ON MULTIPLE PATH INFORMATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein relate to a method and scheduler in a wireless

communication network. Furthermore, a computer program product and a

computer readable storage medium are also provided herein. In particular, embodiments herein relate to scheduling downlink (DL) resource for a wireless device.

BACKGROUND

In a typical wireless communication network, wireless devices, also known as wireless communication devices, mobile stations (MSs), stations (STA) and/or user equipments (UE), communicate via a Radio Access Network (RAN) to one or more core networks (CNs).

A Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third generation (3G) telecommunication network, which evolved from the second generation (2G)

Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). The UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) is essentially a RAN using wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) and/or High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) for wireless devices. In a forum known as the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), telecommunications suppliers propose and agree upon standards for third

generation networks, and investigate enhanced data rate and radio capacity. In some RANs, e.g. as in UTRAN, several radio network nodes may be connected, e.g. by landlines or microwave, to a controller node, such as a radio network controller node (RNC) or a base station controller node (BSC), which supervises and coordinates various activities of the plural radio network nodes connected thereto. This type of connection is sometimes referred to as a backhaul connection. The RNCs and BSCs are typically connected to one or more core networks.

Specifications for the Evolved Packet System (EPS), also called a Fourth

Generation (4G) network, have been completed within the 3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and this work continues in the coming 3GPP releases, for example to specify a Fifth Generation (5G) network such as the new

generation radio (NR). The EPS comprises the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), also known as the Long Term Evolution (LTE) radio access network, and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), also known as System Architecture Evolution (SAE) core network. E-UTRAN/LTE is a variant of a 3GPP radio access network wherein the radio network nodes are directly connected to the EPC core network rather than to RNCs. In general, in E-UTRAN/LTE the functions of an RNC are distributed between the radio network nodes, e.g.

eNodeBs in LTE, and the core network. As such, the RAN of an EPS has an essentially“flat” architecture comprising radio network nodes connected directly to one or more core networks, i.e. , they are not connected to RNCs. To compensate for that, the E-UTRAN specification defines a direct interface between the radio network nodes, this interface being denoted as X2 interface. Additionally, 3GPP has specified two different air interfaces supporting for machine type

communications (MTC), e.g., Internet of Things (loT), drones and vehicular.

The evolution of the wireless communication network from 2 ^nd generation (2G) to 5G has seen a consistent shift from a wireless communication network dominated by wireless devices, e.g., mobile station type devices, to a wireless communication network where in a significant ratio of wireless devices are of other types, e.g., machine type devices. Many of these other types of wireless devices use a same subscriber identification module (SIM) and radio resource controller node (RRC) signaling as the mobile station type devices, however, they generate vastly different traffic and interference patterns. Existing wireless communication networks are optimal for mobile station type devices. The machines type devices may however have varying characteristics such as higher altitude e.g., Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and drones, higher speed e.g., vehicles and Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), low-power e.g., internet of things (loT) devices, etc.

Fig. 1 is a schematic overview depicting a hybrid wireless communication network with both a terrestrial UE and a UAV. Typically, base station (BS) antennas are down-tilted to reduce interference to neighboring cells as shown in Fig. 1. Due to this the UAVs need to communicate with the BS using sidelobes which results in poor serving cell signal strength. Meanwhile higher altitude UAVs results in almost Line of Sight (LOS) links to multiple neighboring BSs. Thus UAVs’ uplink transmissions will be to be a main source of interference to neighboring BSs and UAVs themselves are victims of interference generated from DL transmission from the neighboring BSs.

In V. Yajnanarayana, E. Wang, S. Gao and S. Muruganathan“Interference Mitigation Methods for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Served by Cellular Networks,” 2018 IEEE 5G World Forum (5GWF18), Santa Clara, USA (referred to as V. Yajnanarayana herein after), it is proposed to counter the uplink interference generated by UAVs.

Fig. 2 is diagram illustrating Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) in % as a function of interference over noise in dB. Fig. 2 depicts interference over thermal noise statistics for UL and DL at 50% resource utilization. As shown in Fig. 2, when having 33% UAVs, e.g., drones in the network, the Interference over Thermal characteristics increases significantly compared to the only terrestrial MS deployment. By using the solution per V. Yajnanarayana, the uplink interference problem is addressed, however how to mitigate the interference due to the DL transmissions from neighboring BSs is still not addressed.

