NEWTORK

BACKGROUND

A deterministic communication network provides communication services that are deterministic, e.g., in terms of bounded communication latency and jitter. A Time Sensitive Network (TSN) specified by IEEE 802.1 is one example of a deterministic communication network. A TSN provides deterministic services through IEEE 802.3 networks, including time synchronization, guaranteed low latency transmissions and high reliability, to make legacy Ethernet, designed for best-effort communication, deterministic. The determinism provided by a TSN and other types of networks proves important to, for example, support mission-critical applications and factory automation, including those involving industrial plant measurements, high precision motion control, and other industrial internet-of-things (lot) uses cases.

A TSN and other types of deterministic communication networks provide determinism by exploiting precise time synchronization between nodes within the deterministic communication network that synchronize to the same time reference. Where this time reference is a reference in a local arbitrary time domain, the time reference may be known as a working clock.

Interconnecting nodes of a deterministic communication network via a wireless communication network requires the wireless communication network to relay the time reference between the deterministic communication network nodes synchronizing to that time reference. Imposing this requirement on the wireless communication network, however, threatens the wireless communication network with substantial bandwidth demand on the radio interface and meaningful processing load on wireless network nodes.

SUMMARY

It may be an object of the present invention to reduce bandwidth demands on a radio interface and processing load on wireless network nodes when interconnecting nodes of a deterministic communication network via a wireless communication network.

According to some embodiments herein, a wireless communication network conditionally transmits control signaling indicating a time reference of a different communication network, e.g., a deterministic communication network such as a Time Sensitive Network (TSN). This conditional transmitting means that the wireless communication network, under some conditions, terminates propagation of control signaling indicating the time reference. In embodiments where the wireless communication network terminates propagation before control signaling indicating the time reference would have been transmitted on the radio interface, the conditional transmitting advantageously alleviates bandwidth demands on the radio interface attributable to control signaling relaying/forwarding. No matter the particular point of propagation termination, though, the conditional transmitting in some embodiments reduces processing load imposed on at least some nodes of the wireless communication network.

In some embodiments, the condition(s) under which the wireless communication network transmits the control signaling (e.g., over the radio interface) are defined so as to effectively transmit the control signaling only when the control signaling will have a meaningful impact on the accuracy or precision with which nodes of the different communication network will be able to synchronize to the time reference. That is, the condition(s) may be defined such that, if nodes of the different communication network would be able to synchronize to the time reference within an acceptable tolerance even without all instances of the control signaling being transmitted (e.g., over the radio interface), the wireless communication network may refrain from unnecessarily transmitting that control signaling, e.g., in favor of alleviating radio interface bandwidth and node processing demands.

In these and other embodiments, for example, the condition(s) may be based on a relationship (e.g., difference or drift rate) between the time reference maintained by nodes of the different communication network (e.g. a node in the different network may serve as the source of a given time reference), as indicated by the control signaling to be transmitted, and a time reference of the wireless communication network. The wireless communication network may for instance condition transmission of the control signaling on the difference and/or drift rate between the time references exceeding an allowed threshold. Conditioning transmission on the relationship between the time references may prove advantageous where nodes of the wireless communication network maintain the different communication network’s time reference based on the wireless communication network’s own time reference, without having to receive all updates of the different communication network’s time reference as indicated by time reference control signaling to be transmitted. Embodiments in this case may be based on the premise that the control signaling need not be transmitted when the relationship between the networks’ time references has not meaningfully changed, e.g., since the last update of the different communication network’s time reference. The embodiments may accordingly exploit this condition as an opportunity to alleviate radio interface bandwidth and node processing demands.

More particularly, the present disclosure generally includes the following embodiments, e.g., which may address one or more of the issues disclosed herein.

According to some embodiments, a method performed by a network node in a wireless communication network includes receiving, at the network node, control signaling indicating a time reference of a different communication network and determining whether or not any of one or more conditions are met for indicating the time reference to another node in the wireless communication network. The method also includes transmitting or not transmitting control signaling indicating the time reference to the another node, depending respectively on whether or not the one or more conditions are met according to the determining.

The one or more conditions may include a difference between the time reference of the different communication network and a time reference of the wireless communication network exceeding a maximum allowed difference threshold. The one or more conditions may alternatively or additionally include the time reference of the different communication network having drifted over time from a time reference of the wireless communication network at a rate that exceeds a maximum allowed drift rate threshold.

A time reference of the different communication network may be predictable with prediction information, and the one or more conditions may include an error of a predicted time reference, predicted with the prediction information, exceeding a maximum allowed prediction error threshold. In this case, the method in some embodiments may further include, before receiving the control signaling, sending the prediction information to the other node, for use by the other node to predict the predicted time reference. The prediction information may include a frequency offset estimate between the time reference of the different communication network and a time reference of the wireless communication network.

In some embodiments, the one or more conditions include a first condition that the network node has not transmitted any control signaling indicating a time reference of the different communication network to the another node before and a second condition that the network node has transmitted control signaling indicating a time reference of the different communication network to the another node before and that one or more sub-conditions are met.

The transmitting or not transmitting may comprise transmitting the control signaling, and the method may further comprise, based on transmitting the control signaling to the another node, also sending to the other node time reference information indicating a time reference of the wireless communication network (e.g. a node in the wireless communication network may serve as the source of the time reference of the wireless communication network).

In some embodiments, the control signaling may indicate the time reference of the different communication network as an offset to a time reference of the wireless communication network.

In some embodiments, the network node is a radio network node and the another node is a wireless device. In other embodiments, the network node is a core network node and the another node is a radio network node. The core network node may implement a user plane function (UPF). The method may further comprise, based on not transmitting the control signaling to the radio network node, transmitting signaling to the radio network node indicating that the radio network node is to skip transmitting control signaling indicating the time reference to a wireless device in the wireless communication network.

In some embodiments, the different communication network is a

deterministic communication network. The deterministic communication network may be a TSN.

The time reference of the different communication network may be a working clock of the different communication network, where devices in a working clock domain of the different communication network are to synchronize to the working clock.

In some embodiments, the one or more conditions include a difference between the time reference of the different communication network (e.g., as indicated by the received control signaling) and a projected time reference of the different communication network exceeding a maximum allowed difference threshold. The projected time reference may be projected from a time reference of the wireless communication network as of when a previous instance of the control signaling was received.

According to some embodiments, a method performed by a node in a wireless communication network includes predicting, by the node in the wireless communication network, a time reference of a different communication network. The method also includes transmitting, from the node to a device in the different communication network, control signaling indicating the predicted time reference.

The predicting may be based on prediction information comprising a frequency offset estimate between the time reference of the different communication network and a time reference of the wireless communication network. The method may further comprise receiving prediction information from another node in the wireless communication network, and the predicting may be based on the received prediction information. The node may be a wireless device in the wireless communication network. The other node may be a radio network node.

In some embodiments, the different communication network is a

deterministic communication network. The deterministic communication network may be a TSN.

The time reference of the different communication network may be a working clock of the different communication network, where devices in a working clock domain of the different communication network, including the device to which the control signaling is transmitted, are to synchronize to the working clock.

Further aspects of the present invention are directed to an apparatus, network node, radio network node, wireless device, computer program product or computer readable storage medium corresponding to the methods summarized above and corresponding functional implementations. For example, embodiments herein include a network node in a wireless communication network. The network node is configured (e.g., via communication circuitry and processing circuitry) to receive, at the network node, control signaling indicating a time reference of a different communication network. The network node is also configured to determine whether or not any of one or more conditions are met for indicating the time reference to another node in the wireless communication network. The network node may further be configured to transmit or not transmit control signaling indicating the time reference to the other node, depending respectively on whether or not the one or more conditions are met according to the determination.

Embodiments herein moreover include a node in a wireless communication network. The node may be configured (e.g., via communication circuitry and processing circuitry) to predict a time reference of a different communication network. The node may also be configured to transmit, from the node to a device in the different communication network, control signaling indicating the predicted time reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a communication network according to some embodiments.

Figure 2 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 3 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a node according to some embodiments.

Figure 4 is a block diagram of a Distributed TSN Configuration Model according to some embodiments.

Figure 5 is a block diagram of a Centralized TSN Configuration Model according to some embodiments.

Figure 6 is a block diagram of a Fully centralized TSN Configuration Model according to some embodiments.

Figure 7 is a block diagram of a 5G network architecture according to some embodiments.

Figure 8 is a block diagram of inter-working of 5G and TSN networks according to some embodiments.

Figure 9 is a block diagram of Multiple TSN gPTP Time Domains in a Factory Plant according to some embodiments.

