EP-4201108-B1 - COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT AND METHODS

Inventors

• WEI, YUXIN
• SHARMA, VIVEK
• WAKABAYASHI, HIDEJI
• AWAD, YASSIN ADEN

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20210916

Claims (13)

1. A method performed by a communications device (14), the method comprising receiving a request for system information from another communications device (24) via a sidelink interface between the communications device and the other communications device, the communications device acting as a relay device for the other communications device as a remote device, via which relay device the remote device can transmit data to or receive data from a radio network infrastructure equipment (10) of a wireless communications network, the radio network infrastructure equipment forming a cell of the wireless communications network via which cell the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, the request for the system information received from the remote device including an indication of a cell of a radio network part of the wireless communications network for which the remote device is requesting the system information, identifying, from the indication of the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information, whether a system information area of the radio network part of the wireless communications network of which the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is the same as or different to a system information area of the radio network part of the cell, via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, wherein the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network is a first cell formed by the radio network infrastructure equipment as a first infrastructure equipment of the radio network, and the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is a second cell formed by a second infrastructure equipment of the radio network in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part, and determining whether to respond to the request for the system information based on whether the system information areas of the relay device and the remote device are the same or different, wherein if the system information areas of the relay device and the remote device are different, the method further comprises transmitting the request for the system information for the remote device to the first infrastructure equipment of the radio network of the wireless communications network via a wireless access interface provided by the first infrastructure equipment, the request indicating the second cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information, receiving the system information for the other communications device as the remote device from the wireless communications network via the wireless access interface of the first infrastructure equipment, and transmitting the system information to the other communications device as the remote device, the system information including area specific system information related to the system information area of the radio network of which the second cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information forms part.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the system information to the other communications device as the remote device comprises transmitting the system information via the sidelink wireless communications interface.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitting the system information to the other communications device as the remote device comprises transmitting the system information via the sidelink wireless communications interface using radio resource control signalling, or user plane or PDCP/RLC/MAC control signalling.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the system information to the other communications device as the remote device comprises broadcasting the system information via a broadcast channel of the sidelink wireless communications interface to the remote device and one or more other communications devices as other remote devices.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, by the communications device acting as the relay device for the remote device, the request for the system information from the remote device via a sidelink interface comprises receiving the request as one of a random access message of a physical random access channel procedure or by radio resource control signalling of the sidelink interface.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to respond to the request for the system information based on whether the system information areas of the relay device and the remote device are the same or different, includes determining whether the cell of the system information requested by the remote device has changed since a last transmission of the requested system information by the relay device to the remote device based on whether the areas of the relay device and the remote device are the same or different, and if the cell has changed transmitting the system information to the remote device, or if the cell of the system information has not changed not responding to the request for the system information by the remote device.
7. A method performed by an infrastructure equipment (10) of a radio network part of a wireless communications network, the method comprising receiving a request for system information from a communications device (14) acting as a relay device for another communications device (24) as a remote device to transmit data to or receive data from the wireless communications network, the request being transmitted by the relay device via a wireless access interface provided by the infrastructure equipment forming a first cell of the radio network, and via which wireless access interface the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the infrastructure equipment forming the first cell, the infrastructure equipment being a first infrastructure equipment, and the request for the system information for the remote device including an indication of a second cell of the radio network for which the remote device is requesting the system information, the second cell being formed by a second infrastructure equipment in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part, retrieving the system information for the second cell, the system information including area specific system information, which is specific to the second area, and transmitting in response to the request to the communications device acting as the relay device information for transmission to the other communications device as the remote device from which the remote device can determine the system information for the second cell.
8. A method performed by a communications device (24), the method comprising detecting signals received by the communications device from within a coverage area of a cell of a radio network part of a wireless communications network, identifying from the received signals from the cell an indication of an identifier of the cell, transmitting a request for system information to another communications device (14) via a sidelink interface between the communications device and the other communications device, the other communications device acting as a relay device for the communications device as a remote device, the communications device as the remote device being configured for transmitting data to or receiving data from the wireless communications network via the relay device, the relay device being configured for transmitting the data to or receiving the data from a radio network infrastructure equipment (10) forming a cell of the wireless communications network via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, the request for the system information including the indication of the cell identifier for which the remote device is requesting the system information, and receiving the system information from the relay device in response to the request for the system information from the other communications device acting as the relay device if a system information area of the radio network of the cell for which the communications device as the remote device is requesting the system information is different to a system information area of the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, wherein the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network is a first cell formed by the radio network infrastructure equipment as a first infrastructure equipment of the radio network, and the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is a second cell formed by a second infrastructure equipment of the radio network in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part.
