Broadcast of Features Required for UE Accessing a Cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021250846-A1
Application number	US-201916973069-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2019
Priority date	Jun 8, 2018
Publication date	Aug 12, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method performed by a wireless device (130). The method is for handling access to a cell (120) served by a network node (110). The wireless device (130) and the network node (110) operate in a wireless communications network (100). The wireless device (130) obtains (201) a set of indications broadcasted by the network node (110) in the cell (120). The set of indications indicate that access to the cell (120) is allowed only to wireless devices simultaneously supporting at least two features of a plurality of features comprising a first feature and a second feature. The wireless device (130) then determines (202) whether or not access to the cell (120) is barred to the wireless device (130) based on the obtained set of indications.

First claim

1 - 38 . (canceled)

39 . A method, performed by a wireless device, for handling access to a cell served by a network node, the wireless device and the network node operating in a wireless communications network, wherein the method comprises:
obtaining a set of indications broadcasted by the network node in the cell, the set of indications indicating that access to the cell is allowed only to wireless devices simultaneously supporting at least two features of a plurality of features comprising a first feature and a second feature; and determining whether or not access to the cell is barred to the wireless device based on the obtained set of indications.

40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein the first feature is Fifth Generation Core network (5GC) connectivity, and the second feature is Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) muting.

41 . The method of claim 39 , wherein the set of indications comprises at least one of:
a first indication indicating whether or not access is barred explicitly to wireless devices supporting, simultaneously, at least the first feature and the second feature; a second indication indicating whether or not access is barred only explicitly to wireless devices lacking support to the first feature and a third indication indicating access is barred only explicitly to wireless devices lacking support to the second feature; and two or more fourth indications explicitly indicating features enabled in the cell.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the first indication is a cellBarred-5GC-CRS flag.

43 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the determining is further based on:
a fifth indication indicating that access is barred to all wireless devices except those supporting, the first feature or the second feature; a sixth indication indicating that access is barred to all wireless devices supporting the first feature, except those also supporting, simultaneously the second feature; and a seventh indication indicating that access is barred to all wireless devices supporting the second feature, except those also supporting, simultaneously the first feature.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the set of indications comprises the first indication indicating whether or not access is barred explicitly to wireless devices supporting, simultaneously, the first feature and the second feature,
wherein the first feature is 5GC connectivity, and the second feature is CRS muting, wherein the first indication is a cellBarred-5GC-CRS flag, wherein the fifth indication is a cellBarred flag, wherein the sixth indication is a cellBarred-5GC flag, and wherein the seventh indication is a cellBarred-CRS flag.

45 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the second indication is a cellBarred-non-5GC flag and the third indication is a cellBarred-non-CRS flag.

46 . A method, performed by a network node, for handling access to a cell served by the network node, wherein the network node is operating in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:
broadcasting, to at least a wireless device in the cell, a set of indications, the set of indications indicating that access to the cell is allowed only to wireless devices simultaneously supporting at least two features of a plurality of features comprising a first feature and a second feature; and facilitating access to the cell based on the broadcasted set of indications.

47 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the first feature is Fifth Generation Core network (5GC) connectivity, and the second feature is Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) muting.

48 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the set of indications comprises at least one of:
a first indication indicating whether or not access is barred explicitly to wireless devices supporting, simultaneously, at least the first feature and the second feature; a second indication indicating whether or not access is barred only explicitly to wireless devices lacking support to the first feature and a third indication indicating access is barred only explicitly to wireless devices lacking support to the second feature; and two or more fourth indications explicitly indicating features enabled in the cell.

49 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the first indication is a cellBarred-5GC-CRS flag.

50 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the set of indications further comprises:
a fifth indication indicating that access is barred to all wireless devices except those supporting, the first feature or the second feature; a sixth indication indicating that access is barred to all wireless devices supporting the first feature, except those also supporting, simultaneously the second feature; and a seventh indication indicating that access is barred to all wireless devices supporting the second feature, except those also supporting, simultaneously the first feature.

51 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the set of indications comprises the first indication indicating whether or not access is barred explicitly to wireless devices supporting, simultaneously, the first feature and the second feature,
wherein the first feature is 5GC connectivity, and the second feature is CRS muting, wherein the first indication is a cellBarred-5GC-CRS flag, wherein the fifth indication is a cellBarred flag, wherein the sixth indication is a cellBarred-5GC flag, and wherein the seventh indication is a cellBarred-CRS flag.

52 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the second indication is a cellBarred-non-5GC flag and the third indication is a cellBarred-non-CRS flag.

53 . A wireless device for handling access to a cell served by a network node, the wireless device and the network node being configured to operate in a wireless communications network, the wireless device being configured to:
obtain a set of indications broadcasted by the network node in the cell, the set of indications being configured to indicate that access to the cell is allowed only to wireless devices simultaneously supporting at least two features of a plurality of features comprising a first feature and a second feature, and determine whether or not access to the cell is barred to the wireless device based on the obtained set of indications.

54 . The wireless device of claim 53 , wherein the first feature is Fifth Generation Core network (5GC) connectivity, and the second feature is Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) muting.

55 . The wireless device of claim 53 , wherein the set of indications is configured to comprise at least one of:
a first indication configured to indicate whether or not access is barred explicitly to wireless devices supporting, simultaneously, at least the first feature and the second feature; a second indication configured to indicate whether or not access is barred only explicitly to wireless devices lacking support to the first feature and a third indication indicating access is barred only explicitly to wireless devices lacking support to the second feature; and two or more fourth indications configured to explicitly indicate features enabled in the cell.

56 . The wireless device of claim 55 , wherein the first indication is a cellBarred-5GC-CRS flag.

57 . The wireless device of claim 55 , wherein the determining is further configured to be based on:
a fifth indication configured to indicate that access is barred to all wireless devices except those supporting, the first feature or the second feature; a sixth indication configured to indicate that access is barred to all wireless devices supporting the firs

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Ohlsson Oscar
• Bergström Mattias
• Arshad Malik Wahaj

Classifications

• H04W48/02

  Access restriction performed under specific conditions · CPC title

• H04W48/12 Primary

  using downlink control channel · CPC title

• H04W48/10 Primary

  using broadcasted information · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title