wireless or wireline and it may be configured to communicate, i.e. transmit or receive signals, information with further internal or external components. The one or more interfaces <NUM> may comprise further components to enable according communication in the mobile communication system, such components may include transceiver (transmitter and/or receiver) components, such as one or more Low-Noise Amplifiers (LNAs), one or more Power-Amplifiers (PAs), one or more duplexers, one or more diplexers, one or more filters or filter circuitry, one or more converters, one or more mixers, accordingly adapted radio frequency components, etc. The one or more interfaces <NUM> may be coupled to one or more antennas, which may correspond to any transmit and/or receive antennas, such as horn antennas, dipole antennas, patch antennas, sector antennas etc. The antennas may be arranged in a defined geometrical setting, such as a uniform array, a linear array, a circular array, a triangular array, a uniform field antenna, a field array, combinations thereof, etc. In some examples the one or more interfaces <NUM> may serve the purpose of transmitting or receiving or both, transmitting and receiving, information, such as information, input data, control information, further information messages, etc..

As shown in <FIG> the respective one or more interfaces <NUM> is coupled to the respective control module <NUM> at the apparatus <NUM>. In embodiments the control module <NUM> may be implemented using one or more processing units, one or more processing devices, any means for processing, such as a processor, a computer or a programmable hardware component being operable with accordingly adapted software. In other words, the described functions of the control module <NUM> may as well be implemented in software, which is then executed on one or more programmable hardware components. Such hardware components may comprise a general-purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a micro-controller, etc..

In embodiments, the one or more interfaces <NUM> can be configured to wirelessly communicate in the mobile communication system. In order to do so wireless resources are used, e.g. frequency, time, code, and/or spatial resources, which may be used for wireless communication with a mobile transceiver. The assignment of the wireless resources may be controlled by a base station. Here and in the following wireless resources of the respective components may correspond to any wireless resources conceivable on radio carriers and they may use the same or different granularities on the respective carriers. The wireless resources may correspond to a Resource Block (RB as in LTE/LTE-A/LTE-unlicensed (LTE-U)), one or more carriers, sub-carriers, one or more radio frames, radio sub-frames, radio slots, one or more code sequences potentially with a respective spreading factor, one or more spatial resources, such as spatial sub-channels, spatial precoding vectors, any combination thereof, etc..

More details and aspects of the transceiver/base station <NUM>, apparatus <NUM>, and corresponding method are mentioned in connection with the proposed concept or one or more examples described above or below (e.g. <FIG>). The transceiver/base station <NUM>, apparatus <NUM>, and corresponding method may comprise one or more additional optional features corresponding to one or more aspects of the proposed concept or one or more examples described above or below.

<FIG> shows a flow chart of an example of a method for a mobile transceiver <NUM>. The method comprises receiving <NUM>, from a transceiver <NUM>, such as a base station <NUM> or further mobile transceiver <NUM>, information on a future quality of service of a wireless communication link between the mobile transceiver and the mobile transceiver. As pointed out in connection with <FIG>, the transceiver <NUM> is introduced as base station <NUM>. However, alternatively, the transceiver <NUM> may be a further mobile transceiver <NUM>. The information on the future quality of service of the wireless communication link is based on a predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver and based on a predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration being used for the wireless communication link.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of examples of a corresponding apparatus <NUM> for a mobile transceiver. The apparatus <NUM> comprises one or more interfaces <NUM> for communicating in a mobile communication system. The apparatus comprises a control module <NUM> configured to carry out the method introduced in connection with <FIG>. For example, the one or more interfaces may be used to communicate with the transceiver/base station <NUM>, and the control module may be used to perform calculations. In general, the functionality of the apparatus <NUM> is provided by the control module <NUM>, in conjunction with the one or more interfaces <NUM> with regards to communication. The one or more interfaces <NUM> are coupled with the control module <NUM>. <FIG> further shows the mobile transceiver comprising the apparatus <NUM>. For example, the mobile transceiver may be a mobile device, such as a smartphone, or a vehicle. <FIG> shows a vehicle <NUM> comprising the apparatus <NUM>. <FIG> further shows a system comprising the transceiver/base station 100and the mobile transceiver <NUM> (with the apparatus <NUM>).

