Patent Description:
The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to wireless communications and more particularly relates to power efficient physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring.

In certain wireless communication systems, a User Equipment device ("UE") is able to connect with a fifth-generation ("<NUM>") core network (i.e., "5GC") in a Public Land Mobile Network ("PLMN"). In wireless networks, reduced capability UEs may need to be operated with a battery that lasts from multiple days to multiple years.

<CIT> relates to UE operation with reduced power consumption. <CIT> relates to a method and apparatus for PDCCH monitoring. The reader is also referred to <NPL>.

Disclosed are procedures for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. Said procedures are implemented by the user equipment, network device and corresponding methods provided by the appended set of independent claims. The invention is defined and limited by the appended set of independent claims.

Code for carrying out operations for embodiments may be any number of lines and may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages including an object-oriented programming language such as Python, Ruby, Java, Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language, or the like, and/or machine languages such as assembly languages. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network ("LAN"), wireless LAN ("WLAN"), or a wide area network ("WAN"), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider ("ISP")).

The code may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the code which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart diagrams and/or block diagrams.

Generally, the present disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. In certain embodiments, the methods may be performed using computer code embedded on a computer-readable medium. In various embodiments, an apparatus or system may include a computer-readable medium containing computer-readable code which, when executed by a processor, causes the apparatus or system to perform at least a portion of the below described solutions.

Reduced capability UEs, such as industrial wireless sensors, video surveillance devices, and wearable devices, e.g., smart watches, may need to be operated with a battery that lasts for multiple days to a few years. Even for enhanced mobile broadband ("eMBB") and/or ultra-reliable and low-latency communications ("URLLC") UEs, reducing UE power consumption is critical to provide better <NUM> experiences to end users and to enable new use cases.

The subject matter disclosed herein presents solutions to allow for power-efficient PDDCH monitoring that is able to flexibly accommodate various traffics/applications with different latency requirements.

<FIG> depicts a wireless communication system <NUM> for power efficient PDCCH monitoring, according to embodiments of the disclosure. In one embodiment, the wireless communication system <NUM> includes at least one remote unit <NUM>, a Fifth-Generation Radio Access Network ("<NUM>-RAN") <NUM>, and a mobile core network <NUM>. The <NUM>-RAN <NUM> and the mobile core network <NUM> form a mobile communication network. The <NUM>-RAN <NUM> may be composed of a 3GPP access network <NUM> containing at least one cellular base unit <NUM> and/or a non-3GPP access network <NUM> containing at least one access point <NUM>. The remote unit <NUM> communicates with the 3GPP access network <NUM> using 3GPP communication links <NUM> and/or communicates with the non-3GPP access network <NUM> using non-3GPP communication links <NUM>. Even though a specific number of remote units <NUM>, 3GPP access networks <NUM>, cellular base units <NUM>, 3GPP communication links <NUM>, non-3GPP access networks <NUM>, access points <NUM>, non-3GPP communication links <NUM>, and mobile core networks <NUM> are depicted in <FIG>, one of skill in the art will recognize that any number of remote units <NUM>, 3GPP access networks <NUM>, cellular base units <NUM>, 3GPP communication links <NUM>, non-3GPP access networks <NUM>, access points <NUM>, non-3GPP communication links <NUM>, and mobile core networks <NUM> may be included in the wireless communication system <NUM>.

In one implementation, the RAN <NUM> is compliant with the <NUM> system specified in the Third Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP") specifications. For example, the RAN <NUM> may be a NG-RAN, implementing NR RAT and/or LTE RAT. In another example, the RAN <NUM> may include non-3GPP RAT (e.g., Wi-Fi® or Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ("IEEE") <NUM>-family compliant WLAN). In another implementation, the RAN <NUM> is compliant with the LTE system specified in the 3GPP specifications. More generally, however, the wireless communication system <NUM> may implement some other open or proprietary communication network, for example Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ("WiMAX") or IEEE <NUM>-family standards, among other networks.

In one embodiment, the remote units <NUM> may include computing devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), tablet computers, smart phones, smart televisions (e.g., televisions connected to the Internet), smart appliances (e.g., appliances connected to the Internet), set-top boxes, game consoles, security systems (including security cameras), vehicle on-board computers, network devices (e.g., routers, switches, modems), or the like. Moreover, the remote units <NUM> may be referred to as the UEs, subscriber units, mobiles, mobile stations, users, terminals, mobile terminals, fixed terminals, subscriber stations, user terminals, wireless transmit/receive unit ("WTRU"), a device, or by other terminology used in the art. In various embodiments, the remote unit <NUM> includes a subscriber identity and/or identification module ("SIM") and the mobile equipment ("ME") providing mobile termination functions (e.g., radio transmission, handover, speech encoding and decoding, error detection and correction, signaling and access to the SIM). In certain embodiments, the remote unit <NUM> may include a terminal equipment ("TE") and/or be embedded in an appliance or device (e.g., a computing device, as described above).

In one embodiment, the remote units <NUM> may include computing devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), tablet computers, smart phones, smart televisions (e.g., televisions connected to the Internet), smart appliances (e.g., appliances connected to the Internet), set-top boxes, game consoles, security systems (including security cameras), vehicle on-board computers, network devices (e.g., routers, switches, modems), or the like. Moreover, the remote units <NUM> may be referred to as UEs, subscriber units, mobiles, mobile stations, users, terminals, mobile terminals, fixed terminals, subscriber stations, user terminals, wireless transmit/receive unit ("WTRU"), a device, or by other terminology used in the art.

The remote units <NUM> may communicate directly with one or more of the cellular base units <NUM> in the 3GPP access network <NUM> via uplink ("UL") and downlink ("DL") communication signals. Furthermore, the UL and DL communication signals may be carried over the 3GPP communication links <NUM>. Similarly, the remote units <NUM> may communicate with one or more access points <NUM> in the non-3GPP access network(s) <NUM> via UL and DL communication signals carried over the non-3GPP communication links <NUM>. Here, the access networks <NUM> and <NUM> are intermediate networks that provide the remote units <NUM> with access to the mobile core network <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the remote units <NUM> communicate with a remote host (e.g., in the data network <NUM> or in the data network <NUM>) via a network connection with the mobile core network <NUM>. For example, an application <NUM> (e.g., web browser, media client, telephone and/or Voice-over-Internet-Protocol ("VoIP") application) in a remote unit <NUM> may trigger the remote unit <NUM> to establish a protocol data unit ("PDU") session (or other data connection) with the mobile core network <NUM> via the <NUM>-RAN <NUM> (i.e., via the 3GPP access network <NUM> and/or non-3GPP network <NUM>). The mobile core network <NUM> then relays traffic between the remote unit <NUM> and the remote host using the PDU session. The PDU session represents a logical connection between the remote unit <NUM> and a User Plane Function ("UPF") <NUM>.

In order to establish the PDU session (or PDN connection), the remote unit <NUM> must be registered with the mobile core network <NUM> (also referred to as "attached to the mobile core network" in the context of a Fourth Generation ("<NUM>") system). Note that the remote unit <NUM> may establish one or more PDU sessions (or other data connections) with the mobile core network <NUM>. As such, the remote unit <NUM> may have at least one PDU session for communicating with the packet data network <NUM>. Additionally - or alternatively - the remote unit <NUM> may have at least one PDU session for communicating with the packet data network <NUM>. The remote unit <NUM> may establish additional PDU sessions for communicating with other data networks and/or other communication peers.

In the context of a <NUM> system ("5GS"), the term "PDU Session" refers to a data connection that provides end-to-end ("E2E") user plane ("UP") connectivity between the remote unit <NUM> and a specific Data Network ("DN") through the UPF <NUM>. A PDU Session supports one or more Quality of Service ("QoS") Flows. In certain embodiments, there may be a one-to-one mapping between a QoS Flow and a QoS profile, such that all packets belonging to a specific QoS Flow have the same <NUM> QoS Identifier ("5QI").

In the context of a <NUM>/LTE system, such as the Evolved Packet System ("EPS"), a Packet Data Network ("PDN") connection (also referred to as EPS session) provides E2E UP connectivity between the remote unit and a PDN. The PDN connectivity procedure establishes an EPS Bearer, i.e., a tunnel between the remote unit <NUM> and a Packet Gateway ("PGW", not shown) in the mobile core network <NUM>. In certain embodiments, there is a one-to-one mapping between an EPS Bearer and a QoS profile, such that all packets belonging to a specific EPS Bearer have the same QoS Class Identifier ("QCI").