Figure 10 illustrates a System Information Block Type 16 information element, and a Time Reference Info information element, according to some embodiments.

Figure 1 1 is a block diagram showing PTP-based delivery of a working clock to a user plane function according to some embodiments.

Figure 12 is a block diagram of a node according to some embodiments.

Figure 13 is a block diagram of a node according to other embodiments.

Figure 14A is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 14B is a block diagram of a network node according to other embodiments.

Figure 15 is a block diagram of a wireless communication network according to some embodiments.

Figure 16 is a block diagram of a user equipment according to some embodiments. Figure 17 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment according to some embodiments.

Figure 18 is a block diagram of a communication network with a host computer according to some embodiments.

Figure 19 is a block diagram of a host computer according to some embodiments.

Figure 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figure 21 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figure 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figure 23 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a communication network 10A according to some embodiments. The communication network 10A may for instance be a deterministic communication network, such as a Time Sensitive Network (TSN), e.g., for supporting Industrial Internet-of-Things (lloT) operations. No matter the particular type of the communication network 10A, at least some of the nodes of the communication network 10A use or operate according to a time reference 12A of the communication network 10A. For example, in some embodiments, nodes 14 and 16 (also referred to as devices) each use or operate according to the time reference 12A, e.g., by each synchronizing to the time reference 12A. In one or more such embodiments, the time reference 12A may be referred to as a working clock of communication network 10A, where nodes 14, 16 in a working clock domain of communication network 10A are to synchronize to that working clock.

A time reference source 18 (e.g., referred to as a grand master, GM) directly or indirectly indicates the time reference 12A to the nodes 14, 16 that operate according to that time reference 12A. The time reference source 18 may for example transmit intra-network control signaling 20, via zero or more intermediate nodes in the communication network 10A itself, that indicates the time reference 12A to node 14. The time reference source 18 according to embodiments herein, however, at least indicates the time reference 12A to node 16 via a wireless communication network 10B (e.g., a 5G network), such as by transmitting inter- network control signaling 22 towards the wireless communication network 10B. The wireless communication network 10B facilitates this by propagating control signaling through the wireless communication network 10B towards node 16, in order to convey to node 16 the time reference 12A indicated by the inter-network control signaling 22.

More particularly in this regard, Figure 1 shows that a network node 24 in the wireless communication network 10B receives control signaling 22, via zero or more intermediate nodes, indicating the time reference 12A of communication network 10A. The network node 24 in turns transmits control signaling 26 (directly or indirectly) to another node 28 in the wireless communication network. The control signaling 26 indicates the time reference 12A of communication network 10A to the another node 28, although the control signaling 26 may indicate the time reference 12A in the same way as or in a different way than the control signaling 22 indicated the time reference 12A. In any event, this other node 28 then transmits control signaling 29 (directly or indirectly) to the node 16 in communication network 10A indicating the time reference 12A, e.g., so that the node 16 can synchronize to the time reference 12A.

According to some embodiments herein, the network node’s transmission of control signaling 26 indicating the time reference 12A to the other node 28 is conditional. Making transmission of the control signaling 26 conditional may mean that the network node 24, under some conditions 30, terminates propagation of control signaling 22 indicating the time reference 12A. That is, under some conditions, no control signaling 26 indicating the time reference 12A is propagated beyond network node 24.

As shown in Figure 1 , for example, the network node 24 in some embodiments receives the control signaling 22 indicating the time reference 12A of communication network 10A. But rather than unconditionally propagating corresponding control signaling 26 indicating the time reference 12A to the other node 28, the network node 24 determines whether or not any of one or more conditions 30 are met for indicating the time reference 12A to the other node 28 in the wireless communication network 10B. The network node 24 then transmits or does not transmit control signaling 26 indicating the time reference 12A to the other node 28, depending respectively on whether or not the one or more conditions 30 are met according to that determination.

In some embodiments, the decision to not transmit control signaling 26 may advantageously alleviate communication bandwidth demands and/or node processing demands in the wireless communication network 10B. In fact, in embodiments where the network node 24 terminates propagation before control signaling indicating the time reference would have been transmitted on the radio interface, the conditional transmitting advantageously alleviates bandwidth demands on the radio interface attributable to control signaling relaying/forwarding. No matter the particular point of propagation termination, though, the conditional transmitting in some embodiments reduces processing load imposed on at least some nodes of the wireless communication network 10B, e.g. the network node 24 itself and/or node 28.

In some embodiments, the condition(s) 30 under which the network node 24 transmits the control signaling 26 are defined so as to effectively transmit the control signaling 26 only when the control signaling 26 will have a meaningful impact on the accuracy or precision with which node 16 will be able to synchronize to the time reference 12A. That is, the condition(s) 30 may be defined such that, if node 16 would be able to synchronize to the time reference 12A within an acceptable tolerance even without the control signaling 26 being transmitted and the time reference 12A so propagated, the network node 24 may refrain from unnecessarily transmitting that control signaling 26, e.g., in favor of alleviating radio interface bandwidth and node processing demands.

In these and other embodiments, for example, the condition(s) 30 may be based on a relationship (e.g., difference or drift rate) between the time reference 12A of communication network 10A, as indicated by the control signaling 26 to be transmitted, and a time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B itself. The time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B may for instance represent a global clock of the network 10B.

In some embodiments, for instance, the condition(s) 30 may include a difference between the time reference 12A of communication network 10A and the time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B exceeding a maximum allowed difference threshold. Alternatively or additionally, the condition(s) 30 may include the time reference 12A of communication network 10A having drifted over time from the time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B at a rate that exceeds a maximum allowed drift rate threshold.

Conditioning transmission based on the relationship between the time references 12A, 12B may prove advantageous where the wireless communication network 10B maintains time reference 12A based on the wireless communication network’s own time reference 12B, even between the time reference source 18 updating the time reference 12A via inter-network control signaling 22. For example, in some embodiments, node 28 updates the value that it maintains for the time reference 12A any time it receives control signaling 26 indicating that value, but in the interim between receiving updates of the time reference 12A the node 28 itself updates the value that it maintains for the time reference 12A based on its updating of the value that it maintains for the time reference 12B of the wireless

communication network 10B. For example, node 28 may use its local oscillator to grow both time references 12A, 12B, e.g., at the same rate or a different rate.

Conditional transmission embodiments in these and other cases may therefore be based on the premise that the control signaling 26 need not be transmitted when the relationship between the networks’ time references 12A, 12B has not meaningfully changed, e.g., since the last update of time reference 12A. The embodiments may accordingly exploit this condition as an opportunity to alleviate radio interface bandwidth and node processing demands.

Applied in the context of occasional or periodic updates to the time reference 12A of communication network 10A, the conditional transmission of control signaling 26 may correspondingly depend on whether such control signaling 26 has been transmitted before to node 28, i.e., whether the transmission is the first or initial transmission instance that provisions the node 28 with its initial value for the time reference 12A, or whether the transmission is instead a subsequent transmission instance that updates a previous value that the node 28 has stored for the time reference 12A. In some embodiments, for example, the network node 24 transmits control signaling 26 under a first condition that the network node 24 has not transmitted any control signaling 26 indicating the time reference 12A to the node 28 before, i.e., the control signaling 26 provisions the initial value for the time reference 12A. The network node 24 may also transmit control signaling 26 under a second condition that the network node 24 has transmitted control signaling 26 indicating the time reference 12A to the node 28 before and that one or more sub-conditions are met. The one or more sub-conditions may for instance be that the difference and/or drift rate between the time references 12A, 12B exceeds an allowed threshold, as explained above.

Alternatively or additionally to the above, the node 28 in some embodiments obtains (e.g., from the network node 24) prediction information based on which the node 28 is able to predict the time reference 12A of communication network 10A. The prediction information may for instance include a frequency offset estimate (e.g., represented as G in formulas below) between the time reference 12A of communication network 10A and the time reference 12B of the wireless

communication network 10B. Regardless, in some embodiments, the network node 24 determines an extent to which a predicted time reference (predicted with the prediction information) deviates from the time reference 12A indicated by the control signaling 22 the network node 24 received. If the predicted time reference deviates from the indicated time reference 12A more than a configured threshold, the network node 24 may transmit the control signaling 26, e.g., to prevent the node 28 from using a predicted time reference that errs to an undesirable extent. On the other hand, if the predicted time reference deviates from the indicated time reference 12A less than the configured threshold, the network node 24 may refrain from transmitting the control signaling 26, e.g., since the node 28 will use a predicted time reference within an acceptable degree of error. In these and other embodiments, therefore, the condition(s) 30 include an error of a predicted time reference exceeding a maximum allowable prediction error threshold.

