CN-122029760-A - Ambient backscatter communications

Abstract

Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable storage media for ambient backscatter communications. The first device receives scheduling information from a second device serving the first device, the scheduling information including at least query information for a third device to be activated by the first device for backscatter transmission. The first device transmits an activation signal to the third device based on the scheduling information, the activation signal including an uplink transmission signal to the second device. In this way, the time-frequency resources for UL data transmission can be reused for the back-scattered data by the ambient IoT devices, saving network resources and enabling energy savings for the terminal devices.

Inventors

• WANG YONGGANG
• N. Manggalvedkh
• M. Tayab
• M. M. Bute

Assignees

• 诺基亚通信(上海)股份有限公司
• 诺基亚通信公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20231013

Claims (20)

1. 1. A first apparatus, comprising: at least one processor, and At least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first device to at least: Receiving scheduling information from a second device serving the first device, the scheduling information including at least query information for a third device to be activated by the first device for backscatter transmission, and Transmitting an activation signal to the third apparatus based on the scheduling information, the activation signal comprising an uplink transmission signal to the second apparatus.
2. 2. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling information further comprises an grant for uplink transmissions from the first apparatus, and Wherein the first apparatus is further caused to: the uplink transmission signal is transmitted to the second apparatus based on the scheduling information.
3. 3. The first device of claim 1, wherein the query information comprises at least one of: the identification information of the third device, Query commands for data reporting or identification validation, or A transmit power increment of the activation signal comprising the uplink transmission signal for activating the third device.
4. 4. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first apparatus is further caused to: transmitting a query indication to the third apparatus based on the scheduling information, the query indication comprising at least one of: Identification information of the third device, or Query commands for data reporting or identification validation.
5. 5. The first apparatus of claim 4, wherein the query indication is modulated on the uplink transmission signal.
6. 6. The first apparatus of claim 4, wherein the query indication is separate from the activation signal and transmitted in a carrier transmission without uplink data modulated on the uplink transmission signal or with virtual uplink data.
7. 7. The first apparatus of any of claims 4-6, wherein the query indication comprises a field of maximum duration or maximum size for a data report from the third apparatus.
8. 8. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein the activation signal comprises a preamble sequence modulated on the uplink transmission signal, and the preamble sequence is used for synchronization between a backscatter transmission signal and the uplink transmission signal received at the third apparatus, and the uplink transmission signal is modulated by the third apparatus for backscatter transmission.
9. 9. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling information comprises an indication of a transmit power increment of the activation signal comprising the uplink transmission signal.
10. 10. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first apparatus comprises a terminal device, the second apparatus comprises a network device, and the third apparatus comprises at least one environmental internet of things (IoT) device.
11. 11. A second apparatus, comprising: at least one processor, and At least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second device to at least: transmitting scheduling information for uplink transmissions from a first apparatus served by the second apparatus to the first apparatus, the scheduling information including at least query information for a third apparatus, wherein the third apparatus is activated by the first apparatus for backscatter transmissions, and A transmission signal is received, the transmission signal comprising a backscatter transmission signal from the third device on the uplink transmission signal from the first device.
12. 12. A second apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second apparatus is further caused to: Receiving a scheduling request from the first device, and Determining the third device based on a query requirement of the third device, wherein the query requirement indicates at least one of: Reporting of data by the third device, or The size of the data to be reported by the third device meets the requirement that the backscatter transmission be completed within the duration of the uplink transmission.
13. 13. The second device of claim 11, wherein the query information comprises at least one of: the identification information of the third device, Query commands for data reporting or identification validation, or A transmit power increment of the activation signal comprising the uplink transmission signal for activating the third device.
14. 14. A second apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second apparatus is further caused to: Transmitting, to the third apparatus, a query indication comprising at least one of: Identification information of the third device, or Query commands for data reporting or identification validation.
15. 15. The second apparatus of claim 11, wherein the scheduling information comprises an indication of a transmit power increment of the activation signal comprising the uplink transmission signal.
16. 16. A second apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second apparatus is further caused to: Joint detection or successive interference cancellation is performed on the superimposed signal for detecting back-scattered data from the third device and uplink data from the first device.
17. 17. The second apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first apparatus comprises a terminal device, the second apparatus comprises a network device, and the third apparatus comprises at least one environmental internet of things, ioT, device.
18. 18. A third apparatus, comprising: at least one processor, and At least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the third device to at least: Receiving a query indication of a backscatter transmission on an uplink transmission signal from a first device, and Transmitting a backscatter transmission signal to a second device serving the first device, the backscatter transmission signal comprising data modulated on the uplink transmission signal.
19. 19. The third apparatus of claim 18, wherein the query indication is received from the first apparatus or the second apparatus and comprises at least one of: Identification information of the third device, or Query commands for data reporting or identification validation.
20. 20. The third apparatus of claim 18, wherein the query indication comprises a field for a maximum duration of the backscatter transmission signal or a maximum size of a data report from the third apparatus.