As described in greater detail below, the remote unit <NUM> may use a first data connection (e.g., PDU Session) established with the first mobile core network <NUM> to establish a second data connection (e.g., part of a second PDU session) with the second mobile core network <NUM>. When establishing a data connection (e.g., PDU session) with the second mobile core network <NUM>, the remote unit <NUM> uses the first data connection to register with the second mobile core network <NUM>.

The cellular base units <NUM> may be distributed over a geographic region. In certain embodiments, a cellular base unit <NUM> may also be referred to as an access terminal, a base, a base station, a Node-B ("NB"), an Evolved Node B (abbreviated as eNodeB or "eNB," also known as Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network ("E-UTRAN") Node B), a <NUM>/NR Node B ("gNB"), a Home Node-B, a Home Node-B, a relay node, a device, or by any other terminology used in the art. The cellular base units <NUM> are generally part of a radio access network ("RAN"), such as the 3GPP access network <NUM>, that may include one or more controllers communicably coupled to one or more corresponding cellular base units <NUM>. These and other elements of radio access network are not illustrated but are well known generally by those having ordinary skill in the art. The cellular base units <NUM> connect to the mobile core network <NUM> via the 3GPP access network <NUM>.

The cellular base units <NUM> may serve a number of remote units <NUM> within a serving area, for example, a cell or a cell sector, via a 3GPP wireless communication link <NUM>. The cellular base units <NUM> may communicate directly with one or more of the remote units <NUM> via communication signals. Generally, the cellular base units <NUM> transmit DL communication signals to serve the remote units <NUM> in the time, frequency, and/or spatial domain. Furthermore, the DL communication signals may be carried over the 3GPP communication links <NUM>. The 3GPP communication links <NUM> may be any suitable carrier in licensed or unlicensed radio spectrum. The 3GPP communication links <NUM> facilitate communication between one or more of the remote units <NUM> and/or one or more of the cellular base units <NUM>. Note that during NR operation on unlicensed spectrum (referred to as "NR-U"), the base unit <NUM> and the remote unit <NUM> communicate over unlicensed (i.e., shared) radio spectrum.

The non-3GPP access networks <NUM> may be distributed over a geographic region. Each non-3GPP access network <NUM> may serve a number of remote units <NUM> with a serving area. An access point <NUM> in a non-3GPP access network <NUM> may communicate directly with one or more remote units <NUM> by receiving UL communication signals and transmitting DL communication signals to serve the remote units <NUM> in the time, frequency, and/or spatial domain. Both DL and UL communication signals are carried over the non-3GPP communication links <NUM>. The 3GPP communication links <NUM> and non-3GPP communication links <NUM> may employ different frequencies and/or different communication protocols. In various embodiments, an access point <NUM> may communicate using unlicensed radio spectrum. The mobile core network <NUM> may provide services to a remote unit <NUM> via the non-3GPP access networks <NUM>, as described in greater detail herein.

In some embodiments, a non-3GPP access network <NUM> connects to the mobile core network <NUM> via an interworking entity <NUM>. The interworking entity <NUM> provides an interworking between the non-3GPP access network <NUM> and the mobile core network <NUM>. The interworking entity <NUM> supports connectivity via the "N2" and "N3" interfaces. As depicted, both the 3GPP access network <NUM> and the interworking entity <NUM> communicate with the AMF <NUM> using a "N2" interface. The 3GPP access network <NUM> and interworking entity <NUM> also communicate with the UPF <NUM> using a "N3" interface. While depicted as outside the mobile core network <NUM>, in other embodiments the interworking entity <NUM> may be a part of the core network. While depicted as outside the non-3GPP RAN <NUM>, in other embodiments the interworking entity <NUM> may be a part of the non-3GPP RAN <NUM>.

In certain embodiments, a non-3GPP access network <NUM> may be controlled by an operator of the mobile core network <NUM> and may have direct access to the mobile core network <NUM>. Such a non-3GPP AN deployment is referred to as a "trusted non-3GPP access network. " A non-3GPP access network <NUM> is considered as "trusted" when it is operated by the 3GPP operator, or a trusted partner, and supports certain security features, such as strong air-interface encryption. In contrast, a non-3GPP AN deployment that is not controlled by an operator (or trusted partner) of the mobile core network <NUM>, does not have direct access to the mobile core network <NUM>, or does not support the certain security features is referred to as a "non-trusted" non-3GPP access network. An interworking entity <NUM> deployed in a trusted non-3GPP access network <NUM> may be referred to herein as a Trusted Network Gateway Function ("TNGF"). An interworking entity <NUM> deployed in a non-trusted non-3GPP access network <NUM> may be referred to herein as a non-3GPP interworking function ("N3IWF"). While depicted as a part of the non-3GPP access network <NUM>, in some embodiments the N3IWF may be a part of the mobile core network <NUM> or may be located in the data network <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the mobile core network <NUM> is a <NUM> core ("5GC") or the evolved packet core ("EPC"), which may be coupled to a data network <NUM>, like the Internet and private data networks, among other data networks. A remote unit <NUM> may have a subscription or other account with the mobile core network <NUM>. Each mobile core network <NUM> belongs to a single public land mobile network ("PLMN").

The mobile core network <NUM> includes several network functions ("NFs"). As depicted, the mobile core network <NUM> includes at least one UPF ("UPF") <NUM>. The mobile core network <NUM> also includes multiple control plane functions including, but not limited to, an Access and Mobility Management Function ("AMF") <NUM> that serves the <NUM>-RAN <NUM>, a Session Management Function ("SMF") <NUM>, a Policy Control Function ("PCF") <NUM>, an Authentication Server Function ("AUSF") <NUM>, a Unified Data Management ("UDM") and Unified Data Repository function ("UDR").

The UPF(s) <NUM> is responsible for packet routing and forwarding, packet inspection, QoS handling, and external PDU session for interconnecting Data Network ("DN"), in the <NUM> architecture. The AMF <NUM> is responsible for termination ofNAS signaling, NAS ciphering & integrity protection, registration management, connection management, mobility management, access authentication and authorization, security context management. The SMF <NUM> is responsible for session management (i.e., session establishment, modification, release), remote unit (i.e., UE) IP address allocation & management, DL data notification, and traffic steering configuration for UPF for proper traffic routing.

The PCF <NUM> is responsible for unified policy framework, providing policy rules to CP functions, access subscription information for policy decisions in UDR. The AUSF <NUM> acts as an authentication server.

The UDM is responsible for generation of Authentication and Key Agreement ("AKA") credentials, user identification handling, access authorization, subscription management. The UDR is a repository of subscriber information and can be used to service a number of network functions. For example, the UDR may store subscription data, policy-related data, subscriber-related data that is permitted to be exposed to third party applications, and the like. In some embodiments, the UDM is co-located with the UDR, depicted as combined entity "UDM/UDR" <NUM>.

In various embodiments, the mobile core network <NUM> may also include an Network Exposure Function ("NEF") (which is responsible for making network data and resources easily accessible to customers and network partners, e.g., via one or more APIs), a Network Repository Function ("NRF") (which provides NF service registration and discovery, enabling NFs to identify appropriate services in one another and communicate with each other over Application Programming Interfaces ("APIs")), or other NFs defined for the 5GC. In certain embodiments, the mobile core network <NUM> may include an authentication, authorization, and accounting ("AAA") server.

In various embodiments, the mobile core network <NUM> supports different types of mobile data connections and different types of network slices, wherein each mobile data connection utilizes a specific network slice. Here, a "network slice" refers to a portion of the mobile core network <NUM> optimized for a certain traffic type or communication service. A network instance may be identified by a S-NSSAI, while a set of network slices for which the remote unit <NUM> is authorized to use is identified by NSSAI. In certain embodiments, the various network slices may include separate instances of network functions, such as the SMF and UPF <NUM>. In some embodiments, the different network slices may share some common network functions, such as the AMF <NUM>. The different network slices are not shown in <FIG> for ease of illustration, but their support is assumed.

Although specific numbers and types of network functions are depicted in <FIG>, one of skill in the art will recognize that any number and type of network functions may be included in the mobile core network <NUM>. Moreover, where the mobile core network <NUM> comprises an EPC, the depicted network functions may be replaced with appropriate EPC entities, such as an MME, S-GW, P-GW, HSS, and the like.