The following description relates to the method of <FIG>, to the corresponding apparatus <NUM> and mobile transceiver <NUM> of <FIG>, and to a corresponding computer program.

The method comprises receiving <NUM>, from the transceiver/base station <NUM>, the information on a future quality of service of a wireless communication link between the mobile transceiver and the mobile transceiver. For example, the information on the future quality of service of the wireless communication link may be implemented as introduced in connection with <FIG>. In particular, the information on the future quality of service of the wireless communication link is based on the predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver and based on the predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration being used for the wireless communication link. For example, the information on the future quality of service of the wireless communication link may be based on a predicted throughput of the wireless link, which is predicted based on the predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver and based on the predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration being used for the wireless communication link. For example, the predicted throughput, and thus the predicted future quality of service, may further be based on one or more of a predicted interference on the wireless communication link, a predicted receiver noise power at the mobile transceiver, a modulation scheme that is selected based on a predicted Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratio, and an availability of wireless resources at the transceiver/base station.

Based on the predicted future Quality of Service, the result may be used to adjust the communication being performed on the wireless communication link. In other words, the method may comprise communicating <NUM> on the wireless communication link according to the predicted future Quality of Service, e.g. by adjusting one or more parameters of a content being transmitted over the wireless communication link based on the predicted further quality of service of the wireless communication link. For example, the method may comprise adjusting at least one of a data transmission rate of the content, an amount of redundancy provided within the content, an amount of buffering performed, a size of packets of content etc. Alternatively or additionally, the result may be used to adapt the vehicular application, e.g. by increasing the inter-vehicle distance in a platoon when the future Quality of Service is estimated to drop.

As shown in <FIG> the respective one or more interfaces <NUM> is coupled to the respective control module <NUM> at the apparatus <NUM>. In embodiments the control module <NUM> may be implemented using one or more processing units, one or more processing devices, any means for processing, such as a processor, a computer or a programmable hardware component being operable with accordingly adapted software. In other words, the described functions of the control module <NUM> may as well be implemented in software, which is then executed on one or more programmable hardware components. Such hardware components may comprise a general-purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a micro-controller, etc. In embodiments, the one or more interfaces <NUM> can be configured to wirelessly communicate in the mobile communication system.

More details and aspects of the mobile transceiver / vehicle <NUM>, apparatus <NUM> and corresponding method are mentioned in connection with the proposed concept or one or more examples described above or below (e.g. <FIG>). The mobile transceiver / vehicle <NUM>, apparatus <NUM> and corresponding method may comprise one or more additional optional features corresponding to one or more aspects of the proposed concept or one or more examples described above or below.

Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for advanced performance prediction in multicarrier transmission systems.

Future vehicular communication systems require high reliability and efficiency under various mobility conditions. Communication systems are variant in their performance, but the quality of the communication may be predicted. A well-known approach is to predict the throughput based on radio maps. Such radio maps are also called coverage maps. The throughput is predicted based on the estimated received power. However, the performance degradation due to grid mismatch is not taking into account.

In addition to the received power, the configuration of the pulses and grid has a significant impact on the bit error rate (BER). The grid of a multicarrier system is defined by the length of the time shifts T and frequency shifts F; in other words, T and F are the lengths of one time symbol and subcarrier spacing, respectively. In the case of <NUM> NR (<NUM>th generation mobile communication system New Radio, rectangular pulses are used to obtain the waveform from the time-frequency domain in the time domain. Such a transformation may be implemented by a simple Fourier transform or Gabor filter bank.

However, this aspect has not been considered for throughput prediction so far. <NUM> NR offers multiple configuration options such as mini slots and scalable subcarrier spacing (SCS). <FIG> shows examples of (distinct) configurations for <NUM> NR. For example, one sub-frame may have a duration of <NUM>. At <NUM>, the sub-frame may comprise one slot with <NUM> symbols. At <NUM>, the sub-frame may comprise two slots with <NUM> symbols each. At <NUM>, the sub-frame may comprise four slots with <NUM> symbols each. At <NUM>, the sub-frame may comprise eight slots with <NUM> symbols each.

It is desirable to configure the grid so that it matches the channel characteristics, i.e. the delay and Doppler spread. The following formulae and <FIG>, taken from P. Jung and G. Wunder, "WSSUS pulse design problem in multicarrier transmission" depicts how the grid and pulses should match the channel realization from a theoretical view-point to obtain high performance. The formulae and <FIG>, which illustrates <MAT>, give multi-carrier Gabor pulse designing rules for an efficient communication in dependency to the channel delay and Doppler shifts.

One or more actions of the following method may be executed at a transceiver/base station:
A coverage map may be used to estimate the received power (P).

The experienced grid mismatch caused by the delay and Doppler spread may be predicted, depending on the speed of the user equipment (UE, also mobile transceiver) and delay data base based on the location and path of the UE to determine Pgrid mismatch. This grid mismatch depends on the grid configuration: subcarrier spacing and time symbol length which is configurable for <NUM> NR (see <FIG>).

The interference caused by other BSs and UEs may be predicted (Pinterfernce), this may be done by using the position and future path of the UEs as well as the configuration of the transmissions between them (frequency, grid etc.).

The receiver noise power σ<NUM> may be predicted, depending on the bandwidth B.

The results of one or more of the previous predictions may be used to predict the Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratio (SINR), e.g. using the following formula: <MAT>.

Furthermore, which waveform is being used may be taken into account, i.e. OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing), OTFS (Orthogonal Time Frequency Space) etc., which may lead to distinct BER performance.

The possible throughput may be predicted, which is linked to the spectral efficiency, with the SINR being based on the configuration of the mobile communication system (MCS). <FIG> shows a graph illustrating the spectral efficiency at different SINR, with the SINR in dB on the x-axis and the spectral efficiency in bits/s/Hz. As can be seen from <FIG>, the higher the SINR, the more complex the modulation scheme/coding may become, leading to a higher spectral efficiency. <FIG> shows sub-graphs for modulations QPSK (Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying) <NUM>, 16QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) <NUM> and 64QAM, and the theoretical Shannon limit <NUM>.

Furthermore, the resource allocation of the corresponding cell may be taken into account, i.e. How many resources may be available for one UE?.

<FIG> shows possible inputs for the proposed throughput prediction. For example, the throughput <NUM> may be predicted based on one or more of the UE's information <NUM> (speed, position, future path), a radio map <NUM>, modulation and coding <NUM>, grid mismatch prediction <NUM>, resource allocation <NUM> and interference prediction <NUM>.

As already mentioned, in embodiments the respective methods may be implemented as computer programs or codes, which can be executed on a respective hardware. Hence, another embodiment is a computer program having a program code for performing at least one of the above methods, when the computer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component. A further embodiment is a computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, processor, or programmable hardware component, cause the computer to implement one of the methods described herein.

The description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.

Claim 1:
A method for predicting a future quality of service of a wireless communication link between a transceiver (<NUM>) and a mobile transceiver (<NUM>), the method comprising:
Obtaining (<NUM>) information on a position and information on a movement of the mobile transceiver;
Determining (<NUM>), based on the position of the mobile transceiver, a predicted received power of the wireless communication link at the mobile transceiver;
Determining (<NUM>), based on the position and movement of the mobile transceiver, a predicted mismatch between an ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and a time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link;
Determining (<NUM>), based on the predicted received power and based on the predicted mismatch between the ideal time-frequency-grid configuration and the time-frequency-grid configuration used for the wireless communication link, a predicted throughput of the wireless communication link; and
Determining (<NUM>), based on the predicted throughput of the wireless communication link, the predicted future quality of service of the wireless communication link.