In some embodiments, the frequency offset estimate may be used to identify an average rate at which the time reference 12A of communication network 10A and the time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B drift apart.

In some embodiments, the network node 24 is a radio network node (e.g., base station) that receives inter-network control signaling 22 from the time reference source 18, e.g., via a core network node (e.g., implementing a user plane function, UPF) of the wireless communication network 10B. The network node 24 may then transmit the control signaling 26 over a wireless/radio interface to node 28, which in this case may take the form of a wireless device. Node 28 in the form of a wireless device may then transmit the control signaling 29 to node 16.

In other embodiments, by contrast, the network node 24 may itself be a core network node (e.g., implementing a UPF). In this case, the network node 24 may transmit control signaling 26 to node 28, which in this case may take the form of a radio network node (e.g., a base station). Node 28 may then in turn transmit control signaling (not shown) over a wireless/radio interface to a wireless device (not shown) that communicates with node 16. This wireless device may be the node that actually transmits control signaling 29 to node 16.

Note that, in some embodiments, at least one of the one or more conditions 30 may be a compound condition comprising multiple sub-conditions.

Note further that although only one time reference 12A of the communication network 10A was shown in Figure 1 , the time reference 12A may be just one of multiple time references of the communication network 10A. For example, in some embodiments, multiple different domains exist in the communication network 10A, with nodes (e.g., devices) in each domain synchronizing to a time reference defined respectively for that domain. Where each time reference is a time reference in a respective local arbitrary time domain, each time reference may be referred to as a working clock, such that devices in each working clock domain synchronize to the working clock of that domain.

Note also that, in other embodiments, the condition(s) 30 may be based on a relationship (e.g., difference or drift rate) between the time reference 12A of the communication network 10A, as indicated by the received control signaling 22, and the same time reference 12A’ of the communication network 10A as maintained or projected by the network node 24. In one embodiment, for example, the network node 24 determines the difference between (i) the time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B as of when the network node 24 receives control signaling 22 indicating the time reference 12A of the communication network 10A; and (ii) the time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B as of when the network node 24 last received control signaling 22 indicating the time reference 12A of the communication network 12A. This difference represents how much time has elapsed since the network node 24 last received control signaling 22. The network node 24 then adds this difference (i.e., the elapsed time) to the time reference 12A of the communication network 10A as indicated by the last received control signaling 22 so as to project the time reference 12A’ of the communication network 10A from the time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B. If the projected time reference 12A’ differs by more than a threshold amount from the time reference 12A of the communication network 10A, as indicated by the control signaling 22, the network node 24 may transmit the control signaling 26. Otherwise, if the projected time reference 12A’ does not differ by more than the threshold amount from the time reference 12A, the network node 24 may refrain from transmitting the control signaling 26.

In view of the above modifications and variations, Figure 2 depicts a method performed by a network node 24 in a wireless communication network 10B, in accordance with particular embodiments. The method includes receiving, at the network node 24, control signaling 22 indicating a time reference 12A of a different communication network 10A (block 200) and determining whether or not any of one or more conditions 30 are met for indicating the time reference 12A to another node 28 in the wireless communication network 10B (block 210). The method also includes transmitting or not transmitting control signaling 26 indicating the time reference 12A to the another node 28, depending respectively on whether or not the one or more conditions 30 are met according to the determining (block 220).

The one or more conditions 30 may include a difference between the time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A and a time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B exceeding a maximum allowed difference threshold. The one or more conditions 30 may alternatively or additionally include the time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A having drifted over time from a time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B at a rate that exceeds a maximum allowed drift rate threshold.

A time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A may be predictable with prediction information, and the one or more conditions 30 may include an error of a predicted time reference, predicted with the prediction information, exceeding a maximum allowed prediction error threshold. In this case, the method in some embodiments may further include, before receiving the control signaling 22, a network node 24 sending the prediction information to the another node 28, for use by the another node 28 to predict the predicted time reference. The prediction information may include a frequency offset estimate between the time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A and a time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B.

In some embodiments, the one or more conditions 30 include a first condition that the network node 24 has not transmitted any control signaling 26 indicating a time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A to the another node 28 before and a second condition that the network node 24 has transmitted control signaling 26 indicating a time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A to the another node 28 before and that one or more sub-conditions are met.

The transmitting or not transmitting may comprise transmitting the control signaling 26, and the method may further comprise, based on transmitting the control signaling 26 to the another node 28, also sending to the another node 28 time reference information indicating a time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B. In some embodiments, the control signaling 26 may indicate the time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A as an offset to a time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B.

In some embodiments, the network node 24 is a radio network node and the another node 28 is a wireless device. In other embodiments, the network node 24 is a core network node and the another node 28 is a radio network node. The core network node may implement a UPF. The method may further comprise, based on not transmitting the control signaling 26 to the radio network node, transmitting signaling to the radio network node indicating that the radio network node is to skip transmitting control signaling indicating the time reference 12A to a wireless device in the wireless communication network 10B.

In some embodiments, the different communication network 10A is a deterministic communication network. The deterministic communication network may be a TSN.

The time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A may be a working clock of the different communication network, where devices in a working clock domain of the different communication network are to synchronize to the working clock.

Figure 3 depicts a method performed by a node 28 in a wireless communication network 10B, in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method includes predicting, by the node 28 in the wireless communication network 10B, a time reference 12A of a different communication network 10A (block 300) and transmitting, from the node 28 to a device 16 in the different communication network 10A, control signaling 29 indicating the predicted time reference (block 310).

The predicting may be based on prediction information comprising a frequency offset estimate between the time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A and a time reference 12B of the wireless

communication network 10B. The method may further comprise the node 28 receiving prediction information from network node 24 in the wireless

communication network 10B, and the predicting may be based on the received prediction information. The node 28 may be a wireless device in the wireless communication network 10B. The network node 24 may be a radio network node.

In some embodiments, the different communication network 10A is a deterministic communication network. The deterministic communication network may be a TSN.

The time reference 12A of the different communication network 10A may be a working clock of the different communication network, where devices in a working clock domain of the different communication network, including the device to which the control signaling is transmitted, are to synchronize to the working clock.

Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatuses. Embodiments herein for instance include a network node 24 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 24.

Embodiments also include a network node 24 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 24. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the network node 24.

Embodiments further include a network node 24 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 24. In some embodiments, the network node 24 further comprises communication circuitry.

Embodiments further include a network node 24 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node 24 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 24.

Embodiments herein also include a node 28 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the node 28.

Embodiments also include a node 28 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the node 28. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the node 28.

Embodiments further include a node 28 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the node 28. In some embodiments, the node 28 further comprises communication circuitry.

Embodiments further include a node 28 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the node 28 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the node 28.

Embodiments moreover include a user equipment (UE). The UE comprises an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals. The UE also comprises radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the node 28. In some embodiments, the UE also comprises an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may comprise an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may also comprise a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

More particularly, the apparatuses described above may perform the methods herein and any other processing by implementing any functional means, modules, units, or circuitry. In one embodiment, for example, the apparatuses comprise respective circuits or circuitry configured to perform the steps shown in the method figures. The circuits or circuitry in this regard may comprise circuits dedicated to performing certain functional processing and/or one or more microprocessors in conjunction with memory. For instance, the circuitry may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as readonly memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory may include program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments. In embodiments that employ memory, the memory stores program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, carries out the techniques described herein.

Figure 12 for example illustrates a node 1200 (e.g., node 28) as

implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, node 1200 includes processing circuitry 1210 and communication circuitry 1220.

Communication circuitry 1220 (e.g., radio circuitry) is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. Such communication may occur via one or more antennas that are either internal or external to node 1200. Processing circuitry 1210 is configured to perform processing described above, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 1230. Processing circuitry 1210 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

According to some embodiments, processing circuitry 1210 is configured to predict a time reference of a different communication network and transmit, via communication circuitry 1210 to a device in the different communication network, control signaling indicating the predicted time reference.

Figure 13 illustrates a functional implementation of a node, such as a node 1300, according to some embodiments, and includes a predicting unit 1310 configured to predict a time reference of a different communication network and a transmitting unit Y220 configured to transmit, to a device in the different

communication network, control signaling indicating the predicted time reference.

Figure 14A illustrates a network node 1400 (e.g., network node 24) as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, network node 1400 includes processing circuitry 1410 and communication circuitry 1420. Communication circuitry 1420 is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. Processing circuitry 1410 is configured to perform processing described above, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 1430. Processing circuitry 1410 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

According to some embodiments, processing circuitry 1410 is configured to receive, via communication circuitry 1420, control signaling indicating a time reference of a different communication network. Processing circuitry 1410 is also configured to determine whether or not any of one or more conditions are met for indicating the time reference to another node in the wireless communication network 10B and transmit or not transmit control signaling indicating the time reference to the other node, depending respectively on whether or not the one or more conditions are met according to the determining.