While <FIG> depicts components of a <NUM> RAN and a <NUM> core network, the described embodiments for using a pseudonym for access authentication over non-3GPP access apply to other types of communication networks and RATs, including IEEE <NUM> variants, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE variants, CDMA <NUM>, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Sigfoxx, and the like. For example, in an <NUM>/LTE variant involving an EPC, the AMF <NUM> may be mapped to an MME, the SMF mapped to a control plane portion of a PGW and/or to an MME, the UPF <NUM> may be mapped to an SGW and a user plane portion of the PGW, the UDM/UDR <NUM> may be mapped to an HSS, etc..

As depicted, a remote unit <NUM> (e.g., a UE) may connect to the mobile core network (e.g., to a <NUM> mobile communication network) via two types of accesses: (<NUM>) via 3GPP access network <NUM> and (<NUM>) via a non-3GPP access network <NUM>. The first type of access (e.g., 3GPP access network <NUM>) uses a 3GPP-defined type of wireless communication (e.g., NG-RAN) and the second type of access (e.g., non-3GPP access network <NUM>) uses a non-3GPP-defined type of wireless communication (e.g., WLAN). The <NUM>-RAN <NUM> refers to any type of <NUM> access network that can provide access to the mobile core network <NUM>, including the 3GPP access network <NUM> and the non-3GPP access network <NUM>.

To solve the problem of battery life in reduced capability UEs, described above, the present disclosure proposes solutions that allows for power-efficient PDDCH monitoring and yet to flexibly accommodate various traffics/applications with different latency requirements. Beneficially, in one embodiment, the disclosed solution extends the battery life of batteries in reduced capability UEs such as industrial wireless sensors, video surveillance devices, and wearables.

In Rel-<NUM> NR, several UE power saving mechanisms based on reduced PDCCH monitoring are specified. In one example, a UE can receive a secondary cell ("SCell") dormancy indication in downlink control information ("DCI") formats 0_1/1_1 scheduling a physical uplink shared channel ("PUSCH")/physical downlink shared channel ("PDSCH") and start not to perform PDCCH monitoring on the indicated SCell group(s). Further, the UE can be configured with a higher layer parameter minimumSchedulingOffset in an uplink ("UL") bandwidth part ("BWP") and/or a downlink ("DL") BWP, which restricts the minimum scheduling offset and accordingly, allows the UE to avoid unnecessary buffering of DL streams and/or to turn off (or operate in a low power mode) some of transmitting ("Tx")/receiving ("Rx") components for a short period.

In another example, a UE can receive an indication of search space switching between two groups of configured search spaces via group-common PDCCH, e.g., DCI format 2_0. Alternatively, the UE can switch from monitoring search space sets with group index <NUM> to monitoring search space sets with group index <NUM> upon detecting a DCI format by monitoring PDCCH according to a search space set with group index <NUM>. Further, the UE can switch back to the search space sets with group index <NUM> upon expiry of a search space switching timer where the search space switching timer is initially set to a value of the parameter searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-r16.

Regarding format 0_1, DCI format 0_1 is used for the scheduling of one or multiple PUSCH in one cell or indicating configured grant ("CG") downlink feedback information ("CG-DFI") to a UE.

For a minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator - <NUM> or <NUM> bit:.

• <NUM> bit if higher layer parameter minimumSchedulingOffset is not configured;
• <NUM> bit if higher layer parameter minimumSchedulingOffset is configured. The <NUM> bit indication is used to determine the minimum applicable K0 for the active DL BWP and the minimum applicable K2 value for the active UL BWP according to Table <NUM>. <NUM>-<NUM>. If the minimum applicable K0 is indicated, the minimum applicable value of the aperiodic CSI-RS triggering offset for an active DL BWP shall be the same as the minimum applicable K0 value.

Regarding format 1_1, DCI format 1_1 is used for the scheduling of PDSCH in one cell.

Regarding resource allocation in time domain, when the UE is configured with [minimumSchedulingOffset] in an active DL BWP it applies a minimum scheduling offset restriction indicated by the ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field in DCI format 0_1 or 1_1. When the UE configured with [minimumSchedulingOffset] in active DL BWP and it has not received ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field in DCI format 0_1 or 1_1, UE shall apply a minimum scheduling offset restriction indicated based on ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] value '<NUM>'. When the minimum scheduling offset restriction is applied the UE is not expected to be scheduled with a DCI in slot n to receive a PDSCH scheduled with cell radio network temporary identifier ("C-RNTI"), configured scheduling ("CS")-RNTI or modulation and coding scheme ("MCS")-C-RNTI with K<NUM> smaller than the applicable minimum scheduling offset restriction K<NUM>. The minimum scheduling offset restriction is not applied when PDSCH transmission is scheduled with C-RNTI, CS-RNTI or MCS-C-RNTI in common search space associated with control resource set ("CORESET")<NUM> and default PDSCH time domain resource allocation is used or when PDSCH transmission is scheduled with system information ("SI")-RNTI or random access ("RA")-RNTI.

Regarding resource allocation in time domain, if pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList in pusch-Config contains row indicating resource allocation for two to eight contiguous PUSCHs, K<NUM> indicates the slot where UE shall transmit the first PUSCH of the multiple PUSCHs. Each PUSCH has a separate start and length indicator value ("SLIV") and mapping type. The number of scheduled PUSCHs is signaled by the number of indicated valid SLIVs in the row of the pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList signaled in DCI format 0_1.

When the UE is configured with [minimumSchedulingOffset] in active UL BWP it applies a minimum scheduling offset restriction indicated by the ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field in DCI format 0_1 or 1_1. When the UE configured with [minimumSchedulingOffset] in active UL BWP and it has not received ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field in DCI format 0_1 or 1_1, the UE shall apply a minimum scheduling offset restriction indicated based on ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] value '<NUM>'. When the minimum scheduling offset restriction is applied the UE is not expected to be scheduled with a DCI in slot n to transmit a PUSCH scheduled with C-RNTI, CS-RNTI or MCS-C-RNTI with K<NUM> smaller than the applicable minimum scheduling offset restriction K<NUM> in slot n. The minimum scheduling restriction is not applied when PUSCH transmission is scheduled by random access response ("RAR") UL grant for random access channel ("RACH") procedure, or when PUSCH is scheduled with temporary cell ("TC")-RNTI.

Regarding application delay of the minimum scheduling offset restriction, when the UE is scheduled with DCI format 0_1 or 1_1 with a ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field, it shall determine the K<NUM> and K<NUM> values to be applied, while the previously applied K<NUM> and K<NUM> values are applied until the new values take effect after application delay. Change of applied minimum scheduling offset restriction indication carried by DCI in slot n, shall be applied in slot n+X of the scheduling cell. The UE does not expect to be scheduled with DCI format 0_1 or 1_1 with ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field indicating another change to the applied K0min or K2min for the same active BWP before slot n+X of the scheduling cell.

When the DCI format 0_1 or 1_1 with ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field indicating a change to the applied K<NUM> or K<NUM> is contained within the first three symbols of the slot, the value of application delay X is determined by,
<MAT>
where K0minOld is the currently applied K<NUM> value of the active DL BWP in the scheduled cell, and Zµ is determined by the subcarrier spacing of the active DL BWP in the scheduling cell, and given in Table <NUM> and µPDCCH and µPDSCH are the sub-carrier spacing configurations for PDCCH and PDSCH, respectively.

When the DCI format 0_1 or 1_1 with ['Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator'] field is received outside the first [three] symbols of the slot, value of Zµ from Table <NUM>. <NUM>-<NUM> is incremented by one before determining the application delayX.

Regarding UE procedure for receiving control information, a UE monitors a set of PDCCH candidates in one or more CORESETs on the active DL BWP on each activated serving cell configured with PDCCH monitoring according to corresponding search space sets where monitoring implies decoding each PDCCH candidate according to the monitored DCI formats.

If a UE is provided PDCCHMonitoringCapabilityConfig for a serving cell, the UE obtains an indication to monitor PDCCH on the serving cell for a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and non-overlapping CCEs.

If the UE is not provided PDCCHMonitoringCapabilityConfig, the UE monitors PDCCH on the serving cell per slot.

