Methods and apparatuses for handling the configuration of measurements to be performed by a user equipment in a wireless communication network

Abstract

A method performed by a first base station, is described. The first base station determines a change in one or more measurements to be performed by a UE. The measurements are associated with a first set of frequencies. The first base station also transmits a first message to a second base station comprising information regarding which frequencies in the first set are to be changed. The first base station and the second base station serve the UE. A method performed by the second base station is also described whereby the second base station receives the first message. In a method performed by the UE, the UE receives, from the first base station, a configuration message configured to specify the measurements to perform and a measurement gap configuration. The UE then takes the measurements based on the configuration message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a first base station of a telecommunication network, the method comprising:
 determining a measurement configuration for a User Equipment (UE) served in a multi-connectivity arrangement involving the first base station and a second base station of the telecommunication network, the measurement configuration involving inter-frequency measurements to be performed by the UE on one or more carrier frequencies used by the second base station; and   sending information to the second base station, indicating the one or more carrier frequencies.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more carrier frequencies are used by the second base station for serving the UE in the multi-connectivity arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further sending configuration signaling to the UE, to configure the UE to perform the inter-frequency measurements, wherein the configuration signaling is sent in conjunction with or after the UE is provided with a measurement-gap configuration determined by the second base station for use by the UE in performing the inter-frequency measurements on the one or more carrier frequencies. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method comprises the first base station sending the configuration signaling to the UE in response to the first base station receiving signaling from the second base station indicating that the second base station sent the measurement-gap configuration to the UE. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method comprises the first base station receiving the measurement-gap configuration from the second base station and including the measurement-gap configuration in the configuration signaling sent by the first base station to the UE. 
     
     
         6 . A base station configured for operation in a telecommunication network, the base station comprising:
 transceiver circuitry configured for serving respective User Equipments (UEs) via an air interface;   interface circuitry configured for exchanging inter-base-station signaling with another base station in the telecommunication network; and   processing circuitry operatively associated with the transceiver circuitry and the interface circuitry and configured to:
 determine a measurement configuration for a UE served in a multi-connectivity arrangement involving the base station and the other base station, the measurement configuration involving inter-frequency measurements to be performed by the UE on one or more carrier frequencies used by the other base station; and 
 send information to the other base station, indicating the one or more carrier frequencies. 
   
     
     
         7 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more carrier frequencies are used by the other base station for serving the UE in the multi-connectivity arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to send configuration signaling to the UE, to configure the UE to perform the inter-frequency measurements, wherein the processing circuitry sends the configuration signaling in conjunction with or after the UE is provided with a measurement-gap configuration determined by the other base station for use by the UE in performing the inter-frequency measurements on the one or more carrier frequencies. 
     
     
         9 . The base station of  claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to send the configuration signaling to the UE in response to the first base station receiving signaling from the other base station indicating that the other base station sent the measurement-gap configuration to the UE. 
     
     
         10 . The base station of  claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the measurement-gap configuration from the other base station via the interface circuitry, and include the measurement-gap configuration in the configuration signaling sent by the processing circuitry to the UE via the transceiver circuitry. 
     
     
         11 . A method performed by a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 performing inter-frequency measurements on one or more carrier frequencies specified by a first base station serving the UE, according to a measurement-gap configuration determined by a second base station serving the UE in a multi-connectivity arrangement with the first base station, the second base station using the one or more carrier frequencies; and   reporting the inter-frequency measurements to the first base station.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first base station obtains the measurement-gap configuration from the second base station, and wherein the method further comprises the UE receiving measurement-configuration signaling from the first base station that specifies the one or more carrier frequencies and indicates the measurement-gap configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method includes receiving signaling from the first base station that specifies the one or more carrier frequencies and receiving signaling from the second base station that indicates the measurement-gap configuration. 
     
     
         14 . A User Equipment (UE) comprising:
 transceiver circuitry configured for communicatively coupling the UE to first and second base stations of a telecommunication network that serve the UE in a multi-connectivity arrangement; and   processing circuitry operatively associated with the transceiver circuitry and configured to:
 perform inter-frequency measurements on one or more carrier frequencies specified by the first base station, according to a measurement-gap configuration determined by the second base station, the second base station using the one or more carrier frequencies; and 
 report the inter-frequency measurements to the first base station. 
   
     
     
         15 . The UE of  claim 14 , wherein the first base station obtains the measurement-gap configuration from the second base station, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive measurement-configuration signaling from the first base station that specifies the one or more carrier frequencies and indicates the measurement-gap configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The UE of  claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive signaling from the first base station that specifies the one or more carrier frequencies and receive signaling from the second base station that indicates the measurement-gap configuration.