Method and apparatus for power consumption reduction with multi-link operation in mobile communications

1. A method, comprising:

establishing, by a processor of an apparatus, a first link with a first network node;

establishing, by the processor, a number of links with a multitude of secondary network nodes;

receiving, by the processor, a dormancy indication via a physical layer signaling from the first network node; and

transiting, by the processor, a dormancy state of a group of network nodes among one or more groups of network nodes of the multitude of secondary network nodes according to the dormancy indication,

wherein the transiting of the dormancy state of the group of network nodes comprises stopping to monitor the group of network nodes regarding data exchange in response to the group of network nodes entering a dormancy-like state,

wherein the dormancy indication comprises a bitmap indicating a respective group of network nodes of the multitude of secondary network nodes per bit, and

wherein the group of network nodes comprises at least one network node.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical layer signaling comprises a wake-up signal (WUS) or a downlink control information (DCI) format.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transiting comprises transiting from the dormancy-like state to a non-dormancy-like state or from the non-dormancy-like state to the dormancy-like state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network node comprises a primary cell (PCell), and wherein the secondary network nodes comprises at least one secondary cell (SCell).

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

monitoring, by the processor, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the group of network nodes after transiting from the dormancy-like state to the non-dormancy-like state.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

switching, by the processor, from a dormant bandwidth part (BWP) on the group of network nodes after transiting from the dormancy-like state to the non-dormancy-like state.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

switching, by the processor, to a dormant bandwidth part (BWP) on the group of network nodes after transiting from the non-dormancy-like state to the dormancy-like state.

8. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

performing, by the processor, a multi-link operation after transiting from the dormancy-like state to the non-dormancy-like state.

9. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

performing, by the processor, a single link operation after transiting from the non-dormancy-like state to the dormancy-like state.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver which, during operation, wirelessly communicates with network nodes of a wireless network; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver such that, during operation, the processor performs operations comprising:

establishing, via the transceiver a first link with a first network node;

establishing, via the transceiver a number of links with a multitude of secondary network nodes;

receiving, via the transceiver, a dormancy indication via a physical layer signaling from the first network node; and

transiting a dormancy state of a group of network nodes among one or more groups of network nodes of the multitude of secondary network nodes according to the dormancy indication,

wherein, in transiting the dormancy state of the group of network nodes, the processor stops to monitor the group of network nodes regarding data exchange in response to the group of network nodes entering a dormancy-like state,

wherein the dormancy indication comprises a bitmap indicating a respective group of network nodes of the multitude of secondary network nodes per bit, and

wherein the group of network nodes comprises at least one network node.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the physical layer signaling comprises a wake-up signal (WUS) or a downlink control information (DCI) format.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein, in transiting the dormancy state of the group of network nodes, the processor transits from the dormancy-like state to a non-dormancy-like state or from the non-dormancy-like state to the dormancy-like state.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first network node comprises a primary cell (PCell), and wherein the secondary network nodes comprises at least one secondary cell (SCell).

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, during operation, the processor further performs operations comprising:

monitoring, via the transceiver, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the group of network nodes after transiting from the dormancy-like state to the non-dormancy-like state.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, during operation, the processor further performs operations comprising:

switching from a dormant bandwidth part (BWP) on the group of network nodes after transiting from the dormancy-like state to the non-dormancy-like state.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, during operation, the processor further performs operations comprising:

switching to a dormant bandwidth part (BWP) on the group of network nodes after transiting from the non-dormancy-like state to the dormancy-like state.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, during operation, the processor further performs operations comprising:

performing a multi-link operation after transiting from the dormancy-like state to the non-dormancy-like state.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, during operation, the processor further performs operations comprising:

performing a single link operation after transiting from the non-dormancy-like state to the dormancy-like state.