A UE reports one or more combinations of (X,Y) number of symbols, where X≥ Y, for PDCCH monitoring. A span is a set of consecutive symbols in a slot in which the UE is configured to monitor PDCCH candidates. The UE supports PDCCH monitoring occasions in any symbol of a slot with minimum time separation of X symbols between the first symbol of two consecutive spans, including across slots. The duration of a span is dspan = max(dCORESET,max, Ymin), where dCORESET,max is a maximum duration among durations of CORESETs that are configured to the UE and Ymin is a minimum value of Y in the combinations of (X, Y) that are reported by the UE. A last span in a slot can have a shorter duration than other spans in the slot.

A UE capability for PDCCH monitoring per slot or per span on an active DL BWP of a serving cell is defined by a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and non-overlapped control channel elements ("CCEs") the UE can monitor per slot or per span, respectively, on the active DL BWP of the serving cell.

For monitoring of a PDCCH candidate by a UE in a slot or in a span, if the UE.

the UE is not required to monitor the PDCCH candidate.

For monitoring of a PDCCH candidate by a UE in a slot, if the UE.

If a UE monitors the PDCCH candidate for a Type0-PDCCH CSS set on the serving cell, the UE may assume that no SS/PBCH block is transmitted in REs used for monitoring the PDCCH candidate on the serving cell.

If at least one RE of a PDCCH candidate for a UE on the serving cell overlaps with at least one RE of lte-CRS-ToMatchAround, or of LTE-CRS-PatternList-r16, the UE is not required to monitor the PDCCH candidate.

If a UE is provided availableRB-SetPerCell-r16, the UE is not required to monitor PDCCH candidates that overlap with any resource block ("RB") from RB sets that are indicated as unavailable for receptions by DCI format 2_0.

the UE determines, for the purpose of reporting pdcch-BlindDetectionCA, a number of serving cells as <MAT> where R is either a value reported by the UE or R = TBD if the UE does not report a value of R.

If a UE indicates in UE-NR-Capability a carrier aggregation capability larger than <NUM> serving cells and the UE is not provided PDCCHMonitoringCapabilityConfig for any downlink cell or if the UE is provided PDCCHMonitoringCapabilityConfig = R15 PDCCH monitoring capability for all downlink cells where the UE monitors PDCCH, the UE includes in UE-NR-Capability an indication for a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and for a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs the UE can monitor per slot when the UE is configured for carrier aggregation operation over more than <NUM> cells. When a UE is not configured for new radio-dual connectivity ("NR-DC") operation, the UE determines a capability to monitor a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs per slot that corresponds to <MAT> downlink cells, where.

When a UE is configured for NR-DC operation, the UE determines a capability to monitor a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs per slot that corresponds to <MAT> downlink cells for the MCG where <MAT> is provided by pdcch-BlindDetection for the MCG and determines a capability to monitor a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs per slot that corresponds to <MAT> downlink cells for the SCG where <MAT> is provided by pdcch-BlindDetection for the SCG. When the UE is configured for carrier aggregation operation over more than <NUM> cells, or for a cell group when the UE is configured for NR-DC operation, the UE does not expect to monitor per slot a number of PDCCH candidates or a number of non-overlapped CCEs that is larger than the maximum number as derived from the corresponding value of <MAT>.

When a UE is configured for NR-DC operation with a total of <MAT> downlink cells on both the MCG and the SCG, the UE expects to be provided pdcch-BlindDetection for the MCG and pdcch-BlindDetection for the SCG with values that satisfy.

For NR-DC operation, the UE may indicate, through pdcch-BlindDetectionMCG-UE and pdcch-BlindDetectionSCG-UE, respective maximum values for pdcch-BlindDetection for the MCG and pdcch-BlindDetection for the SCG.

If the UE reports pdcch-BlindDetectionCA,.

Otherwise, if <MAT> is a maximum total number of downlink cells that the UE can be configured on both the master cell group ("MCG") and the secondary cell group ("SCG"),.

If a UE indicates in UE-NR-Capability-r16 a carrier aggregation capability larger than X downlink cells, the UE includes in UE-NR-Capability-r16 an indication for a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs that the UE can monitor per span when the UE is configured for carrier aggregation operation over more than X downlink cells. When a UE is not configured for NR-DC operation and the UE is provided PDCCHMonitoringCapabilityConfig = R16 PDCCH monitoring capability for all downlink cell where the UE monitors PDCCH, the UE determines a capability to monitor a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs per span that corresponds to <MAT> downlink cells, where.

If a UE indicates in UE-NR-Capability-r15 or in UE-NR-Capability-r16 a carrier aggregation capability larger than Y downlink cells or larger than Z downlink cells, respectively, the UE includes in UE-NR-Capability-r15 or in UE-NR-Capability-r16 an indication for a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs the UE can monitor for downlink cells with PDCCHMonitoringCapabilityConfig = R15 PDCCH monitoring capability or for downlink cells with PDCCHMonitoringCapabilityConfig = R16 PDCCH monitoring capability when the UE is configured for carrier aggregation operation over more than Y downlink cells or over more than Z downlink cells, respectively, and with at least one downlink cells from the Y downlink cells and at least one downlink cell from the Z downlink cells. When a UE is not configured for NR-DC operation, the UE determines a capability to monitor a maximum number of PDCCH candidates and a maximum number of non-overlapped CCEs per slot or per span that corresponds to <MAT> downlink cells or to <MAT> downlink cells, respectively, where.

Regarding PDCCH monitoring indication and dormancy/non-dormancy behavior for SCells, a UE configured with discontinuous reception ("DRX") mode operation on the primary cell ("PCell") or on the special cell ("SpCell"), e.g., a PCell of an MCG or SCG:.

The UE does not monitor PDCCH for detecting DCI format 2_6 during Active Time. If a UE reports for an active DL BWP a requirement of X slots prior to the beginning of a slot where the UE would start the drx-onDurationTimer, the UE is not required to monitor PDCCH for detection of DCI format 2_6 during the X slots, where X corresponds to the requirement of the SCS of the active DL BWP.

If a UE is provided search space sets to monitor PDCCH for detection of DCI format 2_6 in the active DL BWP of the PCell or of the SpCell and the UE does not detect DCI format 2_6.

If a UE is provided search space sets to monitor PDCCH for detection of DCI format 2_6 in the active DL BWP of the PCell or of the SpCell and the UE.

the UE shall start the drx-onDurationTimer for the next DRX cycle.

If a UE is provided search space sets to monitor PDCCH for detection of DCI format 0_1 and DCI format 1_1 and if one or both of DCI format 0_1 and DCI format 1_1 include a SCell dormancy indication field,.

If a UE is provided search space sets to monitor PDCCH for detection of DCI format 1_1, and if.

the UE considers the DCI format 1_1 as indicating SCell dormancy, not scheduling a PDSCH reception or indicating a semi-persistent scheduling ("SPS") PDSCH release, and for transport block <NUM> interprets the sequence of fields of.

If an active DL BWP provided by dormant-BWP for a UE on an activated SCell is not a default DL BWP for the UE on the activated SCell, as described in Clause <NUM>, the BWP inactivity timer is not used for transitioning from the active DL BWP provided by dormant-BWP to the default DL BWP on the activated SCell.

Regarding search space set switching, a UE can be provided a group index for a respective search space set by searchSpaceGroupIdList-r16 for PDCCH monitoring on a serving cell. If the UE is not provided searchSpaceGroupIdList-r16 for a search space set, the following procedures are not applicable for PDCCH monitoring according to the search space set.

If a UE is provided searchSpaceSwitchingGroupList-r16, indicating one or more groups of serving cells, the following procedures apply to all serving cells within each group; otherwise, the following procedures apply only to a serving cell for which the UE is provided searchSpaceGroupIdList-r16.

A UE can be provided, by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-r16, a timer value. The UE decrements the timer value by one after each slot in the active DL BWP of the serving cell where the UE monitors PDCCH for detection of DCI format 2_0.

If a UE is provided by SearchSpaceSwitchTrigger-r16 a location of a search space set switching field for a serving cell in a DCI format 2_0, as described in Clause <NUM>. <NUM>, and detects the DCI format 2_0 in a slot.

If a UE is not provided SearchSpaceSwitchirigger-r16 for a serving cell,.

Regarding search space, the information element ("IE") SearchSpace, see below, defines how/where to search for PDCCH candidates. Each search space is associated with one ControlResourceSet. For a scheduled cell in the case of cross carrier scheduling, except for nrofCandidates, all the optional fields are absent. <IMG>
<IMG>
<IMG>
<IMG>
<IMG>.

