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EP-4742808-A1 - PRACH ADAPTATION INDICATION USING PAGING DCI

EP4742808A1EP 4742808 A1EP4742808 A1EP 4742808A1EP-4742808-A1

Abstract

Apparatus and method of Physical Random-Access Channel (PRACH) adaptation. In an embodiment, an apparatus receives paging downlink control information (DCI) on a physical downlink control channel from a radio access network, determines a presence of a physical random-access channel (PRACH) adaptation indication in the paging DCI based at least on a short message indicator of the paging DCI, and decodes the PRACH adaptation indication from the paging DCI.

Inventors

  • KHLASS, Ahlem
  • LASELVA, DANIELA
  • MASO, Marco
  • FREDERIKSEN, FRANK

Assignees

  • Nokia Technologies Oy

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251030

Claims (15)

  1. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving paging downlink control information on a physical downlink control channel from a radio access network; determining a presence of a physical random-access channel adaptation indication in the paging downlink control information based at least on a short message indicator of the paging downlink control information; and decoding the physical random-access channel adaptation indication from the paging downlink control information.
  2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: applying the physical random-access channel adaptation indication for a random-access procedure.
  3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in at least one reserved bit of a short message in the paging downlink control information.
  4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: the short message indicator of the paging downlink control information is set to a bit field value of "10" or "11" when the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in the at least one reserved bit of the short message.
  5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in at least one bit of a short message in the paging downlink control information.
  6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein: the short message indicator of the paging downlink control information is set to a bit field value of "00" or "01" when the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in the at least one bit of the short message.
  7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in at least one bit of the paging downlink control information excluding a short message; and the short message indicator of the paging downlink control information is set to a bit field value of "10" when the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in the at least one bit of the paging downlink control information excluding the short message.
  8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in at least one reserved bit of the paging downlink control information; and the short message indicator of the paging downlink control information is set to a bit field value of "10" when the physical random-access channel adaptation indication is provisioned in the at least one reserved bit of the paging downlink control information.
  9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the short message indicator of the paging downlink control information is set to a bit field value of "00" to indicate the presence of both the physical random-access channel adaptation indication and scheduling information for paging of user equipment.
  10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the physical random-access channel adaptation indication indicates that at least a physical random-access channel resource is activated or deactivated.
  11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the physical random-access channel adaptation indication indicates that at least one physical random-access channel resource is activated and used to respond to paging only.
  12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the paging downlink control information further comprises scheduling information for paging user equipment.
  13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the physical random-access channel adaptation indication indicates that at least a parameter value of a physical random-access channel configuration is changed.
  14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: determining a size of the physical random-access channel adaptation indication based on the short message indicator.
  15. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: formatting paging downlink control information by: setting at least a short message indicator of the paging downlink control information to indicate a presence of a physical random-access channel adaptation indication in the paging downlink control information; and provisioning the physical random-access channel adaptation indication in the paging downlink control information; and transmitting the paging downlink control information with the physical random-access channel adaptation indication on a physical downlink control channel.

Description

Technical Field This disclosure is related to the field of communication systems and, in particular, to next generation networks. Background Next generation networks, such as Fifth Generation (5G) and beyond (e.g., Sixth Generation (6G)), denote the next major phase of mobile telecommunications standards beyond Fourth Generation (4G) standards. In comparison to 4G networks, next generation networks may be enhanced in terms of radio access and network architecture to deliver faster data rates and more reliability. 5G NR (New Radio) is a radio access technology (RAT) developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for 5G mobile networks. In terms of 5G and beyond, network energy savings (NES) is of importance for environmental sustainability (i.e., to reduce environmental impact (greenhouse gas emissions)), and for operational cost savings. As 5G is becoming pervasive across industries and geographical areas, handling more advanced services and applications requiring very high data rates, networks are becoming denser, use more antennas, larger bandwidths, and more frequency bands. Thus, the environmental impact and energy consumption of 5G pose potential issues. For example, most of the energy consumption of a 5G network comes from the 5G NR access network (e.g., Active Antenna Unit (AAU)), with data centers and fiber transport accounting for a smaller share. The power consumption of radio access can be split into two parts: the dynamic part which is only consumed when data transmission/reception is ongoing, and the static part which is consumed all the time to maintain the necessary operation of the radio access devices, even when the data transmission/reception is not on-going. It is therefore beneficial to identify improved techniques for addressing network energy savings. Summary Described herein are enhanced techniques for addressing network energy savings in 5G networks and beyond. As an overview, network energy savings is provided via adaptation of the Physical Random-Access Channel (PRACH) in the time domain. Certain bits of paging Downlink Control Information (DCI) is used to signal a PRACH adaptation indication to an NES-capable UE (e.g., activate or deactivate PRACH adaptation). For example, a PRACH adaptation indication may be sent in reserved bits of the paging DCI, in reserved bits of a short message in the paging DCI, in reused or repurposed bits of the short message or the paging DCI, etc. One technical benefit is enhanced network flexibility in providing the PRACH adaptation indication to NES-capable UEs, possibly along with other information targeting legacy UEs and/or NES-capable UEs. In other words, the signaling structure of the paging DCI ensures the network ability to provide additional information in the paging DCI (such as short message and scheduling information for paging) also in the time instances where the PRACH adaptation indication is indicated by the paging DCI. Therefore, the presence of the PRACH adaptation indication in the paging DCI does not restrict the network flexibility to, for example, page UEs at the same time. Different bits or combinations of bits may be used in a paging DCI to send the PRACH adaptation indication. Another technical benefit is the PRACH adaptation minimizes any impact to legacy UEs, as the legacy UEs will ignore the PRACH adaptation indication in the paging DCI. In an embodiment (also referred to as an aspect), an apparatus comprises at least one processor, and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving paging downlink control information on a physical downlink control channel from a radio access network, determining a presence of a physical random-access channel adaptation indication in the paging downlink control information based at least on a short message indicator of the paging downlink control information, and decoding the physical random-access channel adaptation indication from the paging downlink control information. In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving paging downlink control information on a physical downlink control channel from a radio access network, determining a presence of a physical random-access channel adaptation indication in the paging downlink control information based at least on a short message indicator of the paging downlink control information, and decoding the physical random-access channel adaptation indication from the paging downlink control information. In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises a means for receiving paging downlink control information on a physical downlink control channel from a radio access network, a means for determining a presence of a physical random-access channel adaptation indication in the paging downlink control information based at least on a short message indicator of the paging downlink control information, and a means for decoding the physical random-access channel