To accomplish multi UAV missions such as reconnaissance, search and rescue, disaster sensing, etc. the UAVs requires non-visual line of sight (NLOS) communication. Providing connectivity for NLOS multi-UAV missions in a hybrid cellular network having both terrestrial UEs and UAVs is a challenging task due to the interference caused by DL transmission from the neighboring BSs.

SUMMARY

There is therefore a need in the wireless communication network to achieve optimal performance when wireless devices in various types are connected.

An object of embodiments herein is to provide a mechanism for improving performance of the wireless communication network, particularly to provide a method and scheduler for scheduling a DL resource for a wireless device based on multiple path information each describing a route to be travelled by a wireless device, in order to improve performance in terms of throughput, coverage, capacity and/or interference.

According to an aspect the object is achieved by providing a method performed by a scheduler. The scheduler obtains multiple path information, each describing a route to be travelled by a wireless device. The scheduler schedules a DL resource in one or more cells for each wireless device, based on the multiple path information. For each cell the scheduled DL resource is exclusively available for the wireless device in the cell and its neighboring cells.

According to another aspect the object is achieved by providing a scheduler configured to: obtain multiple path information, each describing a route to be travelled by a wireless device; and schedule a DL, resource in one or more cells for each wireless device, based on the multiple path information. For each cell, the scheduled DL resource is exclusively available for the wireless device in the cell and its neighboring cells. E.g., interfering cells.

It is furthermore provided herein a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out any of the methods above, as performed by the scheduler. It is additionally provided herein a computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out the method according to any of the methods above, as performed by the scheduler.

By obtaining the multiple path information, each describing a route to be travelled by a wireless device, and scheduling the DL resource which is exclusively available for the wireless device in the cell and its neighboring cells accordingly, the embodiments herein will improve overall network performance such as the throughput, coverage, capacity and/or interference etc. Particularly, when other wireless devices are served by one or more of the neighboring cells, the DL resource is exclusively available for one wireless device, thus the DL resource will not be scheduled for other wireless devices, interference from other wireless devices will be avoided accordingly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described in more detail in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic overview depicting a hybrid wireless communication network with both a terrestrial UE and a UAV;

Fig. 2 is a diagram depicting interference over thermal noise statistics for uplink (UL) and DL at 50% resource utilization;

Fig. 3 is a schematic overview depicting OFDM frame for multiple;

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a schematic overview of a hybrid wireless communication network with both terrestrial UEs and UAVs according to embodiments herein;

Fig. 5 is a schematic overview illustrating multiple paths to be travelled by multiple UAVs according to embodiments herein;

Fig. 6 is flowcharts illustrating methods implemented by a scheduler according to embodiments herein;

Fig. 7 is schematic illustrating example DL resources scheduled by a scheduler according to embodiments herein;

Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a scheduler according to embodiments herein;

Fig. 9 schematically illustrates a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer;

Fig. 10 is a generalized block diagram of a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection;

Fig. 1 1-Fig. 14 are flowcharts illustrating methods implemented in a

communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As part of developing embodiments herein, a problem will first be identified and shortly discussed.

Conventional wireless communication networks are optimized for mobile station type devices communication. For instance, an antenna configuration as an example of a network parameter, an antenna tilt angle of a radio network node, e.g., a base station, is optimized to serve terrestrial mobile stations and may not aid certain machine type devices like UAVs, which are at higher altitude and require a different antenna tilt angle to serve optimally.

As described in the above section, providing NLOS connectivity to various types of wireless devices, e.g., UAVs, is a challenge. For instance, the UAVs themselves may be victims of interference generated from DL transmissions from neighboring cells.

