Communications device and method

A method of operating a communications device for communicating data via a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

• detecting one or more of a plurality of beams of radio signals transmitted by the wireless communications network, the one or more of the plurality of beams of the radio signals which have been detected forming a set of one or more detected beams of radio signals from the one or more of the plurality of beams of radio signals transmitted from the wireless communications network,
• identifying a sub-set of the set of one or more detected beams of radio signals which can be used to receive data carried by the radio signals of a beam for which a received signal strength of the radio signals of the beam exceeds a first evaluation threshold,
• entering a relaxed radio measurement state in which the communications device reduces an amount of attempted measurements of the one or more of the plurality of beams of radio signals compared with a normal state according to one or more relaxed measurement state criteria, and when in the relaxed radio measurement state, determining a reference measurement level based on a signal strength of the radio signals of the sub-set of beams of radio signals,
• determining a current measurement level based on a signal strength of the radio signals of the sub-set of beams of radio signals having a signal strength which exceeds the first evaluation threshold after determining the reference measurement level, and
• determining whether the communications device should remain in the relaxed radio measurement state by comparing a difference between the reference measurement level and the current measurement level with a second delta threshold.

Circuitry for a communications device for communicating data via a wireless communications network, the circuitry configured to:

• detect one or more of a plurality of beams of radio signals transmitted by the wireless communications network, the one or more of the plurality of beams of the radio signals which have been detected forming a set of one or more detected beams of radio signals from the one or more of the plurality of beams of radio signals transmitted from the wireless communications network;
• identify a sub-set of the set of one or more detected beams of radio signals which can be used to receive data carried by the radio signals of a beam for which a received signal strength of the radio signals of the beam exceeds a first evaluation threshold;
• enter a relaxed radio measurement state in which the communications device reduces an amount of attempted measurements of the one or more of the plurality of beams of radio signals compared with a normal state according to one or more relaxed measurement state criteria, and when in the relaxed radio measurement state, determine a reference measurement level based on a signal strength of the radio signals of the sub-set of beams of radio signals,
• determine a current measurement level based on a signal strength of the radio signals of the sub-set of beams of radio signals having a signal strength which exceeds the first evaluation threshold after determining the reference measurement level;
• and
• determine whether the communications device should remain in the relaxed radio measurement state by comparing a difference between the reference measurement level and the current measurement level with a second delta threshold.