9. A communications device (14) operating to communicate via a wireless communications network, the communications device comprising transmitter circuitry configured for transmitting signals via a wireless access interface provided by a radio network infrastructure equipment (10) of a wireless communications network and for transmitting signals via a sidelink interface to another communications device (24) between the communications device and the other communications device, receiver circuitry configured for receiving signals transmitted from the radio network infrastructure equipment via the wireless access interface and for receiving signals transmitted via the sidelink interface from the other communications device, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry, the controller circuitry being configured with the receiver circuitry to receive a request for system information from the other communications device transmitted via the sidelink interface, the communications device acting as a relay device for the other communications device as a remote device, via which relay device the remote device can transmit data to or receive data from the radio network infrastructure equipment of the wireless communications network, forming a cell of the wireless communications network, via which cell the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, the request for the system information received from the remote device including an indication of a cell of a radio network part of the wireless communications network for which the remote device is requesting the system information, and the controller circuit is configured to identify, from the indication of the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information, whether a system information area of the radio network part of the wireless communications network of which the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is the same as a system information area of the radio network part of the cell, via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, wherein the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network is a first cell formed by the radio network infrastructure equipment as a first infrastructure equipment of the radio network, and the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is a second cell formed by a second infrastructure equipment of the radio network in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part, and to determine whether to respond to the request for the system information based on whether the system information areas of the relay device and the remote device are the same or different, wherein if the system information areas of the relay device and the remote device are different, the controller circuitry is further configured with the receiver circuitry to transmit the request for the system information for the remote device to the first infrastructure equipment of the radio network of the wireless communications network via a wireless access interface provided by the first infrastructure equipment, the request indicating the second cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information, to receive the system information for the other communications device as the remote device from the wireless communications network via the wireless access interface of the first infrastructure equipment, and to transmit the system information to the other communications device as the remote device, the system information including area specific system information related to the system information area of the radio network of which the second cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information forms part.
10. An infrastructure equipment (10) for forming part of a radio network of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transmitter circuitry configured for transmitting signals via a wireless access interface provided by the infrastructure equipment to one or more communications devices, receiver circuitry configured for receiving signals transmitted via the wireless access interface from the one of more communications devices, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry, the controller circuitry being configured with the receiver circuitry to receive a request for system information from one of the communications devices (14) acting as a relay device for another communications device (24) as a remote device to transmit data to or receive data from the wireless communications network, the request for the system information being transmitted by the relay device via the wireless access interface provided by the infrastructure equipment forming a first cell of the radio network of the wireless communications network, and via which first cell the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the infrastructure equipment forming the first cell, the infrastructure equipment being a first infrastructure equipment, and the request for the system information for the remote device including an indication of a second cell of the radio network for which the remote device is requesting the system information, the second cell being formed by a second infrastructure equipment in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part, the controller circuitry being configured to retrieve the system information for the second cell, the system information including area specific system information, which is specific to the second area, and to control the transmitter circuitry to transmit the system information in response to the request to the communications device acting as the relay device for transmission to the other communications device as the remote device.
11. A communications device (24) comprising transmitter circuitry configured for transmitting signals via a sidelink interface to another communications device (14) between the communications device and the other communications device, receiver circuitry configured for receiving signals transmitted from a radio network infrastructure equipment (10) of a wireless communications network via a wireless access interface provided by the radio network infrastructure equipment and for receiving signals transmitted via the sidelink interface from the other communications device, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry, the controller circuitry being configured with the receiver circuitry to detect signals received by the communications device from within a coverage area of a cell formed by a radio network infrastructure equipment, to identify, from the received signals from the cell, an indication of an identifier of the cell, and the controller circuitry is configured to control the transmitter circuitry to transmit a request for system information to the other communications device via the sidelink interface, the other communications device acting as a relay device for the communications device as a remote device, the communications device as the remote device being configured for transmitting data to or receiving data from the wireless communications