Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, etc., directed to performing positioning of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) while it is in idle mode and/or inactive mode (collectively “idle/inactive mode”) in NR are disclosed herein. Performing positioning, including positioning measurement and/or reporting, in idle/inactive mode may allow for increased positioning accuracy and/or decreased latency of location determination. In various embodiments, a WTRU in idle/inactive mode may transmit a positioning measurement report in various ways, including (i) in a Random-Access Channel (RACH) preamble; (ii) appended to a RACH preamble; and/or (iii) in a Physical Uplink Shared Channel. In various embodiments, a WTRU in idle/inactive mode may transmit uplink-based positioning related reference signals. In various embodiments, a WTRU in an idle/inactive mode may transmit, over a dedicated physical channel, (e.g., downlink) positioning measurement reports and/or reference signals (RSs) for uplink positioning measurements.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed for Random Access Channel (RACH) procedures in unlicensed spectrum. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may monitor for a random access response (RAR) or a reference signal (RS), e.g. in an RAR window. The WTRU may determine whether an RS has been received a threshold amount of times, e.g. if an RAR is not received. The WTRU may continue to monitor for an RAR or an RS, e.g. if the RS has not been received a threshold amount of times and the RAR window is not at a maximum RAR window size.

Abstract: Latency reduction by fast forward (FF) in multi-hop communication device and/or systems is disclosed. Packets may be received and forwarded using a codeword (CW)-based approach with and/or without per-CW CRC. A FF session may have a flow ID and packets may have sequence numbers. Packets targeted for FF may be divided into independently decodable CWs that may be transmitted in the next hop, for example, as soon as the destination is determined without waiting for an entire packet's arrival and/or for CRC verification. Low latency (e.g. FF) traffic may be indicated. CW-based FF may be extensible for an e2e RAN path from a WTRU to the last access node in a RAN. Intermediate metrics, a packet CRC and/or a per-CW CRC may be utilized for data integrity. HARQ and/or CW retransmission procedures may be implemented between network nodes for error handling.

Abstract: A method to reserve a directional channel, such as in an unlicensed spectrum for instance, is disclosed. In an example embodiment, the method may be performed by a receiving node, such as a user equipment (UE) for instance. In such method, the receiving node may receive an enhanced directional transmit request message from a transmitting node and transmit an enhanced directional transmit confirmation message using one or more first beams, with at least one first beam being directed in a first direction towards the transmitting node. Further, the receiving node may transmit at least one additional enhanced directional transmit confirmation message using one or more second beams, with at least one second beam being directed in a second direction towards a potentially interfering node. In the method, the second direction is a different direction than the first direction.

Abstract: A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may include one or more antennas and a first transceiver operatively coupled to the antennas. The one or more antennas and the first transceiver may be configured to receive a first signal from a network using zero energy from the WTRU. The one or more antennas and the first transceiver may be further configured to extract energy from the first signal. The first transceiver may be further configured to examine a separation between energy threshold events to decode an energy signature of the first signal. The first transceiver may be further configured to activate a second transceiver operatively coupled to the one or more antennas if the decoded energy signature matches a stored energy signature, wherein the second transceiver is powered by the WTRU. The one or more antennas and the second transceiver may be configured to receive a second signal from the network.

Abstract: Described herein is a silent period method and apparatus for dynamic spectrum management. The methods include configuration and coordination of silent periods across an aggregated channel in a wireless communication system. A silent period management entity (SPME) dynamically determines silent period schedules for channels based on system and device information and assigns a silent period duration and periodicity for each silent period. The SPME may reconfigure the silent period schedule based on system delay, system throughput, channel quality or channel management events. A silent period interpretation entity (SPIE) receives and implements the silent period schedule. The silent periods for the channels may be synchronized, independent, or set-synchronized.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed for Random Access Channel (RACH) procedures in unlicensed spectrum. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may monitor for a random access response (RAR) or a reference signal (RS), e.g. in an RAR window. The WTRU may determine whether an RS has been received a threshold amount of times, e.g. if an RAR is not received. The WTRU may continue to monitor for an RAR or an RS, e.g. if the RS has not been received a threshold amount of times and the RAR window is not at a maximum RAR window size.

Abstract: A wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) may receive a set of candidate resources, which may be used for transmission. The WTRU may periodically perform CCA on a channel (e.g., before transmitting on the channel). When the channel is determined to be free, the WTRU may determine a resource for transmission from the candidate resources. The resource may be determined based on the time remaining in the time period. For example, when the time remaining in the time period is shorter, the WTRU may determine to transmit on a resource that comprises more frequency resources. The WTRU may determine a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) scheme based on the number of frequency resources. The WTRU may send a transmission on the resource, which may include a demodulation reference signal (DM-RS). The DM-RS may indicate the resource used from transmission to a receiver of the transmission.