Most of the wireless technologies today use OFDM for multiple access. Each OFDM frame can be viewed as shown in Fig. 3, with each resource element (RE) as a tile having a sub-carrier frequency and time. The collection of these REs form resource blocks (RBs). In typical wireless network there exists a scheduler in each radio network node which schedules the different RBs to different users thereby mitigating the inter user interference within the cell. These schedules are independent of neighbouring cells. Since the neighbouring cell uses the same sub carrier frequencies the transmissions from them can interfere with each other. If the network has only terrestrial UEs the impact is less as the propagation path from neighbouring cells are blocked by obstacles such as buildings, trees, etc. However, since the UAVs have direct links to multiple base stations, the inter-cell interference can be significant. Embodiments herein propose to mitigate the DL interference through scheduling a DL resource based on a-priori UAV mission information, e.g., path information. The DL transmission may be very important for UAVs as it may carry control information (DCI). Therefore, the reduction or mitigation in the DL interference will enhance performance in terms of better connectivity, throughput and latency in DL communications for UAVs.

Instead of employing individual scheduler comprised in each serving radio network node independently scheduling DL resource, one single scheduler, which may also be referred to as a co-operative scheduler, a centralized scheduler, is provided herein.

The single scheduler may e.g. be provided for scheduling exclusive DL resources in multiple cells. A global knowledge on all active missions in the radio wireless network, e.g., all path information may be obtained by the single scheduler.

Furthermore, the single scheduler may schedule the DL resource not only for the serving cell, i.e. , UAV connected cell, but also to all neighboring cells, i.e. , interfering cells. It is thus enabled to schedule the exclusive DL resource in the serving and neighboring cells. The DL interference from neighboring cells is therefore avoided.

Fig. 4 is a schematic overview depicting a wireless communication network 1 wherein embodiments herein may be implemented. The wireless communication network 1 comprises one or more Radio Access Networks (RANs), e.g. a first RAN (RAN1 ), connected to one or more CNs, e.g. a 5G core network (5GCs). The wireless communication network 1 may use one or more technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, New Radio (NR), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Global System for Mobile

communications/Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution (GSM/EDGE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), or Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), just to mention a few possible implementations. Embodiments herein relate to recent technology trends that are of particular interest in, e.g., a LTE or a NR context, however, embodiments herein may be applicable also in further development of the existing communication systems such as e.g. GSM or UMTS.

In the wireless communication network 1 , wireless devices, e.g. a wireless device 101 -106 are connected via the one or more RANs, to the one or more CNs, e.g. 5GCs. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that“wireless device” is a non-limiting term which means any terminal, wireless communication terminal, UAV, communication equipment, or user equipment e.g. smart phone, laptop, mobile phone, sensor, relay, mobile tablets or any device communicating within a cell or service area.

Though only six wireless devices are shown in Fig. 4, the skilled person will appreciate that the embodiments here are also applicable to multiple wireless devices.

Examples of the wireless device 101-103 comprise a mobile station, a non-access point (non-AP) station (STA), a STA, a user equipment (UE) and/or a wireless terminal.

Examples of the wireless device 104-106 comprise machine type communication (MTC) device, device to device (D2D) terminal, loT operable device, e.g., UAV or UGV each will travel along a predetermined path, e.g., a route.

The wireless communication network 1 comprises one or more radio network nodes, e.g., a radio network node 121, a radio network node 122 and a radio network node 123. Each radio network node 121-123 is exemplified herein as a RAN node providing radio coverage over a geographical area, a service area 111-113, respectively, of a radio access technology (RAT), such as NR, LTE, UMTS, Wi-Fi or similar. The RAN covers a geographical area which is divided into service areas or cells, with each service area or cell being served by a radio network node such as a radio access node, e.g. a Wi-Fi access point or a radio base station (RBS), which in some networks may also be denoted, for example, a NodeB (NB), an enhanced NodeB (eNodeB), or a gNodeB (gNB). The service area or cell provided by each radio network node 121-123 is also referred to as a wireless coverage or radio coverage. The radio network node communicates over an air interface operating on radio frequencies with the wireless device within the service area or cell. The radio network node 121 -123 may be a radio access network node such as an access point, e.g. a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point or an Access Point Station (AP STA), an access controller node. Examples of the radio network node 121-123 may also be a NodeB, a gNodeB, an evolved Node B (eNB, eNodeB), a base transceiver station, Access Point Base Station, base station router, a transmission arrangement of a radio network node, a stand-alone access point or any other network unit capable of serving a wireless device 101 -106 respectively within the service area served by the radio network node 121 -123 depending e.g. on the radio access technology and terminology used and may be denoted as a receiving radio network node.

According to some embodiments herein, the radio network node 121 , radio network node 122 and radio network node 123 may communicate with each other and with the scheduler 18. The radio network node 121 , radio network node 122 and radio network node 123 may be coordinated multipoint (CoMP). In

Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP), data and channel state information (CSI) is shared among neighbouring cellular radio network nodes, e.g., base stations (BSs) to coordinate their transmissions in the DL and jointly process the received signals in the uplink.

The wireless communication network 1 also comprises a scheduler 18 which may be a logical centralized scheduler. The scheduler 18 may be comprised in the CN, as shown in Fig. 3, is a non-limiting example. Physically, it may be implemented either as a distributed node or a stand-alone node. As a stand-alone node, the scheduler 18 may be located in single one radio network node, e.g., radio network node 121 . Alternatively, as a distributed node different modules or functions of the scheduler 18 may be distributed at different locations, e.g., over radio network nodes 121-123 which may be CoMP and/or core network nodes or in a cloud, where necessary.

The scheduler 18 may obtain the path information from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Traffic Management (UTM) framework and/or system. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are defining the UAV UTM framework and/or system. Such a system seeks to present an effective management structure for UAV traffic. In this vein, the UTM is sought to act as an enabler to promote widespread use of UAVs in both commercial and recreational settings while at the same time minimizing the perils to manned air traffic and surrounding pieces of infrastructure.

A UAV Service Supplier (USS) in the UTM architecture is an entity that collects all required information from other entities or connects information consumers with their providers upon request. A UTM system may be used for the planning, scheduling and execution of a UAV mission. When a UAV operator is planning for a UAV mission such as a package delivery mission, the UAV operator may post the planned mission request to the USS. The USS will check that the planned mission is allowed by a Flight Information Management System (FIMS). If permitted and with no scheduling conflicts, the UAV operator may eventually be granted a“go ahead” to carry out the mission. At this stage, the USS may send all relevant information, including the flight path, to the UAV operator. Once the mission is in progress, the USS can issue fresh notifications to the UAV operator if any mission conditions change during the allocated time slot of the mission (e.g., fresh allocated time slot of the mission (e.g., fresh new constraints are issued, weather emergencies arise or the airspace becomes congested).

The scheduler 18 is configured to schedule a DL resource for a wireless device based multiple path information, in order to reduce or avoid the DL interference caused by neighboring cells. Accordingly performance in terms of throughput, coverage, capacity and/or interference is improved.

Embodiments of the scheduler 18 and methods performed therein will be provided in details below.

Fig. 5 is a schematic overview illustrating multiple paths to be travelled by multiple UAVs according to embodiments herein, in which a wireless communication network 1 comprises three radio network nodes, shown as nodes 1-3. The paths M = (M ₁ , M ₂ , ... , M _n ] for wireless devices, e.g., UAVs (shown as triangles) are illustrated in Fig. 5. Solid dots indicate the MSs. Dashed circles indicate ending points of each specific path. The ith path: where,

(w^ t,) represents a jth way-point, i.e., location, at a time instant t,, for ith path, i, j, I are nature numbers.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart describing an exemplary method performed by a scheduler 18, e.g., for scheduling a DL resource for a wireless device 104, e.g., being a UAV or UGV. The following actions may be taken in any suitable order. Actions that may be performed only in some embodiments may be marked with dashed boxes.

Action S610.

In order to be aware the route to be traveled by the wireless devices 104-106, the scheduler 18 obtains multiple path information each describing a route to be travelled by one wireless device 104-106. E.g. one information describing a route to be travelled by the wireless device 104, another information describing a route to be travelled by the wireless device 105, and yet another information describing a route to be travelled by the wireless device 106.

The route may comprise a set of time instants and way-points indicating locations associated with each time instant.

The path information may comprise flight path information or terrestrial path information, accordingly the wireless device comprises an aerial or terrestrial wireless device.

