IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,647,959
Granted Patent B2
US 12,647,959 · App. 17/438,616 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

User equipment capability signaling for measurement gap enhancements

Inventors: Yuqin Chen (Beijing, CN); Dawei Zhang (Saratoga, CA); Fangli Xu (Beijing, CN); Haijing Hu (Los Gatos, CA); Qiming Li (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
H04W72/0457H04W72/51
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,647,959
App. No.
17/438,616
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present application relates to devices and components including apparatus, systems, and methods for measurement configurations and user equipment capability reporting in wireless networks.

Claims (48)

1 . A method, comprising:

receiving configuration information to configure a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs);

determining a measurement gap is needed for a BWP of the plurality of BWPs to measure a target frequency; and

generating a user equipment (UE) capability message to include a first indication and a second indication, wherein the first indication is to indicate that the measurement gap is needed for the BWP and the second indication is to indicate whether the measurement gap should be a network-controlled small gap (NCSG) or a legacy gap.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a target band filter to indicate the target frequencies for which the UE is requested to report gap requirement information; and

determining measurement gaps are needed for the plurality of BWPs based on the target band filter.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the target frequencies comprise one or more target new radio (NR) bands.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving the target band filter comprises:

processing a need-for-gap request received from a base station to obtain the target band filter.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is to configure a component carrier with the plurality of BWPs and the method further comprises:

generating the UE capability message to further include another indication that another BWP of the plurality of BWPs does not need a measurement gap.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the measurement gap is needed for the BWP to perform an intra-frequency measurement on a first serving cell; and

generating the UE capability message to include another indication to indicate that the measurement gap is needed for the BWP to perform an intra-frequency measurement.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the measurement gap is needed for the BWP to perform an inter-frequency measurement on a first band; and

generating the UE capability message to include another indication to indicate that the measurement gap is needed for the BWP to perform an inter-frequency measurement.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is to configure a first component carrier having a first set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs and to configure a second component carrier having a second set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, wherein the first and second component carriers are configured for carrier aggregation or dual connectivity.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first indication and the second indication are included in a NeedForGapsInfoNR information element.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from a base station, information to configure the UE to report BWP-specific need-for-gap information; and

generating the UE capability message based on the information to configure the UE to report BWP-specific need-for-gap information.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating the UE capability message to further include another indication of a gap pattern for the measurement gap.

12 . An apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry to:

receiving configuration information to configure a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs) and a measurement object;

determine a measurement gap is needed for a BWP of the plurality of BWPs to perform measurements based on the measurement object; and

generate a user equipment (UE) capability message with a first indication and a second indication, wherein the first indication is to indicate that the measurement gap is needed for the BWP and the second indication is to indicate whether the measurement gap should be a network-controlled small gap (NCSG) or a legacy gap; and

interface circuitry, coupled with the processing circuitry, to transmit the UE capability message.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the measurement object is a first measurement object, the configuration information is to further configure a second measurement object, and the processing circuitry is further to:

determine the measurement gap is needed for another BWP of the plurality of BWPs to perform measurements based on the second measurement object; and

generate the UE capability message to further include another indication that the measurement gap is needed for the other BWP of the plurality of BWPs to perform measurements based on the second measurement object.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the configuration information is to configure a component carrier with the plurality of BWPs and the processing circuitry is further to:

generate the UE capability message to further include another indication that another BWP of the plurality of BWPs does not need a measurement gap.

15 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the measurement object is to configure an intra-frequency measurement on a first serving cell or an inter-frequency measurement on a first band.

16 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first indication and the second indication are included in a NeedForGapsInfoNR information element.

17 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

generate the UE capability message to further include another indication of to indicate a gap pattern for the measurement gap.

18 . A method comprising:

outputting, for transmission, configuration information to a user equipment (UE) to configure a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs);

receiving, from the UE, a UE capability message including a first indication and a second indication, wherein the first indication is to indicate a measurement gap is needed for a BWP of the plurality of BWPs and the second indication is to indicate whether the measurement gap should be a network-controlled small gap (NCSG) or a legacy gap; and

outputting, for transmission, gap configuration information to the UE based on the UE capability message.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

outputting, for transmission, information to configure the UE to report BWP-specific need-for-gap information.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

outputting, for transmission, to the UE, an indication that the UE is to report BWP-specific need-for-gap information.

Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240032008A1 · Jan 25, 2024
References Cited (22)
US 20190182000A1 · Futaki · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20210045003A1 · Li et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220368437A1 · Abedini · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220376863A1 · Da Silva · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 110035426 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 111435891 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 113079526A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019029510A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020060952 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2021243530A1 · 2021 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2022205385A1 · 2022 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2023010261A1 · 2023 [cited by examiner]
On Pre-Configured Mg Pattern(S) for NR_MG_ENH, OPPO, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG4 Meeting # 98-bis-e, R4-2106535, Apr. 12-20, 2021, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2021/110615, International Search Report and Written Opinion, Mailed on Apr. 27, 2022, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
WF on R17 NR MG enhancements—Pre-configured MG, Intel, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG4 Meeting #99e, R4-2108034, May 19-27, 2021, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
WF on R17 NR MG enhancements—Multiple concurrent and independent MG patterns, Mediatek, Inc., 3GPP TSG-RAN WG4 Meeting #99e, R4-2108346, May 19-27, 2021, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
WF on R17 NR MG enhancements—NCSG, Intel, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG4 Meeting #99e, R4-2108348, May 19-27, 2021, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; User Equipment (UE) radio access capabilities (Release 16), 3GPP TS 38.306 V16.5.0, Jun. 2021, 153 pages. [cited by applicant]
3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specification (Release 16), 3GPP TS 38.331 V16.5.0, Jun. 2021, 959 pages. [cited by applicant]
Report of [107#81][NR TEI16] Need-for-Gaps Signalling, 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specification Group-Radio Access Network Working Group2, Meeting #107bis, R2-1913847, Oct. 14-18, 2019, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
China Patent Aplication No. 202180008098.3, Office Action, Jun. 20, 2025, 20 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2021/110615, International Preliminary Report on Patentability, Feb. 15, 2024, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]