Figure 14B illustrates a functional implementation of a network node 1450, such as a radio network node or a core network node, and includes a receiving unit 1460 configured to receive control signaling indicating a time reference of a different communication network and a determining unit 1470 configured to determine whether or not any of one or more conditions are met for indicating the time reference to another node in the wireless communication network 10B. The network node 1450 also includes a transmitting unit 1480 configured to transmit or not transmit control signaling indicating the time reference to the another node, depending respectively on whether or not the one or more conditions are met according to the determining.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that embodiments herein further include corresponding computer programs.

A computer program comprises instructions which, when executed on at least one processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to carry out any of the respective processing described above. A computer program in this regard may comprise one or more code modules corresponding to the means or units described above.

Embodiments further include a carrier containing such a computer program. This carrier may comprise one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

In this regard, embodiments herein also include a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable (storage or recording) medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform as described above.

Embodiments further include a computer program product comprising program code portions for performing the steps of any of the embodiments herein when the computer program product is executed by a computing device. This computer program product may be stored on a computer readable recording medium.

Additional embodiments will now be described. At least some of these embodiments may be described as applicable in certain contexts and/or wireless network types for illustrative purposes, but the embodiments are similarly applicable in other contexts and/or wireless network types not explicitly described.

Factory automation in the‘Industry 4.0’ vision brought high requirements on the network infrastructure to support a vast number of new use cases. These use cases include support for pure industrial plant measurements and high precision motion control in a robotized factory cell. Time sensitive flow of information plays a crucial role for such industrial use cases. To enable these services, IEEE 802.1 Time Sensitive Network (TSN) Task Group (TG) needs to interwork with fifth generation (5G) mobile communication technology as specified by third generation partnership project (3GPP). TSN is based on the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard. TSN provides deterministic services through IEEE 802.3 networks, including time synchronization, guaranteed low latency transmissions and high reliability to make legacy Ethernet, designed for best-effort communication, deterministic. The TSN features available today can be grouped into the following categories:

• Time Synchronization (e.g. IEEE 802.1 AS)

• Bounded Low Latency (e.g. IEEE 802.1 Qav, IEEE 802.1 Qbu, IEEE

802.1 Qbv, IEEE 802.1 Qch, IEEE 802.1 Qcr)

• Ultra-Reliability (e.g. IEEE 802.1 CB, IEEE 802.1 Qca, IEEE 802.1Qci)

• Network Configuration and Management (e.g. IEEE 802.1 Qat, IEEE

802.1 QCC, IEEE 802.1 Qcp, IEEE 802.1 CS).

The configuration and management of a TSN network can be implemented using different configurations, either in a centralized or in a distributed setup as defined in IEEE 802.1 Qcc. The different configuration models are shown in Figures 4, 5 & 6. Figure 4 illustrates a Distributed TSN Configuration Model. Figure 5 illustrates a Centralized TSN Configuration Model. Figure 6 illustrates a Fully centralized TSN Configuration Model.

As shown in the context of Figure 4, the communication endpoints inside TSN are called Talker 400 and Listener 402. A TSN network consist of multiple entities and features. All the switches 404 (i.e., bridges) in between Talker 400 and Listener 402 need to support certain TSN features, such as IEEE 802.1 AS time synchronization. A TSN domain enables synchronized communication among nodes where the synchronization is made possible by ensuring all switches and endpoints have access to the same working clock(s) that serve as the basis for realizing synchronized operation. The communication between Talker 400 and Listener 402 happens within the context of streams. A stream is based on certain requirements in terms of data rate and latency given by an application implemented at Talker 400 and Listener 402. The TSN configuration and management features are used to setup the stream and guarantee the stream’s requirements across the network. In the distributed model from Figure 4, the Talker 400 and Listener 402 might for example use the Stream Reservation Protocol (SRP) to setup and configure a TSN stream in every switch 404 along the path from Talker 400 to Listener 402 in the TSN network.

Nevertheless, some TSN features require a central management entity 506 called a Centralized Network Configuration (CNC) as shown in Figure 5. The CNC 506 uses, for example, Netconf and Yet Another Next Generation (YANG) models to configure the switches 404 in the network for each TSN stream. This also allows the use of time-gated queueing as defined in IEEE 802.1 Qbv that enables data transport in a TSN network with deterministic latency. With time-gated queueing supported on each switch, queues are opened or closed following a precise schedule that allows high priority packets to pass through the switch with minimum latency and jitter if it arrives at the ingress port (gate) within the timeframe the gate is scheduled to be open. In the fully centralized model also a Centralized User Configuration (CUC) entity 608 is added and is used as a point of contact for Listener 402 and Talker 400. The CUC 608 collects stream requirements and endpoint capabilities from the devices and communicates with the CNC directly. The details about TSN configuration is explained in IEEE 802.1 Qcc.

To connect devices wirelessly to a TSN network, 5G seems to be a promising solution. The 5G standard allows for addressing factory use cases by introducing a lot of new features, especially on the Radio Access Network (RAN), that make it more reliable and reduce the transmit latency compared to 4G. The 5G network 40 consists of three main components, which are user entity (UE) 42, radio access network (RAN) instantiated as the gNB 44 and nodes within the core network (5GCN). The 5G network architecture is illustrated in Figure 7 and the interworking of a 5G network 40 and a TSN network 70 is illustrated in Figure 8. Figures 7 and 8 show a user plane function (UPF) 52, network repository function (NRF) 54, access management function (AMF) 56, session management function (SMF) 58, Network Exposure Function (NEF) 60, policy control function (PCF) 62 and a unified data management (UDM) 64 of the 5G network 49. The TSN network 70 includes TSN switches 72 as well as a CNC 74 and CUC 76.

Many TSN features are based on realizing precise time synchronization between all peers. As mentioned above, this attribute is achieved using, for example, IEEE 802.1AS or IEEE 802.1AS-rev. Within the TSN network, it is therefore possible to achieve a synchronization with sub-microsecond error. To achieve this level of accuracy the use of hardware support is mandatory, such as for timestamping of packets.

In a TSN network, a grandmaster (GM) is a node that transmits timing information to all other nodes in a master-slave architecture. The GM might be elected out of several potential nodes, by certain criteria that makes the selected GM superior. In a TSN-extension of 802.1 AS, it has been defined that next to a main GM, a redundant backup GM can also be configured. In case the first GM fails for any reason, devices in the TSN domain can be synched to the second GM. The redundant GM might work in a hot-standby configuration.

In TSN based on IEEE 802.1AS-rev (also called gPTP, generalized Precise Timing Protocol), there are multiple time domains supported in a TSN network. One time domain could be a global time domain based on, for example, the PTP epoch (e.g., GPS based time), and other might be local time domains with an arbitrary epoch. There are two timescales that are supported by gPTP.

• Timescale PTP: The epoch is the PTP epoch (details in IEEE 802.1 AS-rev section 8.2.2) and this timescale is continuous. The unit of measure of the time is the SI second as realized on the rotating period.

• Timescale ARB (arbitrary): The epoch for this timescale is domain startup time (i.e., an arbitrary point in time declared to be“the start time” or“time zero”) and can be setup by administrative procedure (more details in IEEE 802.1AS-rev, section 3.2).

Devices in a TSN network can be synched to multiple time domains. A local arbitrary time domain is also referred to as a working clock. Working clocks are used in industrial networks for TSN functions.

One of the initial steps for setting up a TSN stream is that of establishing a TSN domain by the CNC, wherein a set of endpoints (talkers and listeners) that are supposed to exchange time-sensitive data streams are grouped. This set of endpoints is provided by CUC to the CNC. The CNC realizes the grouping by configuring the bridges connecting these endpoints such that each endpoint and switch in a given TSN domain (talkers, listeners and bridges) has a common working clock associated with that domain. Technically, this can be done according to IEEE 802.1AS-rev, by using the external port role configuration mechanism.

A given TSN domain can make use of different working clocks as well as a global clock corresponding to a global domain (i.e., common to all TSN domains). The working clocks corresponding to different TSN domains are not necessarily synchronized, and a factory network might comprise several TSN domains.