network via the relay device, the relay device being configured for transmitting the data to or receiving the data from a radio network infrastructure equipment forming a cell of the wireless communications network via which cell the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, the request for the system information including the indication of the cell identifier for which the remote device is requesting the system information, and to control the receiver circuitry to receive the system information from the relay device in response to the request for the system information from the other communications device acting as the relay device if a system information area of the radio network of the cell for which the communications device as the remote device is requesting the system information is different to a system information area of the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, wherein the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network is a first cell formed by the radio network infrastructure equipment as a first infrastructure equipment of the radio network, and the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is a second cell formed by a second infrastructure equipment of the radio network in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part.
12. Circuitry for a communications device (14) for communicating via a wireless communications network, the circuitry comprising transmitter circuitry configured for transmitting signals via a wireless access interface provided by a radio network infrastructure equipment (10) of a wireless communications network and for transmitting signals via a sidelink interface to another communications device (24) between the communications device and the other communications device, receiver circuitry configured for receiving signals transmitted from the radio network infrastructure equipment via the wireless access interface and for receiving signals transmitted via the sidelink interface from the other communications device, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry, the controller circuitry being configured with the receiver circuitry to receive a request for system information from the other communications device transmitted via the sidelink interface, the communications device acting as a relay device for the other communications device as a remote device, via which relay device the remote device can transmit data to or receive data from the radio network infrastructure equipment of the wireless communications network, forming a cell of the wireless communications network, via which cell the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, the request for the system information received from the remote device including an indication of a cell of a radio network part of the wireless communications network for which the remote device is requesting the system information, and the controller circuit is configured to identify, from the indication of the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information, whether a system information area of the radio network part of the wireless communications network of which the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is the same as a system information area of the radio network part of the cell, via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, wherein the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network is a first cell formed by the radio network infrastructure equipment as a first infrastructure equipment of the radio network, and the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is a second cell formed by a second infrastructure equipment of the radio network in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part, and to determine whether to respond to the request for the system information based on whether the system information areas of the relay device and the remote device are the same or different, wherein if the system information areas of the relay device and the remote device are different, the controller circuitry is further configured with the receiver circuitry to transmit the request for the system information for the remote device to the first infrastructure equipment of the radio network of the wireless communications network via a wireless access interface provided by the first infrastructure equipment, the request indicating the second cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information, to receive the system information for the other communications device as the remote device from the wireless communications network via the wireless access interface of the first infrastructure equipment, and to transmit the system information to the other communications device as the remote device, the system information including area specific system information related to the system information area of the radio network of which the second cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information forms part.
13. Circuitry for a communications device (24) for communicating via a wireless communications network, the circuitry comprising transmitter circuitry configured for transmitting signals via a sidelink interface to another communications device (14) between the communications device and the other communications device, receiver circuitry configured for receiving signals transmitted from a radio network infrastructure equipment (10) of a wireless communications network via a wireless access interface provided by the radio network infrastructure equipment and for receiving signals transmitted via the sidelink interface from the other communications device, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry, the controller circuitry being configured with the receiver circuitry to detect signals received by the communications device from within a coverage area of a cell formed by a radio network infrastructure equipment, to identify, from the received signals from the cell, an indication of an identifier of the cell, and the controller circuitry is configured to control the transmitter circuitry to transmit a request for system information to the other communications device via the sidelink interface, the other communications device acting as a relay device for the communications device as a remote device, the communications device as the remote device being configured for transmitting data to or receiving data from the wireless communications network via the relay device, the relay device being configured for transmitting the data to or receiving the data from a radio network infrastructure equipment forming a cell of the wireless communications network via which cell the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, the request for the system information including the indication of the cell identifier for which the remote device is requesting the system information, and to control the receiver circuitry to receive the system information from the relay device in response to the request for the system information from the other communications device acting as the relay device if a system information area of the radio network of the cell for which the communications device as the remote device is requesting the system information is different to a system information area of the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network, wherein the cell of the radio network part via which the relay device can transmit the data to or receive the data from the wireless communications network is a first cell formed by the radio network infrastructure equipment as a first infrastructure equipment of the radio network, and the cell for which the remote device is requesting the system information is a second cell formed by a second infrastructure equipment of the radio network in a different second area of the radio network to a first area of which the first cell forms part.