The scheduler 18 may obtain the data from the UTM framework and/or system, or any database storing the routes to be travelled by the wireless devices 104-106. Action S620.

The scheduler 18 may further obtain DL resource grant requests associated with other wireless devices in the cell and its neighboring cells. Taking the wireless device 104 as an example, in order to schedule a DL resource for it, scheduler 18 may further obtain DL resource grant requests associated with wireless devices105-106, e.g., UAVs or UGAs. Optionally, the scheduler 18 may also obtain DL resource grant requests associated with wireless devices 101-103, e.g., MSs.

Action S630.

The scheduler 18 may then determine the cell which serves the wireless device and the neighboring cells, based on the route, e.g., way-point corresponding to the time instant, and a measurement from the wireless device, e.g., wireless device 104.

The measurement from the wireless device may e.g. comprise one or more measurements on Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Signal to

Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), Reference Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) etc. In this case, the scheduler 18 may then further configured to obtain the measurement from the wireless device.

Action S640.

The scheduler 18 schedules a DL resource in one or more cells for each respective wireless device 104-106, based on the multiple path information. For each cell, the scheduled DL resource is exclusively available for each wireless device 104-106 in the cell and some or all its neighboring cells.

The neighbouring cells may comprise cells which serving other wireless device, e.g., UAVs UGVs.

The scheduler 18 may schedule the DL resource at each time instant in the cell and blank the DL time resource at each time instant in some or all its neighboring cells.

Here the term scheduling refers to the mapping between RB and UEs/UAVs in the serving cell.

Action S650. The scheduler 18 may then configure a serving radio network node, e.g., radio network node 121 in the serving cell to use the scheduled DL resource for DL transmission.

The types of the wireless devices may comprise aerial type devices e.g., UAVs, a drone, and territorial type devices such as UGV e.g. cars, etc. The territorial type device may further comprise smart vehicle and mobile station, etc.

The method illustrated in Fig. 6 may be performed periodically and/or upon any triggering event.

In order to achieve optimal performance in terms of throughput, coverage, capacity and/or interference it is proposed herein to mitigate this interference through scheduling a DL resource by utilizing the a-priori UAV mission information.

Instead of pre-computing the serving and neighboring cells based on the path information then statically reserving and allocating resource in advance, the single scheduler 18 according to embodiments herein brings an advantage of dynamic scheduling DL resource. Since the scheduler 18 according to

embodiments herein determines serving and neighboring cells based on the measurement, the way-point supposed at the time, UE grant requests, etc. and will schedule the DL resource in the serving cell, and interfering cells which may not be physical-neighbors. The embodiments herein is optimal for the highly dynamic cell associations scenario, like the UAVs in a typical hybrid radio wireless network which communicates via side lobes, the nice and neat coverage shown in Fig. 5 may not hold.

In another embodiment, the path information may be used to choose an aggressive modulation and coding that is lower order modulation schemes coupled with low rate coding for robust decoding of the highly interfered DL signal.

Fig. 7 illustrates example DL resources scheduled by the scheduler 18 according to embodiments herein. The X axis indicates time. The Y axis indicates frequency. The network nodes 121 , 122 and 123 are shown as BS-1 BS-2 and BS-3, respectively. In this embodiment, the scheduler 18 uses the multiple path information as follows: consider three UAVs as an example, executing three UAV missions. It is assumed that the cells which serving the UAVs at the three respective time instants are neighbouring cell, i.e., interfering cells. One way to mitigate the interference is by blanking (no-transmission) the RBs corresponding to non-serving BSs as shown in Fig. 7. In this example, the scheduler 18 will construct orthogonal RB allocation with respect to UAVs by blanking the non serving BSs (indicated by X in Fig. 7) using the path information.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram depicting the scheduler 18, e.g., for determining a network parameter, according to embodiments herein.

The scheduler 18 may comprise processing circuitry 801 , e.g. one or more processors, configured to perform the methods herein.

The scheduler 18 may comprise a first obtaining module 810. The scheduler 18, the processing circuitry 801 , and/or the first obtaining module 810 may be configured to obtain the multiple path information each describing a route to be travelled by a wireless device 104-106.

