Reliable or Low Latency Network Management

Abstract

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus including a memory configured to store an indication that the apparatus requires reliable and/or low-latency access to a network, and at least one processing core configured to process an access opportunity pattern, received in the apparatus from a network node, the access opportunity pattern including access opportunities provided by a subset of a cluster of cells, detectable by the apparatus, and to trigger for the apparatus reliable and/or low-latency access to the network by selecting from the pattern an access opportunity according to the received access opportunity pattern.

1 .- 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory configured to store an indication that the apparatus requires reliable and/or low-latency access to a network, and   at least one processing core configured to process an access opportunity pattern, received in the apparatus from a network node, the access opportunity pattern comprising access opportunities provided by a subset of a cluster of cells, detectable by the apparatus, and to trigger for the apparatus reliable and/or low-latency access to the network by selecting an access opportunity according to the received access opportunity pattern.   
     
     
         53 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the access opportunity pattern is provided at least one of:
 as a result of coordination among the cells within the cluster of cells;   to the apparatus in response to receiving an indication, by the network, of a demand for reliable and/or low-latency access to a network; or   by at least one cell of the subset, and the apparatus may select one or more cell providing the access opportunity for transmission.   
     
     
         54 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the access opportunity pattern comprises at least one of:
 cells which provide sooner uplink access opportunities than cells not participating in the access opportunity pattern and/or cells which provide more reliable access to the network than the cells not participating in the access opportunity pattern;   cells with system frames offset in time from system frames of other cells in the subset of cells; or   cells which provide more uplink access opportunities per system frame than cells not participating in the access opportunity pattern.   
     
     
         55 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the at least one processing core is configured to trigger at least one of:
 the reliable and/or low-latency access to the network by accessing the network via at least one cell providing a first future access opportunity in sequence; or   the reliable and/or low-latency access to the network according to the access opportunity pattern without synchronizing with all members of the subset of cells.   
     
     
         56 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the at least one processing core is configured to at least one of:
 cause the indication that the apparatus requires reliable and/or low-latency access to be provided from the apparatus to the network;   process a first message from the network, the first message instructing the apparatus to remain in an active state with respect to the network, to ensure low-latency access to the network; or   cause transmission of a second message to the network, the second message advising the network of remaining battery power in the apparatus.   
     
     
         57 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein an access opportunity includes synchronization information transmitted in downlink and an uplink access resource per each cell providing the access opportunity. 
     
     
         58 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the apparatus is configured to process a paging message from the network addressed collectively to apparatuses which require reliable and/or low latency access, the paging message informing that at least one apparatus requiring reliable and/or low latency access will receive a notification. 
     
     
         59 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the apparatus is a user equipment. 
     
     
         60 . An apparatus comprising at least one processing core, at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to:
 configure a subset of a cluster of cells to provide an access opportunity pattern comprising access opportunities to a network, provided by the subset of cells, and   cause a message to be transmitted to a user equipment, the message comprising a definition of the access opportunity pattern.   
     
     
         61 . The apparatus according to  claim 60 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus to configure the subset of cells to provide the access opportunity pattern responsive to a determination that a user equipment requiring reliable and/or low-latency access is present in an area served by the subset of cells. 
     
     
         62 . The apparatus according to  claim 60 , wherein an access opportunity comprises synchronization information transmitted in downlink and an uplink access resource. 
     
     
         63 . The apparatus according to  claim 60 , wherein the access opportunity pattern comprises at least one of:
 cells with system frames offset in time from system frames of other cells in the subset of cells; or   cells which provide more uplink access opportunities per system frame than cells not participating in the access opportunity pattern.   
     
     
         64 . The apparatus according to  claim 60 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processing core, at least one of:
 process a message from the user equipment, the message advising the network of remaining battery power in the user equipment;   configure the user equipment to remain in an active state with respect to the network responsive, at least partly, to the message advising the user equipment has battery power remaining that exceeds a threshold; or   cause transmission of a paging message from the network addressed collectively to user equipments which require reliable and/or low latency access, the paging message informing that at least one user equipment requiring low latency access will receive a notification.   
     
     
         65 . A method comprising:
 storing an indication that an apparatus requires reliable and/or low-latency access to a network;   processing, in an apparatus, an access opportunity pattern, received in the apparatus from a network node, the access opportunity pattern comprising access opportunities provided by a subset of a cluster of cells detectable by the apparatus, and   triggering for the apparatus reliable and/or low-latency access to the network by selecting from the pattern an access opportunity according to the received access opportunity pattern.   
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the access opportunity pattern is provided at least one of:
 as a result of coordination among the cells within the cluster of cells; or   to the apparatus in response to receiving an indication, by the network, of a demand for reliable and/or low-latency access to a network.   
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the access opportunity pattern comprises at least one of:
 cells which provide sooner uplink access opportunities than cells not participating in the access opportunity pattern and/or cells which provide more reliable access to the network than the cells not participating in the access opportunity pattern;   cells with system frames offset in time from system frames of other cells in the subset of cells; or   cells which provide more uplink access opportunities per system frame than cells not participating in the access opportunity pattern.   
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the access opportunity is provided by at least one cell of the subset, and the apparatus may select one or more cell providing the access opportunity for transmission. 
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the reliable and/or low-latency access to the network is triggered by accessing the network via at least one cell providing the first future access opportunity in sequence. 
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 65 , further comprising at least one of:
 providing the indication the apparatus requires reliable and/or low-latency access from the apparatus to the network;   processing a first message from the network, the first message instructing the apparatus to remain in an active state with respect to the network, to ensure low-latency access to the network;   causing transmission of a second message to the network, the second message advising the network of remaining battery power in the apparatus; or   processing a paging message from the network addressed collectively to apparatuses which require reliable and/or low latency access, the paging message informing that at least one apparatus requiring reliable and/or low latency access will receive a notification.   
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein an access opportunity comprises synchronization information transmitted in downlink and an uplink access resource per each cell providing the access opportunity.