In one implementation of the solution, described below, a cell serving reduced capability UEs always configures a bandwidth of a CORESET with an index zero (e.g., CORESETO, a CORESET for an associated Type0-PDCCH CSS for a DCI format with CRC scrambled by a SI-RNTI on the primary cell of the MCG) to be equal to or less than a minimum UE bandwidth of the reduced capability UEs for a given frequency band. That is, a reduced capability UE(s) does not expect that the bandwidth of CORESETO is larger than the predefined minimum UE bandwidth for the UE(s).

In another implementation described below, a cell serving reduced capability UEs in addition to Rel-<NUM>/<NUM> NR UEs may configure a bandwidth of the CORESETO larger than the minimum UE bandwidth of the reduced capability UEs. In this case, the cell may provide a separate CORESETO of a separate Type0-PDCCH CSS for the reduced capability UEs. The reduced capability UEs may initiate identifying configuration information of the separate CORESETO and the corresponding separate Type0-PDCCH CSS intended for the reduced capability UEs, once determining that a bandwidth of a legacy (e.g. NR Rel-<NUM>/<NUM>) CORESETO of a legacy Type0-PDCCH CSS set configured by pdcch-ConfigSIB1 in MIB, by searchSpaceSIB1 in PDCCH-ConfigCommon, or by searchSpaceZero in PDCCH-ConfigCommon is wider than the minimum UE bandwidth of the reduced capability UEs for the given frequency band. In this case, pdcch-ConfigSIB1 in MIB, searchSpaceSIB1 in PDCCH-ConfigCommon, or searchSpaceZero in PDCCH-ConfigCommon may indicate a selection from a set of predefined CORESET/search space configurations for the reduced capability UEs In one example, the predefined CORESET/search space configuration(s) for the reduced capability UEs may be based on the indicated pdcch-ConfigSIB1 in MIB, by searchSpaceSIB1 in PDCCH-ConfigCommon, or by searchSpaceZero in PDCCH-ConfigCommon (e.g., slot offset, max limit on number of RBs for CORESET, RB offset).

Regarding scheduling based dynamic PDCCH skipping, according to Clause <NUM> of TS <NUM> (Rel-<NUM>), for any HARQ process ID(s) in a given scheduled cell, a UE is not expected to receive a PDSCH that overlaps in time with another PDSCH. The UE is not expected to receive another PDSCH for a given HARQ process until after the end of the expected transmission of HARQ-ACK for that HARQ process, where the timing is given by Clause <NUM>. <NUM> of TS <NUM>. In a given scheduled cell, the UE is not expected to receive a first PDSCH in slot i, with the corresponding HARQ-ACK assigned to be transmitted in slot j, and a second PDSCH starting later than the first PDSCH with its corresponding HARQ-ACK assigned to be transmitted in a slot before slot j. For any two HARQ process IDs in a given scheduled cell, if the UE is scheduled to start receiving a first PDSCH starting in symbol j by a PDCCH ending in symbol i, the UE is not expected to be scheduled to receive a PDSCH starting earlier than the end of the first PDSCH with a PDCCH that ends later than symbol i.

According to Clause <NUM> of TS <NUM> (Rel-<NUM>), when a UE is scheduled with multiple PUSCHs by a DCI, HARQ process ID indicated by this DCI applies to the first PUSCH, as described in clause <NUM>. <NUM>, HARQ process ID is then incremented by <NUM> for each subsequent PUSCH(s) in the scheduled order, with modulo <NUM> operation applied. For any HARQ process ID(s) in a given scheduled cell, the UE is not expected to transmit a PUSCH that overlaps in time with another PUSCH. For any two HARQ process IDs in a given scheduled cell, if the UE is scheduled to start a first PUSCH transmission starting in symbol j by a PDCCH ending in symbol i, the UE is not expected to be scheduled to transmit a PUSCH starting earlier than the end of the first PUSCH by a PDCCH that ends later than symbol i. The UE is not expected to be scheduled to transmit another PUSCH by DCI format 0_0, 0_1 or 0_2 scrambled by C-RNTI or MCS-C-RNTI for a given HARQ process until after the end of the expected transmission of the last PUSCH for that HARQ process.

In one embodiment, if a UE detects a DCI of a DCI format in a first cell scheduling at least one PDSCH and/or at least one PUSCH on at least one slot of a second cell, the UE skips monitoring the DCI format (e.g., does not perform blind decoding of PDCCH candidates for the DCI format) on a first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions out of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions for the DCI format in the first cell. The first cell is a scheduling cell, and the second cell is a scheduled cell. The first cell is different than the second cell for cases of cross-carrier scheduling. The first cell is same as the second cell for cases of self-carrier scheduling. In one example, the UE may skip monitoring DCI formats of a particular/first type (e.g., uplink scheduling, downlink assignment, group-common; may be the same type as the detected DCI format type; in common and/or UE-specific search space) on the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions.

In one implementation, the UE may determine the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions based on scheduling information in the detected DCI. For example, the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is determined based on the number of scheduled PDSCHs and/or PUSCHs, a scheduling offset value (e.g., a start time offset of the earliest scheduled PDSCH/PUSCH with respect to an ending slot/symbol of the scheduling DCI), and/or the number of PDSCH/PUSCH repetitions. The UE may further receive additional information to be used to determine the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions. For example, the additional information includes the minimum scheduling offset values for PDSCH and PUSCH, respectively, and/or an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed. With out-of-order scheduling enabled, for any two HARQ process IDs in a given scheduled cell, if the UE is scheduled to start receiving a first PDSCH starting in symbol j by a PDCCH ending in symbol i, the UE can be scheduled to receive a PDSCH starting earlier than the end of the first PDSCH with a PDCCH that ends later than symbol i. Similarly, for any two HARQ process IDs in a given scheduled cell, if the UE is scheduled to start a first PUSCH transmission starting in symbol j by a PDCCH ending in symbol i, the UE can be scheduled to transmit a PUSCH starting earlier than the end of the first PUSCH by a PDCCH that ends later than symbol i. In one example, the UE may determine the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions based on an indicated or configured number of PDCCH monitoring occasions (or slots) to skip in the detected DCI. The number of PDCCH monitoring occasions (or slots) to skip may be based on the configured/indicated minimum scheduling offset value.

In one example implementation, for a given scheduled PDSCH or PUSCH in the second cell (e.g., the scheduled cell), the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions to skip monitoring the DCI format in the first cell (e.g., the scheduling cell) is a set of consecutive PDCCH monitoring occasions for the DCI format, which starts from a PDCCH monitoring occasion right after a PDCCH monitoring occasion, where the UE has detected the DCI scheduling the given PDSCH or PUSCH, and ends at the latest DCI monitoring occasion, where a DCI scheduling the given PDSCH or PUSCH can potentially be transmitted according to the configured/indicated minimum scheduling offset restriction by a network entity.

In another example implementation, for a given set of scheduled PDSCHs or PUSCHs in the second cell (e.g., the scheduled cell), the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions to skip monitoring the DCI format in the first cell (e.g., the scheduling cell) is a set of consecutive PDCCH monitoring occasions for the DCI format, which starts from a PDCCH monitoring occasion right after a PDCCH monitoring occasion, where the UE has detected the DCI scheduling the given set of PDSCHs or PUSCHs, and ends at the latest DCI monitoring occasion, where a DCI scheduling the last PDSCH or PUSCH from the given set of scheduled PDSCHs or PUSCHs can potentially be transmitted according to the configured/indicated minimum scheduling offset restriction by a network entity.

In an example shown in <FIG>, the UE detects the first DCI (e.g., PDCCH <NUM>) on slot <NUM> scheduling PDSCHs <NUM>-<NUM> on slots <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, respectively. With K<NUM>,min equal to <NUM>, the UE can be scheduled on slot <NUM> via a PDCCH the latest on slot <NUM>. Similarly, the UE can be scheduled on slot <NUM> via a PDCCH the latest on slot <NUM>. Since the UE has already been scheduled with PDSCHs <NUM> and <NUM> on slots <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively, the UE skips monitoring of the DCI format on slots <NUM> and <NUM> (if configured and/or if dynamically indicated for skipping). Once the UE detects the second DCI (e.g., PDCCH <NUM>) on slot <NUM> scheduling PDSCH <NUM> on slot <NUM>, the UE skips monitoring of the DCI format on slot <NUM>, the latest slot where the UE can receive a PDCCH scheduling a PDSCH on slot <NUM>. Similarly, upon detecting the third DCI (e.g., PDCCH <NUM>) on slot <NUM> scheduling PDSCH <NUM> on slot <NUM>, the UE skips monitoring of the DCI format on slot <NUM>, the latest slot where the UE can receive a PDCCH scheduling a PDSCH on slot <NUM>.

