Signaling of support for network controlled small gap, NCSG, for interruption control
NCSGs may be used by a cellular network to, for example, enhance the signal measurement processes by which a UE performs inter-frequency measurements. In a first embodiment described herein, a UE may signal to the network, on a per-UE basis, the ability to support NCGS interruptions. In a first embodiment described herein, a UE may signal to the network, on a per-component carrier basis of the UE, the ability to support NCGS interruptions.
1. A User Equipment (UE), the UE comprising:
circuitry to interface to a radio circuit, for a cellular wireless network, the radio circuit concurrently implementing a plurality of component carriers for communicating with wireless network;
one or more processors to:
generate a message indicating whether the UE supports Network Controlled Small Gap (NCSG) interruptions, the message including:
an indication of whether the UE supports NCSG on a per-UE basis indicating whether the UE supports NCSG on all component carriers of the UE for the plurality of component carriers;
process signaling from the cellular wireless network indicating when NCSG interruptions are scheduled for one or more component carriers of the plurality of component carries; and
perform signal quality measurements based on the scheduled NCSG interruptions.
2. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further to:
refrain from transmitting or receiving data, for a particular component carrier, of the plurality of component carriers, during a scheduled NCSG interruption.
3. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further to:
control transmission of the message, to the wireless network, using Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.
4. The UE of claim 1 , wherein NCSG interruptions are scheduled at different times on different component carriers of the plurality of component carriers.
5. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further to:
perform, during the NCSG interruptions, radio frequency (RF) tuning.
6. The UE of claim 1 , wherein component carriers, of the plurality of component carriers, are associated with different Serving Cells of the wireless network.
7. A method, comprising:
transmitting a signaling message that indicates whether a user equipment (UE) supports Network Controlled Small Gap (NCSG) interruptions in a cellular wireless network to which the UE is attached, the signaling message including:
an indication of whether the UE supports NCSG on a per-UE basis indicating whether the UE supports NCSG on all component carriers of the UE;
processing signaling from the cellular wireless network indicating when NCSG interruptions are scheduled; and
performing signal quality measurements based on the scheduled NCSG interruptions.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
refraining from transmitting or receiving data, for a particular component carrier, of a plurality of component carriers, during a scheduled NCSG interruption.
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
controlling transmission of the signaling message, to the cellular wireless network, using Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein NCSG interruptions are scheduled at different times on different component carriers of a plurality of component carriers.
11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
performing, during the NCSG interruptions, radio frequency (RF) tuning.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising wherein component carriers, of a plurality of component carriers of the UE, are associated with different Serving Cells of the cellular wireless network.
13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
processing additional signaling, received from the cellular wireless network, indicating a serving frequency and a measurement frequency of cells associated with the cellular wireless network.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
generating a second message, in response to the additional signaling, indicating UE preferences relating to the NCSG interruptions; and
controlling transmitting of the second message via a radio circuit.
15. A baseband processor for a User Equipment (UE), the baseband processor comprising:
circuitry to interface to a radio circuit, for a cellular wireless network, the radio circuit concurrently implementing a plurality of component carriers for communicating with the cellular wireless network;
one or more processors to:
transmit a UE capability signaling message that indicates whether the UE supports Network Controlled Small Gap (NCSG) interruptions in the cellular wireless network to which the UE is attached, on a per-UE basis indicating whether the UE supports NCSG on all component carriers of the UE;
process signaling from the cellular wireless network indicating when NCSG interruptions are scheduled; and
perform signal quality measurements based on the scheduled NCSG interruptions.
16. The baseband processor of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors is further to:
refrain from transmitting or receiving data, for a particular component carrier, of a plurality of component carriers, during a scheduled NCSG interruption.
17. The baseband processor of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors is further to:
control transmission of the UE capability signaling message, to the cellular wireless network, using Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.
18. The baseband processor of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors is further to:
perform, during NCSG interruptions, radio frequency (RF) tuning.
19. A base station, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive, from a user equipment (UE), a message indicating whether the UE supports Network Controlled Small Gap (NCSG) interruptions, the message including: an indication of whether the UE supports NCSG, on a per-UE basis indicating whether the UE supports NCSG on all component carriers of the UE for a plurality of component carriers;
communicate signaling to the UE and based on the message, indicating when NCSG interruptions are scheduled for one or more component carriers of the plurality of component carriers; and
communicate with the UE in accordance with the scheduled NCSG interruptions.
20. The base station of claim 19 , wherein the message from the UE involves Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.
21. The base station of claim 19 , wherein NCSG interruptions are scheduled at different times on different component carriers of the plurality of component carriers.
22. The base station of claim 19 , wherein component carriers, of the plurality of component carriers, are associated with different Serving Cells.