Therefore, across a factory network there might be several independent TSN domains with arbitrary timescales (working clocks), where there may be overlapping subsets of devices that need to be synchronized to multiple TSN domains. As shown in Figure 9, each TSN domain can have its own working clock. Figure 9 illustrates Multiple TSN gPTP Time Domains 900A-900D in a Factory Plant 902. The TSN time domains 900A-900D may represent factory lines and/or cells and the corresponding working clocks may be based on time information received from a satellite 904 (e.g. a GPS based working clock) as shown in Figure 9.

To satisfy time synchronization requirements for TSN in manufacturing use cases, a cellular network used to wirelessly interconnect with end devices associated with a given TSN network is required to provide time reference information (i.e. one or more working clocks) to which all machines (sensor or actuators) in a given TSN time domain can be synchronized. Current 3GPP LTE Rel-15 standards only support the delivery of time reference information that is specific to the wireless communication network (i.e. referred to as a 5G

Grandmaster clock or simply as a global clock) to UEs over the LTE radio interface using SIB based and RRC based procedures. The main purpose of these procedures is to transfer an LTE based GM clock (e.g., GPS based time reference information accessible to an eNB and used as a global clock) to UEs along with an indication of the accuracy of that time reference information. These same radio interface specific procedures can also be used for delivering working clocks to UEs on a TSN time domain specific basis.

LTE defines several system information blocks (SIBs) of which SIB 16, in particular, is used to provide timing information such as GPS time and coordinated universal time (UTC). SIBs are transmitted over the downlink shared channel (DL- SCH). The presence of a SIB in a subframe is indicated by the transmission of a corresponding physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) marked (scrambled) with a special system-information RNTI (SI-RNTI).

The UE uses the parameter blocks comprising SIB Type 16 to obtain the GPS and the local time. The structure of a SIB 16 message defined for LTE Rel-15 of TS 36.331 , e.g. TS 36.331 v15.3.0 is as shown by the example code in Figure 10, where the timeReferencelnfo-r15 structure is used to deliver time reference information (clock information). Another way of providing this same time reference information to UEs is that of using RRC signaling (also described in Rel-15 of TS 36.331 , e.g. TS 36.331 V15.3.0).

The scope of NR Rel-16 specification efforts calls for introducing support for delivering one or more instances of time reference information (i.e., TSN domain specific working clocks) to UEs, where the procedure for doing so may be the same as for LTE Rel-15 (i.e., SIB based or RRC based). Optimizations of these legacy LTE Rel-15 procedures may be possible such as expressing each working clock as an offset to a global clock (i.e., a 5G Grandmaster clock), where each working clock has a corresponding working clock ID (i.e., a Domain Number). This offset-based optimization allows for sending less information over the radio interface compared to expressing the working clock as a stand-alone clock.

Figure 1 1 illustrates PTP-based delivery of a working clock to a user plane function (UPF). Figure 1 1 shows a system with working clocks 1 102 and global clocks 1 104. A 5G network node (e.g., UPF 1 1 14) may receive working clock (e.g., clock 1 102) information from a TSN network node 1 1 10 using PTP signaling procedures per 802.1 AS, where the Translator/Adaptor 1 1 12 is seen as being part of UPF 1 1 14 and assumes the responsibility for performing the PTP based signaling. GTP-U based methods can then be used for relaying working clock 1 102 to gNB 1 1 16 along with a Timestamp (TS) 1 106, indicating the value of the 5G GM (clock 1 104) at the point where clock 1 102 is deemed to have been acquired by UPF 1 1 14. Clock 1 104 (5G system clock) can be considered as having been previously made available at gNB 1 1 16 and UPF 1 1 14 using implementation specific methods and previously made available at UEs using, e.g., LTE Rel-15 procedures for global clock delivery. In another approach (different from Figure 1 1), it is assumed that working clock 1 102 is directly available at gNB 1 1 16 by other implementation specific methods.

Upon receiving the clock 1 102 and its corresponding TS 1 106 from UPF 1 1 14, gNB 1 1 16 updates its clock 1 102 using TS 1 106 to realize the current value for clock 1 102. This results in gNB 1 1 16 realizing a current value for clock 1 102 as a stand-alone clock (or as an offset to clock 1 104), where gNB 1 1 16 is then responsible for maintaining and relaying to UEs. The frequency with which TSN node 1 1 10 and supporting clock 1 102 perform a refresh determines the frequency with which gNB 1 1 16 receives a refreshed clock 1 102 value and responds by adjusting it (using TS 1 106) to realize a current value for clock 1 102 as a standalone (or as an offset to clock 1 102). gNB 1 1 16 then relays it (or the offset) to UEs using SIB or RRC based methods. The rate at which gNB 1 1 16 receives refreshed values for any given working clock 1 102 and the total number of working clocks 1 102 used/required by UEs within any given cell can lead to (a) a substantial bandwidth demand imposed on the radio interface due to relaying working clocks 1 102 as stand-alone clocks (or as offsets) to UEs and (b) an increased processing load imposed on gNB 1 1 16 due to processing the ongoing refresh of these clocks triggered by the TSN network.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. In the below, a gNB may be an example of network node 24 and a UE may be an example of node 28. Alternatively or additionally, in the below description, the TSN network may be an example of communication network 10A and a 5G network may be an example of wireless communication network 10B. Alternatively or additionally, clock 1 102 (also referred to as a working clock) may be an example of the time reference 12A of

communication network 10A and clock 1 104 (also referred to as system clock) may be an example of the time reference 12B of the wireless communication network 10B.

Given the problem described above, each instance of a gNB deciding not to respond to a clock 1 102 refresh received from the TSN network may translate into significant radio interface bandwidth savings, especially for RRC based delivery of refreshed clock information (expressed as a stand-alone clock value or as an offset to the 5G system clock) to UEs, and/or processing capacity savings at the gNB.

Therefore, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for a gNB to decide whether or not to respond to a working clock (e.g., clock 1 102) refresh received from a TSN network and thereby realize a substantial radio interface bandwidth savings (by not sending refreshed clock information to the UEs) and/or a processing capacity savings (by minimally processing the refreshed clock 1 102). The decision not to respond to a working clock refresh (i.e., not forwarding refreshed clock information to the UEs) can be based on either the simple difference between currently received (refreshed) working clock and the current 5G system clock alone or based on the deviation over time of the difference between the currently received (refreshed) working clock and the current 5G system clock. In other words, the gNB determines the difference between the currently received working clock and the current 5G system clock at the point of clock refresh, wherein each such determination is maintained as part of a historical list of differences. The gNB can then decide whether or not to send a refresh of the working clock (and 5G system clock) to UEs based on (a) the simple difference between these two clocks at the point of the gNB received the working clock refresh or (b) the deviation of successive instances of the determined difference between these two clocks over time. If the difference between the currently received working clock and the current 5G system clock of (a) and/or the identified deviation of (b) is determined to fall within an acceptable threshold, then the gNB can decide not to respond to a working clock refresh.

The embodiments described herein provide a method for a gNB to decide not to respond to a working clock refresh received from a TSN network and thereby realize a substantial radio interface bandwidth savings (by not sending refreshed clock information to the UEs) and/or a processing capacity savings (by not processing the refreshed clock 1 102 other than by simply noting the difference between the clock 1 104 and the updated clock 1 102 and using it as difference between these two clocks).

Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). The embodiments described herein provide a method for a gNB to decide not to respond to a working clock refresh received from a TSN network and thereby allows for realizing a substantial radio interface bandwidth savings (by not sending refreshed clock information to the UEs) and/or a processing capacity savings (by processing the refreshed clock 1 102 to a minimum extent, i.e., by simply storing each instance of determining the difference between these two clocks as part of a historical list of differences).

At some point in time, the gNB acquires an initial instance of an external working clock (e.g., clock 1 102 of Figure 1 1) and therefore relays it to the UEs (e.g., using LTE Rel-15 based methods such as SIB or RRC signaling). In alternative approaches, time refresh messages (e.g., gPTP messages) are relayed to the UEs as user plane data.

In various embodiments, the time information provided to the UE is sometimes referred to as a“clock” and sometimes as a“clock offset”. When referred to as a“clock offset” it means clock 1 102 is provided as an offset to clock 1 104. That is, the clock offset may be the difference between clock 1 104 and clock 1 102 determined at a given point in time. When referred to as a“clock,” it means that clock 1 102 is provided as a stand-alone clock. In both cases, the reference time (clock 1 102) can be derived in the UE.

In one embodiment, upon acquiring external clock information, the gNB adjusts the value of clock 1 102 by increasing its value according to the difference between the TS value 1 106 (reflecting the value of clock 1 104 at the precise point at which clock 1 102 was obtained obtained) and the current value of clock 1 104. Clock 1 102 can include an arbitrary time of day value (i.e., a local clock) or a global value and, once updated per TS 1 106, can be expressed as a stand-alone clock or as an offset relative to the reference time provided by clock 1 104. For example, in the case where clock 1 104 is GPS based, clock 1102 may be a uniformly counting time scale beginning at midnight at the end of 1/5/1980. Regardless of whether the gNB manages the updated clock 1 102 as a stand-alone global clock or as an offset to clock 1 104, it determines the difference between clock 1 104 and clock 1 102 (adjusted using TS 1 106) and maintains knowledge of this difference as part of a historical list of differences between these clocks. That is, all instances of determining differences between 5G system reference clock 1 104 and working clocks 1 102 may be saved as part of a historical list of differences. In this embodiment, the gNB uses the simple difference between these two clocks determined at the point of receiving refreshed clock information as the basis for determining whether or not to send UEs the refreshed clock information (where clocks 1 102 can be expressed as stand-alone clocks or as offsets to clock 1 104).

The different working clocks may come from different nodes in a TSN network (or from nodes in different TSN networks), and their underlying clocks are therefore managed with slightly different precision on their respective source nodes. For example, due to different oscillators used on these source nodes, the different working clocks may be subject to different rates of clock drift over time.

In another embodiment, for any subsequent instance of the gNB receiving a refreshed clock 1 102 (and adjusting it using TS 1 106), it compares the difference between these two clocks at the point of receiving a refreshed clock 1 102 to one or more elements of the historical list of differences between these two clocks (where clocks can be expressed as stand-alone clocks or as offsets to clock 1 104). If the difference/deviation is large enough (i.e., some pre-configured difference threshold is exceeded thereby indicating excessive clock drift has occurred), the gNB provides the UEs with a refreshed clock 1 104 value and a refreshed clock 1 102 value (expressed as a stand-alone clock or as an offset to clock 1 104). This is done regardless of which clock may be the heavier contributor towards the difference threshold being exceeded. As such, the gNB responds to the threshold violation by simply performing both a clock 1 104 and a clock 1 102 refresh to the UEs. Regarding the difference, the difference threshold being exceeded will in practice be due to a combination of clock 1 104 drift and adjustments at the gNB (occurring since the previous instance of the gNB receiving clock 1 104) and clock 1 102 drift and adjustments at the TSN node 1 1 10 managing clock 1102 (occurring since the previous instance of that TSN node sending out clock 1 102 using PTP procedures). Note that clock 1 102 is not only subject to drift (while being maintained in TSN node 1 1 10) but is also expected to experience adjustments due to the TSN network nodes re-syncing to more accurate clocks. For example, a TSN node can access a lower stratum level clock to periodically re-sync the TSN network working clock and thereby trigger an adjustment to all working clocks maintained by that TSN node). Similarly, clock 1 104 is also expected to be subject to periodic adjustments as the 5G network performs internal clock 1 104 refresh to the gNB per implementation specific methods. The rate at which 5G networks periodically internally adjusts (refreshes) clocks 1 104, and the rate at which this refresh is done by TSN networks for the external working clocks (e.g., clock 1 104) are expected to be asynchronous.

The rate at which the gNB receives refreshed values for any given working clock and the total number of working clocks used/required by UEs within any given cell can lead to (a) a substantial bandwidth demand imposed on the radio interface due to relaying the working clocks to UEs and (b) an increased processing load imposed on the gNB due to the ongoing refresh of these clocks triggered by the TSN network. As such, each instance of a gNB deciding not to respond to a working clock refresh (i.e., due to determining that the difference threshold has not being exceeded) may translate into significant radio interface bandwidth savings

(especially for RRC based working clock refresh to UEs) and/or processing capacity savings at the gNB. In the case where the gNB decides not to respond to a working clock refresh, it still notes the difference between clock 1 104 and the refreshed clock 1 102 (updated using TS 1 106) and maintains it as part of the historical list of differences between these two clocks (wherein clock 1 102 may be expressed as a stand-alone clock or as an offset to clock 1 104).

The threshold may be configurable as a simple maximum allowed difference between the refreshed working clock (clock 1 102 updated using TS 1 106), and the current 5G system clock (clock 1 104) at the point where the gNB has acquired a refreshed cock 1 102 (or a refreshed clock 1 104, in which case a TS value may not be available), and where separate threshold values may be provided for different expected clock refresh intervals. For this embodiment, the gNB does not use any elements of the historical list of differences between these two clocks.

In another embodiment, threshold values may be configured as a maximum allowed drift of the differences between successive elements of the historical list of differences between the clocks 1 102 and 1 104. This may mean that the gNB manages the configured threshold as a maximum allowed rate of change between successive instances of the difference between these two clocks per unit time. For example, at time to, the difference is Xps and, at time t1 , the difference is Yps. If (|X- Y|)/( t1- tO) does not exceed the configured threshold then the gNB does not to respond to clock 1 102 refresh event. For this embodiment, the gNB uses at least two elements of the historical list of differences between these two clocks (e.g., the difference between (a) the refreshed working clock (adjusted by the gNB using TS 1 106) and the current 5G system clock and (b) the previous instance of the difference between these two clocks 1 102 and 1 104 extracted from the historical list of differences between these two clocks).

In another embodiment, if the threshold is not exceeded, the gNB does not forward the time refresh information to the UEs. For example, if the gNB receives working clock information directly from the TSN network (i.e., not via the UPF), it terminates incoming gPTP messages and does not forward them to the UE. It filters them out from other traffic, or does not include related timing information in SIB or RRC signaling.

In yet another embodiment, the method provided herein is implemented in another network node different than the gNB, e.g., UPF or other TSN- adaptation/translation function. In this case, gPTP message or other time synchronization messages are NOT forwarded to the gNB for further relaying to the UEs if a threshold is not exceeded. Instead, in a yet further embodiment, an indication may be provided to the gNB that the gNB shall skip relaying timing information (refreshed clocks 1 102 and 1 104) to the UEs.

In another embodiment aimed at realizing a substantial radio interface bandwidth savings, the gNB or UPF estimates the time difference between clocks 1 102 and 1 104 in the future based on their historical observations. gNB or UPF sends the estimation model and parameters (historical observations) to the UE and the UE then knows how to estimate future time differences by itself without receiving an explicit message providing an indication of the difference. The refresh is triggered when the observation (i.e., explicit reception of a message providing an indication of the difference) is not aligned with the estimation. For example, from the historical list of differences between the 5G system reference clock and one working clock, the gNB (or UPF) can estimate the frequency offset /' between the two clocks (i.e., the average rate at which these two clocks are drifting apart expressed in PPM per second). A parameter“f included in the equation below can be considered as an estimated candidate frequency offset between these two clocks where the error of this estimated candidate frequency offset is based on the historical differences. The best offset is then the value of f which gives the smallest error.

Suppose the historical list of time differences is based on the gNB periodically determining this difference wherein the /- th item in the historical list is denoted as t, and the related 5G time is defined with the same length of the historical list of time in which t ₀ is re-set to zero and t, for / >=1 is calculated using 5G time.

/' = arg rnin

The frequency offset estimation is sent to the UE and UE can then, at any point in time, adjust the time difference between these two clocks using its knowledge of the frequency offset estimation. One example can be that clock 1 102 is adjusted by the UE using the following formula: t' = t (1 + /')

In this formula, the adjusted time difference between two clocks may be denoted by t'.

The above criterion on when the gNB should refresh the transmission of the clocks has to take into account the UE’s adjustment of the clock using the frequency offset estimation. For example, if the observation of the difference between the two clocks from the received PTP messages is far away from the difference predicted by the estimation, then a refresh message is sent.

In view of the above, the UE in some embodiments applies a time-invariant prediction offset (e.g., to update both clocks at an equal rate) whereas in other embodiments applies a time-varying prediction model (e.g., to update the clocks at potentially unequal rates). In some time-invariant prediction embodiments, the UE updates both clocks as directed by the gNB and then uses its local oscillator to grow both clocks’ values at an equal rate. The clocks therefore will have a fixed difference between them, until perhaps the next update/refresh from the gNB. By contrast, in some time-variant prediction embodiments, the UE may use its local oscillator to grow both clocks’ values, but may grow them at different rates. The clocks have the potential therefore to have a varying difference between them as time transpires between updates/refreshes from the gNB. Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in any appropriate type of system using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wireless network, such as the example wireless network illustrated in Figure 15. For simplicity, the wireless network of Figure 15 only depicts network 1506, network nodes 1560 and 1560b, and WDs 1510, 1510b, and 1510c. In practice, a wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable to support communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other network node or end device. Of the illustrated components, network node 1560 and wireless device (WD) 1510 are depicted with additional detail. The wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices’ access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wireless network.