The scheduler 18 may comprise a second obtaining module 811. The scheduler 18, the processing circuitry 801 , and/or the second obtaining module 81 1 may be configured to obtain the DL resource grant requests associated with other wireless devices 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 in the cell and its neighboring cells.

The scheduler 18 may comprise a determining module 812. The scheduler 18, the processing circuitry 801 , and/or the determining module 812 may be configured to determine the cell which serves the wireless device and the neighboring cells, based on the way-point corresponding to the time instant and a measurement from the wireless device.

The scheduler 18 comprises a scheduling module 813. The scheduler 18, the processing circuitry 801 , and/or the scheduling module 813 is configured to schedule the DL resource in one or more cells for each wireless device104-106, based on the multiple path information.

The scheduler 18 may also comprise a configuring module 814. The scheduler 18, the processing circuitry 801 , and/or the configuring 814 may be configured to configure the serving radio network node 121 in the cell to use the scheduled DL resource for DL transmission.

As mention above, the scheduler 18 may be implemented either as a distributed node or a stand-alone node.

The scheduler 18 may further comprise a memory 804. The memory comprises one or more units to be used to store data on, such as the path information, scheduling information, neighboring cells information, DL resource grant requests and/or the measurement from the wireless device to perform the methods disclosed herein when being executed. Thus, the scheduler 18 may comprise the processing circuitry 801 and the memory 804, said memory 804 comprising instructions executable by said processing circuitry 801 whereby said scheduler 18 is operative to perform the methods herein.

The methods according to the embodiments described herein for the scheduler 18 are respectively implemented by means of e.g. a computer program product 805 or a computer program 805, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the scheduler 18. The computer program product 805 may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 806, e.g. a disc, a universal serial bus (USB) stick or similar.

The computer-readable storage medium 806, having stored thereon the computer program product 805, may comprise the instructions which, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the scheduler 18. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

As will be readily understood by those familiar with communications design, that functions means or modules may be implemented using digital logic and/or one or more microschedulers, microprocessors, or other digital hardware. In some embodiments, several or all of the various functions may be implemented together, such as in a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or in two or more separate devices with appropriate hardware and/or software interfaces between them. Several of the functions may be implemented on a processor shared with other functional components of a scheduler 18, for example.

Alternatively, several of the functional elements of the processing means discussed may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware, while others are provided with hardware for executing software, in association with the appropriate software or firmware. Thus, the term“processor” or“scheduler” as used herein does not exclusively refer to hardware capable of executing software and may implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, read-only memory (ROM) for storing software, random-access memory for storing software and/or program or application data, and non volatile memory. Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be included. Designers of wireless devices will appreciate the cost, performance, and maintenance trade-offs inherent in these design choices.

With reference to Fig. 9, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes a telecommunication network 3210, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises an access network 321 1 , such as a radio access network, and a core network 3214. The access network 321 1 comprises a plurality of base stations 3212a, 3212b, 3212c, e.g. the network nodes 121- 123 such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points being examples of the radio network nodes herein, each defining a corresponding coverage area 3213a, 3213b, 3213c. Each base station 3212a, 3212b, 3212c is connectable to the core network 3214 over a wired or wireless connection 3215. A first user equipment (UE) 3291 , being an example of the wireless device 10, located in coverage area 3213c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 3212c. A second UE 3292 in coverage area 3213a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 3212a. While a plurality of UEs 3291 , 3292 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 3212.

The telecommunication network 3210 is itself connected to a host computer 3230, 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. The host computer 3230 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. The connections 3221 , 3222 between the telecommunication network 3210 and the host computer 3230 may extend directly from the core network 3214 to the host computer 3230 or may go via an optional intermediate network 3220. The intermediate network 3220 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; the intermediate network 3220, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 3220 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of Fig. 9 as a whole enables connectivity between one of the connected UEs 3291 , 3292 and the host computer 3230. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 3250. The host computer 3230 and the connected UEs 3291 , 3292 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via the OTT connection 3250, using the access network 321 1 , the core network 3214, any intermediate network 3220 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 3250 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 3250 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, a base station 3212 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from a host computer 3230 to be forwarded (e.g. handed over) to a connected UE 3291. Similarly, the base station 3212 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 3291 towards the host computer 3230. 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 Fig. 10. In a communication system 3300, a host computer 3310 comprises hardware 3315 including a communication interface 3316 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 3300. The host computer 3310 further comprises processing circuitry 3318, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuitry 3318 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The host computer 3310 further comprises software 331 1 , which is stored in or accessible by the host computer 3310 and executable by the processing circuitry 3318. The software 331 1 includes a host application 3312. The host application 3312 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as a UE 3330 connecting via an OTT connection 3350 terminating at the UE 3330 and the host computer 3310. In providing the service to the remote user, the host application 3312 may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 3350.