In another example shown in <FIG>, the UE detects the first DCI (e.g., PDCCH <NUM>) on slot <NUM> scheduling PUSCHs <NUM>-<NUM> on slots <NUM>-<NUM>, respectively. With K<NUM>,min equal to <NUM>, if configured and/or dynamically indicated for skipping, the UE skips monitoring of the DCI format from slot <NUM> (e.g., right after slot <NUM> where the UE has detected the DCI) to slot <NUM> (e.g., the latest slot where the UE can receive a PDCCH scheduling a PUSCH on slot <NUM>). Since PUSCH <NUM> on slot <NUM> is scheduled via the second DCI (e.g., PDCCH <NUM>) on slot <NUM>, the latest slot where the UE can receive a PDCCH scheduling a PUSCH on slot <NUM>, the UE monitors the DCI format at the next PDCCH monitoring occasion, e.g., on slot <NUM>. Upon detecting the third DCI (PDCCH <NUM>) on slot <NUM> scheduling PUSCH <NUM> on slot <NUM>, the UE skips monitoring of the DCI format from slot <NUM> (e.g., right after slot <NUM> where the UE has detected the DCI) to slot <NUM> (e.g., the latest slot where the UE can receive a PDCCH scheduling a PUSCH on slot <NUM>). If out-of-order scheduling is enabled for the UE, the UE monitors the DCI format on slot <NUM>, the latest slot where the UE can receive a PDCCH scheduling a PUSCH on slot <NUM>.

In an example shown in <FIG>, the minimum applicable scheduling offset K<NUM>, min was set to zero before slot <NUM>, and the UE receives, on slot <NUM>, an indication that the K<NUM>, min value changes from zero to one, via PDCCH <NUM> scheduling PDSCH <NUM> on slot <NUM>. With an application delay of <NUM> slot, the UE applies the new K<NUM>, min value (e.g., K<NUM>, min =<NUM>) from slot <NUM>. If out-of-order scheduling is not allowed/enabled, the UE skips monitoring the DCI format from slot <NUM> to slot <NUM>, the latest slot where the UE can receive a PDCCH scheduling a PDSCH on slot <NUM>.

In another implementation, the UE may receive information of a second set of PDCCH monitoring occasions selected from the plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions, where the UE performs monitoring of the DCI format on the second set of PDCCH monitoring occasions. Information of the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions and/or the second set of PDCCH monitoring occasions may be included in the scheduling DCI.

In yet another implementation, the UE may receive an indication of whether to skip monitoring of the DCI format on the first set of PDCCH monitoring occasions or not in the scheduling DCI. An example implementation of joint encoding of the minimum applicable scheduling offset and an indication of PDCCH monitoring skipping is shown below.

For a DCI format scheduling at least one PDSCH and/or PUSCH, one of DCI fields in the DCI format is given by:.

• Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator - <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> bits.

• <NUM> bit if higher layer parameter minimumSchedulingOffset is not configured;
• <NUM> bit if higher layer parameter minimumSchedulingOffset is configured. The <NUM> bit indication is used to determine the minimum applicable K0 for the active DL BWP and the minimum applicable K2 value for the active UL BWP according to Table <NUM>. <NUM>-<NUM>. If the minimum applicable K0 is indicated, the minimum applicable value of the aperiodic CSI-RS triggering offset for an active DL BWP shall be the same as the minimum applicable K0 value. • <NUM> bits if higher layer parameter minimumSchedulingOffset is configured and if higher layer parameter dciMonitoringSkip is configured. In one example shown in Table X1, the MSB determines the minimum applicable K0 for the active DL BWP and the minimum applicable K2 value for the active UL BWP. The LSB determines whether to skip monitoring of the DCI format on a set of slots, where the set of slots are determined with respect to a slot, where the DCI format is detected, based on the minimum applicable scheduling offset values for PDSCH/PUSCH. In another example shown in Table X2, each index indicated by the <NUM>-bit field represents a different combination of the minimum applicable K0/K2 values and DCI monitoring behaviors, where the UE may receive an association indication of a first and second DCI format with the DCI format.

In another embodiment, if a UE detects a DCI of a DCI format on a first cell scheduling at least one PDSCH and/or at least one PUSCH on at least one slot of a second cell, the UE skips monitoring of the DCI format (e.g., does not perform blind decoding of PDCCH candidates for the DCI format) on a first set of slots out of a plurality of slots of the first cell, where each of the plurality of slots include at least one configured PDCCH monitoring occasion for the DCI format. The first cell is a scheduling cell, and the second carrier is a scheduled cell. The first cell is different than the second cell for cases of cross-carrier scheduling. In one example, the UE may skip monitoring DCI formats of a particular/first type (e.g., uplink scheduling, downlink assignment, group-common; may be the same type as the detected DCI format type; in common and/or UE-specific search space) on the first set of slots out of the plurality of slots of the first cell, where each of the plurality of slots include at least one configured PDCCH monitoring occasion for the at least one DCI format of the particular/first type.

The methods disclosed in this disclosure also include any combination of above mentioned embodiments, implementations, and examples.

Regarding enhanced power saving channel for adaptation of PDCCH monitoring, in one embodiment, a UE is configured with a plurality of values for one or more search space configuration parameters in a given search space configuration or a plurality sets of search space configuration parameters in the given search space configuration. The UE further receives an indication of which parameter value(s) or which parameter set to apply in order to determine corresponding PDCCH monitoring occasion(s).

In one example, each of the search space configuration parameters, monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset, monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot, and duration, is configured with two values, a first value and a second value, where the first values of the parameters are applied together for a first operation mode and the second values of the parameters are applied together for a second operation mode. In an example implementation, the first operation mode is span-based PDCCH monitoring, and the second operation mode is slot-based monitoring.

In another example, two sets of the search space configuration parameters are configured for a search space set:.

In one implementation, the indication of which parameter value or parameter set to apply to identify PDCCH monitoring occasions may be received together with a wake-up indication. For example, DCI format 2_6 in a group-common PDCCH can be enhanced as shown below.

Enhanced DCI format 2_6 is used for notifying the power saving information outside DRX Active Time for one or more UEs.

The following information is transmitted by means of the DCI format 2_6 with CRC scrambled by PS-RNTI:.

If the UE is configured with higher layer parameter PS-RNTI and dci-Format2-<NUM>, one block is configured for the UE by higher layers, with the following fields defined for the block:.

The size of DCI format 2_6 is indicated by the higher layer parameter SizeDCI_2-<NUM>.

In another implementation, the UE determines which search space configuration parameter value(s) or which search space configuration parameter set to apply based on the detection of a scheduling DCI, for example, the UE receives an indication of which search space configuration parameter value(s) or which search space configuration parameter set to apply in order to determine corresponding PDCCH monitoring occasion(s) in a scheduling DCI.

In yet another implementation, the UE determines which search space configuration parameter value(s) or which search space configuration parameter set to apply (e.g., to search space configuration in which DCI formats of a particular/first type (e.g., uplink scheduling) are monitored) based on a triggering of scheduling request ("SR") transmission and/or a buffer status report ("BSR") transmission. In one example, the UE may be configured with a first search space parameter value(s) or search space parameter set for a first SR/BSR configuration corresponding to a first logical channel/logical channel group (or logical channel type, logical channel priority, quality of service ("QoS") class identifier or the combination thereof), and a second search space parameter value(s) or search space parameter set for a second SR/BSR configuration corresponding to a second logical channel/logical channel group (logical channel type, logical channel priority, QoS class identifier or the combination thereof). The UE may determine the search space parameter value(s) or search space parameter set based on whether the SR/BSR is associated with the first SR/BSR configuration or the second SR/BSR configuration.

Regarding priority-based PDCCH monitoring, in one embodiment, a UE receives a plurality of search space configurations where each of the plurality of search space configurations includes information of a search space priority. The UE determines a plurality of PDCCH candidates to monitor per slot (or per span) and an associated plurality of non-overlapped CCEs per slot (or per span) based on the search space priorities of the plurality of search space configurations and performs blind decoding for the determined plurality of PDCCH candidates.

In one implementation, a search space priority is implicitly indicated via a search space index (e.g., higher layer parameter searchSpaceId). In another implementation, a search space priority may be indicated via a new Rel-<NUM> NR higher layer parameter, e.g., searchSpacePriorityIndex.

<FIG> depicts a user equipment apparatus <NUM> that may be used for power efficient PDCCH monitoring, according to embodiments of the disclosure. In various embodiments, the user equipment apparatus <NUM> is used to implement one or more of the solutions described above. The user equipment apparatus <NUM> may be one embodiment of the remote unit <NUM> and/or the UE <NUM>, described above. Furthermore, the user equipment apparatus <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, an output device <NUM>, and a transceiver <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the input device <NUM> and the output device <NUM> are combined into a single device, such as a touchscreen. In certain embodiments, the user equipment apparatus <NUM> may not include any input device <NUM> and/or output device <NUM>. In various embodiments, the user equipment apparatus <NUM> may include one or more of: the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, and the transceiver <NUM>, and may not include the input device <NUM> and/or the output device <NUM>.

As depicted, the transceiver <NUM> includes at least one transmitter <NUM> and at least one receiver <NUM>. In some embodiments, the transceiver <NUM> communicates with one or more cells (or wireless coverage areas) supported by one or more base units <NUM>. In various embodiments, the transceiver <NUM> is operable on unlicensed spectrum. Moreover, the transceiver <NUM> may include multiple UE panel supporting one or more beams. Additionally, the transceiver <NUM> may support at least one network interface <NUM> and/or application interface <NUM>. The application interface(s) <NUM> may support one or more APIs. The network interface(s) <NUM> may support 3GPP reference points, such as Uu, N1, PC5, etc. Other network interfaces <NUM> may be supported, as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

In certain embodiments, the processor <NUM> may include an application processor (also known as "main processor") which manages application-domain and operating system ("OS") functions and a baseband processor (also known as "baseband radio processor") which manages radio functions.

In various embodiments, the processor <NUM> controls the user equipment apparatus <NUM> to implement the above described UE behaviors. For example, the processor <NUM> may monitor a first downlink control information ("DCI") format according to a first search space configuration in a first cell, detect DCI of the first DCI format in the first cell scheduling at least one physical data channel on at least one slot of a second cell, and skip monitoring of a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions, the plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions configured for the second DCI format by a second search space configuration.

In one embodiment, the processor <NUM> determines the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions based on the detected DCI. In some embodiments, the processor <NUM> ceases monitoring a plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting the DCI of the first DCI format and resumes monitoring the plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting DCI of a third DCI format.

In one embodiment, the transceiver <NUM> receives an association indication of the first search space configuration with the second search space configuration. In one embodiment, the transceiver <NUM> receives an indication of which search space configuration parameter values to apply to determine the corresponding plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions. In some embodiments, the transceiver <NUM> receives a plurality of search space configurations where each of the plurality of search space configurations comprises information of a search space priority. The processor <NUM> may determine a plurality of PDCCH candidates to monitor and an associated plurality of non-overlapped control channel elements ("CCEs") based on the search space priorities for the plurality of search space configurations.

In some embodiments, the memory <NUM> stores data related to power efficient PDCCH monitoring. For example, the memory <NUM> may store various parameters, panel/beam configurations, resource assignments, policies, and the like, as described above. In certain embodiments, the memory <NUM> also stores program code and related data, such as an operating system or other controller algorithms operating on the user equipment apparatus <NUM>.

In some embodiments, all, or portions of the output device <NUM> may be integrated with the input device <NUM>.

The transceiver <NUM> communicates with one or more network functions of a mobile communication network via one or more access networks. The transceiver <NUM> operates under the control of the processor <NUM> to transmit messages, data, and other signals and also to receive messages, data, and other signals. For example, the processor <NUM> may selectively activate the transceiver <NUM> (or portions thereof) at particular times in order to send and receive messages.

The transceiver <NUM> includes at least transmitter <NUM> and at least one receiver <NUM>. One or more transmitters <NUM> may be used to provide UL communication signals to a base unit <NUM>, such as the UL transmissions described herein. Similarly, one or more receivers <NUM> may be used to receive DL communication signals from the base unit <NUM>, as described herein. Although only one transmitter <NUM> and one receiver <NUM> are illustrated, the user equipment apparatus <NUM> may have any suitable number of transmitters <NUM> and receivers <NUM>. Further, the transmitter(s) <NUM> and the receiver(s) <NUM> may be any suitable type of transmitters and receivers. In one embodiment, the transceiver <NUM> includes a first transmitter/receiver pair used to communicate with a mobile communication network over licensed radio spectrum and a second transmitter/receiver pair used to communicate with a mobile communication network over unlicensed radio spectrum.

In various embodiments, one or more transmitters <NUM> and/or one or more receivers <NUM> may be implemented and/or integrated into a single hardware component, such as a multi-transceiver chip, a system-on-a-chip, an ASIC, or other type of hardware component. In certain embodiments, one or more transmitters <NUM> and/or one or more receivers <NUM> may be implemented and/or integrated into a multi-chip module. In some embodiments, other components such as the network interface <NUM> or other hardware components/circuits may be integrated with any number of transmitters <NUM> and/or receivers <NUM> into a single chip. In such embodiment, the transmitters <NUM> and receivers <NUM> may be logically configured as a transceiver <NUM> that uses one more common control signals or as modular transmitters <NUM> and receivers <NUM> implemented in the same hardware chip or in a multi-chip module.

<FIG> depicts a network apparatus <NUM> that may be used for power efficient PDCCH monitoring, according to embodiments of the disclosure. In one embodiment, network apparatus <NUM> may be one implementation of a RAN node, such as the base unit <NUM>, the RAN node <NUM>, or gNB, described above. Furthermore, the base network apparatus <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, an output device <NUM>, and a transceiver <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the input device <NUM> and the output device <NUM> are combined into a single device, such as a touchscreen. In certain embodiments, the network apparatus <NUM> may not include any input device <NUM> and/or output device <NUM>. In various embodiments, the network apparatus <NUM> may include one or more of: the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, and the transceiver <NUM>, and may not include the input device <NUM> and/or the output device <NUM>.

As depicted, the transceiver <NUM> includes at least one transmitter <NUM> and at least one receiver <NUM>. Here, the transceiver <NUM> communicates with one or more remote units <NUM>. Additionally, the transceiver <NUM> may support at least one network interface <NUM> and/or application interface <NUM>. The application interface(s) <NUM> may support one or more APIs. The network interface(s) <NUM> may support 3GPP reference points, such as Uu, N1, N2 and N3. Other network interfaces <NUM> may be supported, as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

For example, the processor <NUM> may be a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or similar programmable controller. In certain embodiments, the processor <NUM> may include an application processor (also known as "main processor") which manages application-domain and operating system ("OS") functions and a baseband processor (also known as "baseband radio processor") which manages radio function.

In various embodiments, the network apparatus <NUM> is a RAN node (e.g., gNB) that facilitates power efficient PDCCH monitoring, as described herein. In such embodiments, the processor <NUM> determines, at a mobile wireless network, downlink control information ("DCI") having a first DCI format that indicates to a user equipment ("UE") to skip monitoring a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format associated with a second search space configuration. In one embodiment, the transceiver <NUM> sends, from the mobile wireless network to the UE, the DCI having the first DCI format according to a first search space configuration of a first cell.

In one embodiment, the processor <NUM> configures the UE with a plurality of values for one or more search space configuration parameters for the second search space configuration. In further embodiments, the transceiver <NUM> sends an indication of which search space configuration parameter values to apply to determine the corresponding plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions. In one embodiment, the transceiver <NUM> sends a plurality of search space configurations to the UE where each of the plurality of search space configurations comprises information of a search space priority.

In some embodiments, the memory <NUM> stores data related to power efficient PDCCH monitoring. For example, the memory <NUM> may store parameters, configurations, resource assignments, policies, and the like, as described above. In certain embodiments, the memory <NUM> also stores program code and related data, such as an operating system or other controller algorithms operating on the network apparatus <NUM>.