The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wireless network may be configured to operate according to specific standards or other types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of the wireless network may implement communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile

Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-loT), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.1 1 standards; and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network 1506 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

Network node 1560 and WD 1510 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together in order to provide network node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments, the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections.

As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the wireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged, and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with access to the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless device that has accessed the wireless network.

In Figure 15, network node 1560 includes processing circuitry 1570, device readable medium 1580, interface 1590, auxiliary equipment 1584, power source 1586, power circuitry 1587, and antenna 1562. Although network node 1560 illustrated in the example wireless network of Figure 15 may represent a device that includes the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise network nodes with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that a network node comprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Moreover, while the components of network node 1560 are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 1580 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node 1560 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which network node 1560 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeB’s. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 1560 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 1580 for the different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 1562 may be shared by the RATs). Network node 1560 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1560, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 1560.

Processing circuitry 1570 is configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 1570 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1570 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.

Processing circuitry 1570 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 1560 components, such as device readable medium 1580, network node 1560 functionality. For example, processing circuitry 1570 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1580 or in memory within processing circuitry 1570. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1570 may include a system on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1570 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1572 and baseband processing circuitry 1574. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1572 and baseband processing circuitry 1574 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1572 and baseband processing circuitry 1574 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or other such network device may be performed by processing circuitry 1570 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1580 or memory within processing circuitry 1570. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1570 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 1570 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1570 alone or to other components of network node 1560, but are enjoyed by network node 1560 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.

Device readable medium 1580 may comprise any form of volatile or nonvolatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or nonvolatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 1570. Device readable medium 1580 may store any suitable instructions, data or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 1570 and, utilized by network node 1560. Device readable medium 1580 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 1570 and/or any data received via interface 1590. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1570 and device readable medium 1580 may be considered to be integrated.

Interface 1590 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between network node 1560, network 1506, and/or WDs 1510. As illustrated, interface 1590 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 1594 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 1506 over a wired connection. Interface 1590 also includes radio front end circuitry 1592 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 1562. Radio front end circuitry 1592 comprises filters 1598 and amplifiers 1596. Radio front end circuitry 1592 may be connected to antenna 1562 and processing circuitry 1570. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1562 and processing circuitry 1570. Radio front end circuitry 1592 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection.

Radio front end circuitry 1592 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1598 and/or amplifiers 1596. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1562. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1562 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1592. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1570. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, network node 1560 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1592, instead, processing circuitry 1570 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1562 without separate radio front end circuitry 1592. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 1572 may be considered a part of interface 1590. In still other embodiments, interface 1590 may include one or more ports or terminals 1594, radio front end circuitry 1592, and RF transceiver circuitry 1572, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 1590 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 1574, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

Antenna 1562 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 1562 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 1590 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 1562 may comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna may be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In certain embodiments, antenna 1562 may be separate from network node 1560 and may be connectable to network node 1560 through an interface or port.

Antenna 1562, interface 1590, and/or processing circuitry 1570 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 1562, interface 1590, and/or processing circuitry 1570 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

Power circuitry 1587 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 1560 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 1587 may receive power from power source 1586. Power source 1586 and/or power circuitry 1587 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 1560 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 1586 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 1587 and/or network node 1560. For example, network node 1560 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry 1587.

As a further example, power source 1586 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 1587. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

Alternative embodiments of network node 1560 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 15 that may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, network node 1560 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 1560 and to allow output of information from network node 1560. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 1560.

As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, the term WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE). Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information through air. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the network. Examples of a WD include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a tablet, a laptop, a laptop- embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE) a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc.. A WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to- vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device. As yet another specific example, in an Internet of Things (loT) scenario, a WD may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmit the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another WD and/or a network node. The WD may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-loT) standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other scenarios, a WD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. A WD as described above may represent the endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described above may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.

As illustrated, wireless device 1510 includes antenna 151 1 , interface 1514, processing circuitry 1520, device readable medium 1530, user interface equipment 1532, auxiliary equipment 1534, power source 1536 and power circuitry 1537. WD 1510 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 1510, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, NB-loT, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or set of chips as other components within WD 1510.

Antenna 151 1 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 1514. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 151 1 may be separate from WD 1510 and be connectable to WD 1510 through an interface or port. Antenna 151 1 , interface 1514, and/or processing circuitry 1520 may be configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a network node and/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 151 1 may be considered an interface.

As illustrated, interface 1514 comprises radio front end circuitry 1512 and antenna 151 1. Radio front end circuitry 1512 comprise one or more filters 1518 and amplifiers 1516. Radio front end circuitry 1514 is connected to antenna 151 1 and processing circuitry 1520, and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 151 1 and processing circuitry 1520. Radio front end circuitry 1512 may be coupled to or a part of antenna 151 1. In some embodiments, WD 1510 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1512; rather, processing circuitry 1520 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 151 1. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1522 may be considered a part of interface 1514. Radio front end circuitry 1512 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 1512 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1518 and/or amplifiers 1516. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 151 1. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 151 1 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1512. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1520. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

Processing circuitry 1520 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD 1510 components, such as device readable medium 1530, WD 1510 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 1520 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1530 or in memory within processing circuitry 1520 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.

As illustrated, processing circuitry 1520 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 1522, baseband processing circuitry 1524, and application processing circuitry 1526. In other embodiments, the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitry 1520 of WD 1510 may comprise a SOC.

In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1522, baseband processing circuitry 1524, and application processing circuitry 1526 may be on separate chips or sets of chips. In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry 1524 and application processing circuitry 1526 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 1522 may be on a separate chip or set of chips.

In still alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1522 and baseband processing circuitry 1524 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 1526 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1522, baseband processing circuitry 1524, and application processing circuitry 1526 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1522 may be a part of interface 1514. RF transceiver circuitry 1522 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 1520.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processing circuitry 1520 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1530, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1520 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 1520 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1520 alone or to other components of WD 1510, but are enjoyed by WD 1510 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.

Processing circuitry 1520 may be configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, as performed by processing circuitry 1520, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1520 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 1510, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Device readable medium 1530 may be operable to store a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 1520. Device readable medium 1530 may include computer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 1520. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1520 and device readable medium 1530 may be considered to be integrated.

User interface equipment 1532 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 1510. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 1532 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 1510. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 1532 installed in WD 1510. For example, if WD 1510 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 1510 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected). User interface equipment 1532 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 1532 is configured to allow input of information into WD 1510, and is connected to processing circuitry 1520 to allow processing circuitry 1520 to process the input information. User interface equipment 1532 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipment 1532 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 1510, and to allow processing circuitry 1520 to output information from WD 1510. User interface equipment 1532 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment 1532, WD 1510 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

Auxiliary equipment 1534 is operable to provide more specific functionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This may comprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliary equipment 1534 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.

Power source 1536 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or power cells, may also be used. WD 1510 may further comprise power circuitry 1537 for delivering power from power source 1536 to the various parts of WD 1510 which need power from power source

1536 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry

1537 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Power circuitry 1537 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 1510 may be connectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Power circuitry 1537 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 1536.

This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 1536. Power circuitry 1537 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 1536 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 1510 to which power is supplied.

Figure 16 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller).

Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE 16200 may be any UE identified by the 3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-loT UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. UE 1600, as illustrated in Figure 16, is one example of a WD configured for communication in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the 3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP’s GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, the term WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although Figure 16 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.

In Figure 16, UE 1600 includes processing circuitry 1601 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 1605, radio frequency (RF) interface 1609, network connection interface 161 1 , memory 1615 including random access memory (RAM) 1617, read-only memory (ROM) 1619, and storage medium 1621 or the like, communication subsystem 1631 , power source 1633, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1621 includes operating system 1623, application program 1625, and data 1627. In other embodiments, storage medium 1621 may include other similar types of information. Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in Figure 16, or only a subset of the components. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE.

Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

In Figure 16, processing circuitry 1601 may be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 1601 may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 1601 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 1605 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device. UE 1600 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 1605. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE 1600. The output device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. UE 1600 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 1605 to allow a user to capture information into UE 1600. The input device may include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

In Figure 16, RF interface 1609 may be configured to provide a

communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface 161 1 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 1643a. Network 1643a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 1643a may comprise a Wi-Fi network. Network connection interface 161 1 may be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate with one or more other devices over a communication network according to one or more

communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM, or the like. Network connection interface 161 1 may implement receiver and transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

RAM 1617 may be configured to interface via bus 1602 to processing circuitry 1601 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as the operating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 1619 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 1601. For example, ROM 1619 may be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions such as basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokes from a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory. Storage medium 1621 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, or flash drives. In one example, storage medium 1621 may be configured to include operating system 1623, application program 1625 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application, and data file 1627. Storage medium 1621 may store, for use by UE 1600, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

Storage medium 1621 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1621 may allow UE 1600 to access computer-executable instructions, application programs or the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied in storage medium 1621 , which may comprise a device readable medium.