The communication system 3300 further includes a base station 3320 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 3325 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 3310 and with the UE 3330. The hardware 3325 may include a communication interface 3326 for setting up and

maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 3300, as well as a radio interface 3327 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 3370 with a UE 3330 located in a coverage area (not shown in Fig. 10) served by the base station 3320. The communication interface 3326 may be configured to facilitate a connection 3360 to the host computer 3310. The connection 3360 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in Fig. 10) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, the hardware 3325 of the base station 3320 further includes processing circuitry 3328, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application- specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The base station 3320 further has software 3321 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

The communication system 3300 further includes the UE 3330 already referred to. Its hardware 3335 may include a radio interface 3337 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 3370 with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE 3330 is currently located. The hardware 3335 of the UE 3330 further includes processing circuitry 3338, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE 3330 further comprises software 3331 , which is stored in or accessible by the UE 3330 and executable by the processing circuitry 3338. The software 3331 includes a client application 3332. The client application 3332 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non human user via the UE 3330, with the support of the host computer 3310. In the host computer 3310, an executing host application 3312 may communicate with the executing client application 3332 via the OTT connection 3350 terminating at the UE 3330 and the host computer 3310. In providing the service to the user, the client application 3332 may receive request data from the host application 3312 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT

connection 3350 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 3332 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that the host computer 3310, base station 3320 and UE 3330 illustrated in Fig. 10 may be identical to the host computer 3230, one of the base stations 3212a, 3212b, 3212c and one of the UEs 3291 , 3292 of Fig. 9, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Fig. 10 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of Fig. 9. In Fig. 10, the OTT connection 3350 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host computer 3310 and the user equipment 3330 via the base station 3320, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from the UE 3330 or from the service provider operating the host computer 3310, or both. While the OTT connection 3350 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).

The wireless connection 3370 between the UE 3330 and the base station 3320 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the

performance of OTT services provided to the UE 3330 using the OTT

connection 3350, in which the wireless connection 3370 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may have the advantage of improving overall network performance, such as the throughput, coverage, capacity and/or interference etc.

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 the OTT connection 3350 between the host computer 3310 and UE 3330, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 3350 may be implemented in the software 331 1 of the host computer 3310 or in the software 3331 of the UE 3330, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 3350 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 331 1 , 3331 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 3350 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the base station 3320, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 3320. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating the host computer’s 3310 measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software 331 1 , 3331 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 3350 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

Fig. 11 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 Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Fig. 1 1 will be included in this section. In a first step 3410 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional substep 341 1 of the first step 3410, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In a second step 3420, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In an optional third step 3430, 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 an optional fourth step 3440, the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

Fig. 12 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 Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Fig. 12 will be included in this section. In a first step 3510 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 a second step 3520, 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 an optional third step 3530, the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

Fig. 13 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 Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Fig. 13 will be included in this section. In an optional first step 3610 of the method, the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in an optional second step 3620, the UE provides user data. In an optional substep 3621 of the second step 3620, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In a further optional substep 361 1 of the first step 3610, 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 an optional third substep 3630, transmission of the user data to the host computer. In a fourth step 3640 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.

Fig. 14 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 Fig. 14 and Fig. 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Fig. 14 will be included in this section. In an optional first step 3710 of the method, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In an optional second step 371 1 , the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In a third step 3730, the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station. It will be appreciated that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings represent non-limiting examples of the methods and apparatus taught herein. As such, the apparatus and techniques taught herein are not limited by the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Instead, the

embodiments herein are limited only by the following claims and their legal equivalents.