Description

BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to communications devices, infrastructure equipment and methods for the transmission of data via a sidelink of a wireless communications network. The present disclosure claims the Paris Convention priority to European patent application number EP20202669.6. Description of Related Art The "background" description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention. Third and fourth generation mobile telecommunication systems, such as those based on the 3GPP defined UMTS and Long Term Evolution (LTE) architecture, are able to support more sophisticated services than simple voice and messaging services offered by previous generations of mobile telecommunication systems. For example, with the improved radio interface and enhanced data rates provided by LTE systems, a user is able to enjoy high data rate applications such as mobile video streaming and mobile video conferencing that would previously only have been available via a fixed line data connection. The demand to deploy such networks is therefore strong and the coverage area of these networks, i.e. geographic locations where access to the networks is possible, may be expected to increase ever more rapidly. Future wireless communications networks will be expected to support communications routinely and efficiently with a wider range of devices associated with a wider range of data traffic profiles and types than current systems are optimised to support. For example, it is expected future wireless communications networks will be expected to efficiently support communications with devices including reduced complexity devices, machine type communication (MTC) devices, high resolution video displays, virtual reality headsets and so on. Some of these different types of devices may be deployed in very large numbers, for example low complexity devices for supporting the "The Internet of Things", and may typically be associated with the transmissions of relatively small amounts of data with relatively high latency tolerance. In view of this there is expected to be a desire for future wireless communications networks, for example those which may be referred to as 5G or new radio (NR) system / new radio access technology (RAT) systems [1], as well as future iterations / releases of existing systems, to efficiently support connectivity for a wide range of devices associated with different applications and different characteristic data traffic profiles. In order to reduce power consumption, make efficient use of available spectrum, and/or for any other reason, communications devices may be configured to communicate using a sidelink connection with, or via, a relay communications device. However, this gives rise to new challenges for efficiently handling communications in wireless telecommunications systems that need to be addressed. WO 2018/194390 A1 relates to a method for forwarding system information for a remote UE by a relay UE in a wireless communication system and a device therefor. Non-patent document "User and Control Plane Procedures for L2 UE-to-NW Relay" (CATT; 3GPP document R2-2006610) discusses the layer 2 UE to network relay protocol stacks and their corresponding control and user plane procedures. Non-patent document "Discussion on Control Plane mechanisms for Layer 2 Relay" (Apple; 3GPP document R2-2007101) discusses the control plane mechanisms for layer-2 based relay solutions for NR, such as paging forwarding for remote UEs, system information retrieval, RRC connection management issues, and mobility related procedures. Non-patent document "RRC States for Relaying" (MediaTek Inc; 3GPP document R2-2006571) is directed to the operation of remote UE and relay UE at different RRC states for UE to network relaying. SUMMARY The present disclosure can help address or mitigate at least some of the issues discussed above. The invention is defined by the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the present technology. The described embodiments, together with further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding