System and method for physical downlink control channel monitoring based on user equipment capability

1. A method for monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

reporting capability information indicating a plurality of pairs, wherein each pair of the plurality of pairs indicates a unique combination of serving cells configured for per-slot and per-span monitoring that the UE is capable of supporting;

receiving an indication in response to the capability information;

determining a pair of values based on the indication, wherein a first value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-slot monitoring, and a second value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-span monitoring;

determining a monitored candidate limit per slot based on the first value in the pair of values; and

determining a monitored candidate limit per span based on the second value in the pair of values.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication comprises the pair of values selected from the plurality of pairs.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving the indication comprises detecting that one or more cells are configured with slot-based monitoring and one or more cells are configured with span-based monitoring; and

the pair of values is determined based on the plurality of pairs, a number of the one or more cells configured with slot based monitoring, a number of the one or more cells configured with span based monitoring, and a unique function shared by the UE.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving the indication comprises detecting that one or more cells are configured with slot-based monitoring and one or more cells are configured with span-based monitoring; and

determining the pair of values comprises:

calculating a first complexity value for the one or more configured cells with slot-based monitoring and the one or more configured cells with span-based monitoring;

calculating complexity values for each pair of the plurality of pairs;

determining a pair having a complexity value closest to the first complexity value, and

determining the pair of values as the determined pair.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the monitored candidate limit per slot is determined based on a number of cells configured for per-slot monitoring, a per-slot candidate single cell limit, a subcarrier spacing (SCS) configuration, and a number of cells scheduled with the SCS configuration; and

the monitored candidate limit per span is determined based on a number of cells configured for per-span monitoring, a per-span candidate single cell limit, an SCS configuration, and the number of cells scheduled with the SCS configuration.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capability information is reported on at least one of a per-UE basis, a per-band basis, a per-band combination basis, a per-feature set basis, and a per-feature set, per-component carrier basis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein reporting the capability information comprises:

determining a plurality of feature groups for a monitoring behavior of the UE;

determining a feature group from the plurality of feature groups based on a predetermined guideline; and

reporting the capability information for the determined feature group.

8. A method for monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), by a base station (BS), the method comprising:

receiving, from a user equipment (IE), capability information indicating a plurality of pairs, wherein each pair of the plurality of pairs indicates a unique combination of serving cells configured for per-slot and per-span monitoring that the UE is capable of supporting; and

providing an indication, in response to the capability information, that enables the UE to determine a pair of values, wherein a first value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-slot monitoring, and a second value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-span monitoring,

wherein a monitored candidate limit per slot is determined based on the first value in the pair of values, and

wherein a monitored candidate limit per span is determined based on the second value in the pair of values.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

selecting the pair of values from the plurality of pairs, wherein the indication comprises the pair of values.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing the indication comprises:

configuring a first set of one or more cells with slot-based monitoring and a second set of one or more cells with span-based monitoring,

wherein the pair of values is determined based on:

the plurality of pairs the first set of one or more cells, the second set of one or more cells, and a unique function shared between the UE and the BS; or

a comparison of a first complexity value for the first and second sets and complexity values for each of the plurality of pairs.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the monitored candidate limit per slot is determined based on a number of cells configured for per-slot monitoring, a per-slot candidate single cell limit a subcarrier spacing (SCS) configuration, and a number of cells scheduled with the SCS configuration; and

the monitored candidate limit per span is determined based on a number of cells configured for per-span monitoring, a per-span candidate single cell limit, an SCS configuration, and a number of cells scheduled with the SCS configuration.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the capability information is received on at least one of a per-UE basis, a per-band basis, a per-band combination basis, a per-feature set basis, and a per-feature set, per-component carrier basis.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the capability information is received for a feature group determined based on a predetermined guideline, when a plurality of feature groups are determined for a monitoring behavior of the UE.

14. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

report capability information indicating a plurality of pairs, wherein each pair of the plurality of pairs indicates a unique combination of serving cells configured for per-slot and per-span monitoring that the UE is capable of supporting;

receive an indication in response to the capability information;

determine a pair of values based on the indication, wherein a first value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-slot monitoring, and a second value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-span monitoring;

determine a monitored candidate limit per slot based on the first value in the pair of values; and

determine a monitored candidate limit per span based on the second value in the pair of values.

15. A base station (BS) comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive, from a user equipment (UE), capability information indicating a plurality of pairs, wherein each pair of the plurality of pairs indicates a unique combination of serving cells configured for per-slot and per-span monitoring that the UE is capable of supporting; and

provide an indication in response to the capability information that enables the UE to determine a pair of values, wherein a first value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-slot monitoring, and a second value in the pair of values is a maximum number of serving cells configured for per-span monitoring,

wherein a monitored candidate limit per slot is determined based on the first value in the pair of values, and

wherein a monitored candidate limit per span is determined based on the second value in the pair of values.