In Figure 16, processing circuitry 1601 may be configured to communicate with network 1643b using communication subsystem 1631. Network 1643a and network 1643b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks. Communication subsystem 1631 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 1643b. For example, communication subsystem 1631 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.16, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver may include transmitter 1633 and/or receiver 1635 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 1633 and receiver 1635 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately. In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of

communication subsystem 1631 may include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, communication subsystem 1631 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. Network 1643b may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a

telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 1643b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a nearfield network. Power source 1613 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 1600.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may be

implemented in one of the components of UE 1600 or partitioned across multiple components of UE 1600. Further, the features, benefits, and/or functions described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware.

In one example, communication subsystem 1631 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitry 1601 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 1602. In another example, any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 1601 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 1601 and communication subsystem 1631. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

Figure 17 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1700 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or to a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device) or components thereof and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines or containers executing on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 1700 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 1730. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may be entirely virtualized.

The functions may be implemented by one or more applications 1720 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications 1720 are run in virtualization environment 1700 which provides hardware 1730 comprising processing circuitry 1760 and memory 1790. Memory 1790 contains instructions 1795 executable by processing circuitry 1760 whereby application 1720 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment 1700, comprises general-purpose or special- purpose network hardware devices 1730 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 1760, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or special purpose processors. Each hardware device may comprise memory 1790-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 1795 or software executed by processing circuitry 1760. Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 1770, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 1780. Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine- readable storage media 1790-2 having stored therein software 1795 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 1760. Software 1795 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 1750 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 1740 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.

Virtual machines 1740, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1750 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 1720 may be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 1740, and the implementations may be made in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry 1760 executes software 1795 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 1750, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 1750 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 1740.

As shown in Figure 17, hardware 1730 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 1730 may comprise antenna 17225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1730 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 17100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1720.

Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, virtual machine 1740 may be a software

implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtual machines 1740, and that part of hardware 1730 that executes that virtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/or hardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtual machines 1740, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).

Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more virtual machines 1740 on top of hardware networking infrastructure 1730 and corresponds to application 1720 in Figure 17.

In some embodiments, one or more radio units 17200 that each include one or more transmitters 17220 and one or more receivers 17210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 17225. Radio units 17200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 1730 via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station.

In some embodiments, some signaling can be effected with the use of control system 17230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 1730 and radio units 17200.

Figure 18 illustrates a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments. In particular, with reference to FIGURE 18, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 1810, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 181 1 , such as a radio access network, and core network 1814. Access network 181 1 comprises a plurality of base stations 1812a, 1812b, 1812c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1813a, 1813b, 1813c. Each base station 1812a, 1812b, 1812c is connectable to core network 1814 over a wired or wireless connection 1815. A first UE 1891 located in coverage area 1813c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1812c. A second UE 1892 in coverage area 1813a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1812a. While a plurality of UEs 1891 , 1892 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 1812.

Telecommunication network 1810 is itself connected to host computer 1830, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 1830 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 1821 and 1822 between telecommunication network 1810 and host computer 1830 may extend directly from core network 1814 to host computer 1830 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1820. Intermediate network 1820 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 1820, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 1820 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of Figure 18 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1891 , 1892 and host computer 1830. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1850. Host computer 1830 and the connected UEs 1891 , 1892 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 1850, using access network 181 1 , core network 1814, any intermediate network 1820 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 1850 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 1850 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 1812 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 1830 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1891. Similarly, base station 1812 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1891 towards the host computer 1830.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 19. Figure 19 illustrates host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments In communication system 1900, host computer 1910 comprises hardware 1915 including communication interface 1916 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1900. Host computer 1910 further comprises processing circuitry 1918, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 1918 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 1910 further comprises software 191 1 , which is stored in or accessible by host computer 1910 and executable by processing circuitry 1918. Software 191 1 includes host application 1912. Host application 1912 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 1930 connecting via OTT connection 1950 terminating at UE 1930 and host computer 1910. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 1912 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 1950.

Communication system 1900 further includes base station 1920 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1925 enabling it to communicate with host computer 1910 and with UE 1930. Hardware 1925 may include communication interface 1926 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1900, as well as radio interface 1927 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 1970 with UE 1930 located in a coverage area (not shown in Figure 19) served by base station 1920. Communication interface 1926 may be configured to facilitate connection 1960 to host computer 1910. Connection 1960 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in Figure 19) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 1925 of base station 1920 further includes processing circuitry 1928, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application- specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 1920 further has software 1921 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system 1900 further includes UE 1930 already referred to.

Its hardware 1935 may include radio interface 1937 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 1970 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 1930 is currently located. Hardware 1935 of UE 1930 further includes processing circuitry 1938, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 1930 further comprises software 1931 , which is stored in or accessible by UE 1930 and executable by processing circuitry 1938. Software 1931 includes client application 1932. Client application 1932 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1930, with the support of host computer 1910. In host computer 1910, an executing host application 1912 may communicate with the executing client application 1932 via OTT connection 1950 terminating at UE 1930 and host computer 1910. In providing the service to the user, client application 1932 may receive request data from host application 1912 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 1950 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 1932 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that host computer 1910, base station 1920 and UE 1930 illustrated in Figure 19 may be similar or identical to host computer 1830, one of base stations 1812a, 1812b, 1812c and one of UEs 1891 , 1892 of Figure 18, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Figure 19 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of Figure 18.

In Figure 19, OTT connection 1950 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 1910 and UE 1930 via base station 1920, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from UE 1930 or from the service provider operating host computer 1910, or both. While OTT connection 1950 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection 1970 between UE 1930 and base station 1920 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 1930 using OTT connection 1950, in which wireless connection 1970 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may provide significant radio interface bandwidth savings, especially for RRC based delivery of refreshed clock information to UEs, and/or processing capacity savings at the gNB. This will provide power savings and better service to users.

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1950 between host computer 1910 and UE 1930, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1950 may be implemented in software 191 1 and hardware 1915 of host computer 1910 or in software 1931 and hardware 1935 of UE 1930, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 1950 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software 1911 , 1931 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 1950 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 1920, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 1920. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 1910’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 191 1 and 1931 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 1950 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

Figure 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 20 will be included in this section. In step 2010, the host computer provides user data. In substep 201 1 (which may be optional) of step 2010, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2020, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 2030 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2040 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

Figure 21 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 21 will be included in this section. In step 21 10 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2120, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2130 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

Figure 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 22 will be included in this section. In step 2210 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 2220, the UE provides user data. In substep 2221 (which may be optional) of step 2220, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 221 1 (which may be optional) of step 2210, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 2230 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 2240 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

Figure 23 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a

communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 23 will be included in this section. In step 2310 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 2320 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 2330 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the

transmission initiated by the base station.

Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

In view of the above, then, embodiments herein generally include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer may comprise processing circuitry configured to provide user data. The host computer may also comprise a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE). The cellular network may comprise a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a base station.

In some embodiments, the communication system further includes the base station.

In some embodiments, the communication system further includes the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data. In this case, the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiments herein also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, providing user data. The method may also comprise, at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station. The base station performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a base station.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data.

In some embodiments, the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application. In this case, the method further comprises, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiments herein also include a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station. The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the embodiments above described for a UE.

Embodiments herein further include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer comprises processing circuitry configured to provide user data, and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE). The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE’s components are configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments, the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data. The UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiments also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, providing user data and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

Embodiments herein further include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer comprises a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station. The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments the communication system further includes the UE.

In some embodiments, the communication system further including the base station. In this case, the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application. And the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data. And the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.

Embodiments herein also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

In some embodiments, the method also comprises, at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted. The method may further comprise, at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the UE, executing a client application, and, at the UE, receiving input data to the client application. The input data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application. The user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

Embodiments also include a communication system including a host computer. The host computer comprises a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station. The base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The base station’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a base station.

In some embodiments, the communication system further includes the base station.

In some embodiments, the communication system further includes the UE. The UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application. And the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

Embodiments moreover include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE). The method comprises, at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises, at the base station, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.

Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the description.

The term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, for example, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks, procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and so on, as such as those that are described herein.

Some of the embodiments contemplated herein are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. The disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

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