Activity pattern of coverage enhancing devices
According to a first aspect, examples provide a method of operating a first communication node (CN), wherein the first CN is configurable for exchanging, with a second CN on a radio channel, signals via a first propagation path and a second propagation path, wherein exchanging the signals via the first propagation path comprises exchanging the signals via a coverage enhancing device (CED), wherein the method comprises providing, to the CED, a message indicative of an activity pattern for establishing the first propagation path. Further examples provide a method of operating a CED, a first CN, a CED and a second CN.
1 . A method of operating a first communication node (CN) wherein the first CN is configurable for exchanging, with a second CN on a radio channel, signals via a first propagation path and a second propagation path, wherein exchanging the signals via the first propagation path comprises exchanging the signals via a coverage enhancing device (CED) wherein the method comprises:
providing, to the CED, a message indicative of an activity pattern for establishing the first propagation path, wherein the signals exchanged with the second CN comprise OFDM symbols, and wherein a granularity of the activity pattern corresponds to OFDM symbols or OFDM slots;
providing, to the CED, a message indicative of a transmission direction pattern,
wherein the transmission direction pattern is TDD (Time Division Duplex) UL-DL (Uplink-Downlink) configuration, and
wherein the first propagation path is established by taking into account both the activity pattern and the transmission direction pattern.
2 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the activity pattern determines whether the CED is to actively transmit signals between the first CN and the second CN or whether the CED is to be inactive and not to transmit signals between the first CN and the second CN.
3 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the activity pattern is periodic.
4 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the activity pattern is semi-persistent.
5 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the activity pattern is aperiodic.
6 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
providing, to the second CN or a third CN, a message indicative of the activity pattern.
7 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 6 , wherein the activity pattern is synchronized with the transmission direction pattern.
8 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
exchanging, with the second CN on the radio channel, signals according to the transmission direction pattern, in particular the transmission direction pattern as a function of time.
9 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining, from the CED, a message indicative of a capability of the CED to establish the first propagation path according to an activity pattern.
10 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 9 , wherein the activity pattern depends on the message indicative of the capability of the CED to establish the first propagation path.
11 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the activity pattern prescribes establishing the first propagation path during a RACH occasion.
12 . A first communication node (CN) wherein the first CN comprises control circuitry configured for performing the method of claim 1 .
13 . The method of operating the first CN of claim 1 , wherein the CED is controlled by the first CN via signaling between the first CN and the CED, the signaling between the first CN and the CED being separate from the first propagation path.
14 . A method of operating a coverage enhancing device (CED) the CED being reconfigurable for establishing a first propagation path for signals exchanged between a first communication node (CN) and a second CN, wherein the method comprises:
receiving, from the first CN, a message indicative of an activity pattern for establishing the first propagation path;
establishing the first propagation path in accordance with the activity pattern, wherein the signals exchanged with the second CN comprise OFDM symbols, and wherein a granularity of the activity pattern corresponds to OFDM symbols or OFDM slots; and
receiving, from the first CN, a message indicative of a transmission direction pattern, wherein the transmission direction pattern is TDD (Time Division Duplex) UL-DL (Uplink-Downlink) configuration, and
wherein the first propagation path is established by taking into account both the activity pattern and the transmission direction pattern.
15 . A coverage enhancing device (CED) wherein the CED comprises control circuitry configured for performing the method of claim 14 .
16 . The method of operating the CED of claim 14 , wherein the CED is controlled by the first CN via signaling between the first CN and the CED, the signaling between the first CN and the CED being separate from the first propagation path.