As another, non-limiting, example, the output device <NUM> may include a wearable display separate from, but communicatively coupled to, the rest of the network apparatus <NUM>, such as a smart watch, smart glasses, a heads-up display, or the like.

The transceiver <NUM> includes at least transmitter <NUM> and at least one receiver <NUM>. One or more transmitters <NUM> may be used to communicate with the UE, as described herein. Similarly, one or more receivers <NUM> may be used to communicate with network functions in the NPN, PLMN and/or RAN, as described herein. Although only one transmitter <NUM> and one receiver <NUM> are illustrated, the network apparatus <NUM> may have any suitable number of transmitters <NUM> and receivers <NUM>. Further, the transmitter(s) <NUM> and the receiver(s) <NUM> may be any suitable type of transmitters and receivers.

<FIG> is a flowchart diagram of a method <NUM> for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. The method <NUM> may be performed by a UE as described herein, for example, the remote unit <NUM>, the UE <NUM> and/or the user equipment apparatus <NUM>. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> may be performed by a processor executing program code, for example, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or the like.

In one embodiment, the method <NUM> begins and monitors <NUM> a first downlink control information ("DCI") format according to a first search space configuration in a first cell. In further embodiments, the method <NUM> detects <NUM> DCI of the first DCI format in the first cell scheduling at least one physical data channel on at least one slot of a second cell. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> skips <NUM> monitoring of a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions, the plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions configured for the second DCI format by a second search space configuration, and the method <NUM> ends.

<FIG> is a flowchart diagram of a method <NUM> for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. The method <NUM> may be performed by a network device as described herein, for example, the base unit <NUM>, the RAN node <NUM>, gNB, and/or the network equipment apparatus <NUM>. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> may be performed by a processor executing program code, for example, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or the like.

In one embodiment, the method <NUM> begins and determines <NUM>, at a mobile wireless network, downlink control information ("DCI") having a first DCI format that indicates to a user equipment ("UE") to skip monitoring a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format associated with a second search space configuration. In further embodiments, the method <NUM> sends <NUM>, from the mobile wireless network to the UE, the DCI having the first DCI format according to a first search space configuration of a first cell, and the method <NUM> ends.

A first method is disclosed for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. In one embodiment, the first method includes monitoring a first downlink control information ("DCI") format according to a first search space configuration in a first cell, detecting DCI of the first DCI format in the first cell scheduling at least one physical data channel on at least one slot of a second cell, and skipping monitoring of a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions, the plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions configured for the second DCI format by a second search space configuration.

In one embodiment, the first method includes determining the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions based on the detected DCI. In some embodiments, the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is determined based on scheduling information in the detected DCI. The scheduling information may include information of the at least one physical data channel and information of a minimum scheduling offset value for the at least one physical data channel.

In one embodiment, skipping monitoring the second DCI format comprises not performing blind decoding of a plurality of PDCCH candidates for the second DCI format. In some embodiments, the first cell is a scheduling cell, and the second cell is a scheduled cell. In certain embodiments, the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions to skip monitoring the second DCI format comprises a set of consecutive PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format.

In one embodiment, the first DCI format is a same format as the second DCI format. In some embodiments, the first method includes ceasing monitoring a plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting the DCI of the first DCI format and resuming monitoring the plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting DCI of a third DCI format.

In one embodiment, the first method includes receiving an association indication of the first search space configuration with the second search space configuration. In some embodiments, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration are associated with a group of search space sets. In various embodiments, a UE is configured with a plurality of values for search space configuration parameters for at least one of the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration.

In one embodiment, the first method includes receiving an indication of which search space configuration parameter values to apply to determine the corresponding plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions. In some embodiments, the first method includes receiving a plurality of search space configurations where each of the plurality of search space configurations comprises information of a search space priority and determining a plurality of PDCCH candidates to monitor and an associated plurality of non-overlapped control channel elements ("CCEs") based on the search space priorities for the plurality of search space configurations.

A first apparatus is disclosed for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. The first apparatus, in one embodiment, includes a processor that monitors a first downlink control information ("DCI") format according to a first search space configuration in a first cell, detects DCI of the first DCI format in the first cell scheduling at least one physical data channel on at least one slot of a second cell, and skips monitoring of a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions, the plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions configured for the second DCI format by a second search space configuration.

In one embodiment, the processor determines the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions based on the detected DCI. In some embodiments, the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is determined based on scheduling information in the detected DCI. The scheduling information may include information of the at least one physical data channel and information of a minimum scheduling offset value for the at least one physical data channel.

In one embodiment, skipping monitoring the second DCI format comprises not performing blind decoding of a plurality of PDCCH candidates for the second DCI format. In certain embodiments, the first cell is a scheduling cell, and the second cell is a scheduled cell. In further embodiments, the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions to skip monitoring the second DCI format comprises a set of consecutive PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format.

In one embodiment, the first DCI format is a same format as the second DCI format. In some embodiments, the processor ceases monitoring a plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting the DCI of the first DCI format and resumes monitoring the plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting DCI of a third DCI format.

In one embodiment, the first apparatus includes a transceiver that receives an association indication of the first search space configuration with the second search space configuration. In certain embodiments, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration are associated with a group of search space sets. In certain embodiments, the first apparatus is configured with a plurality of values for search space configuration parameters for at least one of the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration.

In one embodiment, the first apparatus includes a transceiver that receives an indication of which search space configuration parameter values to apply to determine the corresponding plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions. In some embodiments, the first apparatus includes a transceiver that receives a plurality of search space configurations where each of the plurality of search space configurations comprises information of a search space priority. The processor may determine a plurality of PDCCH candidates to monitor and an associated plurality of non-overlapped control channel elements ("CCEs") based on the search space priorities for the plurality of search space configurations.

A second method is disclosed for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. In one embodiment, the second method includes determining, at a mobile wireless network, downlink control information ("DCI") having a first DCI format that indicates to a user equipment ("UE") to skip monitoring a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format associated with a second search space configuration and sending, from the mobile wireless network to the UE, the DCI having the first DCI format according to a first search space configuration of a first cell.

In one embodiment, the second method includes configuring the UE with a plurality of values for one or more search space configuration parameters for the second search space configuration. In certain embodiments, the second method includes sending an indication of which search space configuration parameter values to apply to determine the corresponding plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions.

In various embodiments, the second method includes sending a plurality of search space configurations to the UE where each of the plurality of search space configurations comprises information of a search space priority. A plurality of PDCCH candidates to monitor and an associated plurality of non-overlapped control channel elements ("CCEs") may be determined based on the search space priorities for the plurality of search space configurations. In one embodiment, the DCI having the first DCI format schedules at least one physical data channel on at least one slot of a second cell.

A second apparatus is disclosed for power efficient PDCCH monitoring. In one embodiment, the second apparatus includes a processor that determines, at a mobile wireless network, downlink control information ("DCI") having a first DCI format that indicates to a user equipment ("UE") to skip monitoring a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format associated with a second search space configuration and a transceiver that sends, from the mobile wireless network to the UE, the DCI having the first DCI format according to a first search space configuration of a first cell.

In one embodiment, the processor configures the UE with a plurality of values for one or more search space configuration parameters for the second search space configuration. In further embodiments, the transceiver sends an indication of which search space configuration parameter values to apply to determine the corresponding plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions.

In one embodiment, the transceiver sends a plurality of search space configurations to the UE where each of the plurality of search space configurations comprises information of a search space priority. A plurality of PDCCH candidates to monitor and an associated plurality of non-overlapped control channel elements ("CCEs") may be determined based on the search space priorities for the plurality of search space configurations. In one embodiment, the DCI having the first DCI format schedules at least one physical data channel on at least one slot of a second cell.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) performed by a user equipment (<NUM>), the method comprising:
monitoring (<NUM>) a first downlink control information, DCI, format according to a first search space configuration in a first cell;
detecting (<NUM>) DCI of the first DCI format in the first cell scheduling at least one physical data channel on at least one slot of a second cell; and
skipping (<NUM>) monitoring of a second DCI format on a set of physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions, the plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions configured for the second DCI format by a second search space configuration,
wherein the method further comprises determining the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions based on the detected DCI,
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is determined based on scheduling information in the detected DCI, and
wherein the scheduling information comprises information of the at least one physical data channel and information of a minimum scheduling offset value for the at least one physical data channel.