Description

Ambient backscatter communications Technical Field Various example embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of telecommunications and, in particular, relate to methods, apparatus, devices, and computer-readable storage media for ambient backscatter communications. Background In order to advance 5G NR networks, internet of things (IoT) technology is introduced to reduce power consumption of terminals, simplify terminal design, and better meet bandwidth requirements. As one of various use cases of the internet of things, the internet of things driven by the environmental power can combine the 5G cellular network with the tag related technology, so as to support ultra-low complexity equipment and ultra-low power consumption for ultra-low end internet of things applications. The ambient IoT devices may be tags, sensors, radio Frequency (RF) components that are not necessarily capable of generating signals independently and have very low to no energy storage capabilities. These IoT devices coexist with devices in the cellular network (e.g., UEs, gnbs, repeaters, relays, integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) nodes, etc.). An illumination signal (e.g., RF signal) from the cellular network may activate the ambient IoT device to perform backscatter transmission. In particular, the ambient IoT device may backscatter and modulate its data with the illumination signal. Because the environmental IoT devices share time-frequency resources with the terminal devices and network devices, the illumination of the environmental IoT devices may increase the energy consumption and resources required by the devices acting as the illuminators (illuminator), which presents challenges to limited network capabilities. On the other hand, the illuminator signal may interfere with other devices or transmissions in the cellular network. In view of the above, there is a need to improve the way in which the backscatter of ambient IoT blends with NR transmissions. Disclosure of Invention In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a first apparatus is provided. The first apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus to at least a second apparatus serving the first apparatus to receive scheduling information, the scheduling information including at least query information for a third apparatus to be activated by the first apparatus for backscatter transmission, and transmit an activation signal to the third apparatus based on the scheduling information, the activation signal including an uplink transmission signal to the second apparatus. In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a second apparatus is provided. The second apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second apparatus to at least transmit scheduling information for uplink transmissions from the first apparatus to a first apparatus served by the second apparatus, the scheduling information including at least query information for a third apparatus, wherein the third apparatus is activated by the first apparatus for backscatter transmission, and receive a transmission signal including a backscatter transmission signal from the third apparatus on the uplink transmission signal from the first apparatus. In a third aspect of the present disclosure, a third apparatus is provided. The third apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the third apparatus to at least receive a query indication of a backscatter transmission on an uplink transmission signal from the first apparatus and transmit a backscatter transmission signal to a second apparatus serving the first apparatus, the backscatter transmission signal including data modulated on the uplink transmission signal. In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided. The method includes receiving, at a first apparatus, scheduling information from a second apparatus serving the first apparatus, the scheduling information including at least query information for a third apparatus to be activated by the first apparatus for backscatter transmission, and transmitting an activation signal to the third apparatus based on the scheduling information, the activation signal including an uplink transmission signal to the second apparatus. In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided. The method includes transmitting, at a second device, scheduling information for uplink transmissions from a first device to a first device served by the second device, the scheduling information including at least query information for a third device, wherein the third device is activated by the first device for backscatter transmissions, and receiving a transmission signal includi