Abstract: Techniques for sending an aggregated beacon in a cognitive wireless network are disclosed. A beacon device may segment beacon information and send beacon segments via a plurality of channels simultaneously. A certain information elements of the beacon information may be included in each beacon segment. Each beacon segment may include channel information for other beacon segments that are transmitted simultaneously. Alternatively, a discovery beacon may be transmitted in addition to a regular beacon. The discovery beacon may include information indicating an operating channel on which the regular beacon is transmitted. The discovery beacon may be transmitted using a predetermined channel bandwidth, with a smaller beacon interval than the regular beacon, or in a frequency hopping fashion. The discovery beacon may be sent on a channel selected based on a regulatory class and corresponding channel information. The discovery beacon may be transmitted on a side channel.

Abstract: Techniques for sending an aggregated beacon in a cognitive wireless network are disclosed. A beacon device may segment beacon information and send beacon segments via a plurality of channels simultaneously. A certain information elements of the beacon information may be included in each beacon segment. Each beacon segment may include channel information for other beacon segments that are transmitted simultaneously. Alternatively, a discovery beacon may be transmitted in addition to a regular beacon. The discovery beacon may include information indicating an operating channel on which the regular beacon is transmitted. The discovery beacon may be transmitted using a predetermined channel bandwidth, with a smaller beacon interval than the regular beacon, or in a frequency hopping fashion. The discovery beacon may be sent on a channel selected based on a regulatory class and corresponding channel information. The discovery beacon may be transmitted on a side channel.

Abstract: Latency reduction by fast forward (FF) in multi-hop communication device and/or systems is disclosed. Packets may be received and forwarded using a codeword (CW)-based approach with and/or without per-CW CRC. A FF session may have a flow ID and packets may have sequence numbers. Packets targeted for FF may be divided into independently decodable CWs that may be transmitted in the next hop, for example, as soon as the destination is determined without waiting for an entire packet's arrival and/or for CRC verification. Low latency (e.g. FF) traffic may be indicated. CW-based FF may be extensible for an e2e RAN path from a WTRU to the last access node in a RAN. Intermediate metrics, a packet CRC and/or a per-CW CRC may be utilized for data integrity. HARQ and/or CW retransmission procedures may be implemented between network nodes for error handling.

Abstract: Techniques for sending an aggregated beacon in a cognitive wireless network are disclosed. A beacon device may segment beacon information and send beacon segments via a plurality of channels simultaneously. A certain information elements of the beacon information may be included in each beacon segment. Each beacon segment may include channel information for other beacon segments that are transmitted simultaneously. Alternatively, a discovery beacon may be transmitted in addition to a regular beacon. The discovery beacon may include information indicating an operating channel on which the regular beacon is transmitted. The discovery beacon may be transmitted using a predetermined channel bandwidth, with a smaller beacon interval than the regular beacon, or in a frequency hopping fashion. The discovery beacon may be sent on a channel selected based on a regulatory class and corresponding channel information. The discovery beacon may be transmitted on a side channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating supplementary cells in licensed exempt (LE) spectrum. An aggregating cell operating in a frequency division duplex (FDD) licensed spectrum is aggregated with a LE supplementary cell operating in a time sharing mode for uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) operations. The LE supplementary cell may be an FDD supplementary cell dynamically configurable between an UL only mode, a DL only mode, and a shared mode, to match requested UL and DL traffic ratios. The LE supplementary cell may be a time division duplex (TDD) supplementary cell. The TDD supplementary cell may be dynamically configurable between multiple TDD configurations. A coexistence capability for coordinating operations between the LE supplementary cell with other systems operating in the same channel is provided. Coexistence gaps are provided to measure primary/secondary user usage and permit other systems operating in the LE supplementary cell channel to access the channel.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed to schedule user equipment (UE) measurements. An HeNB may identify a first cluster of UEs and a second cluster of UEs. The HeNB may determine a measuring gap schedule relating to the first cluster of UEs and the second cluster of UEs. The measuring gap schedule may indicate a measurement time for each cluster. The measurement time may indicate that UEs in a cluster withhold a transmission during the measurement time. The UEs in the cluster may measure a spectrum (e.g., frequency, channel, etc.) associated with a supplementary cell during the measurement time. The HeNB may send the measuring gap schedule to the first cluster of UEs and the second cluster of U Es. The HeN B may receive spectrum measurements of the supplementary cell from the first cluster of UEs and the second cluster of UEs, e.g., in accordance with the measuring gap schedule.

Abstract: A dynamic spectrum management (DSM) engine may determine the channel quality of one or more channels associated with the DSM engine when packets are not being transmitted over the channels. For example, the DSM engine may trigger a channel quality measurement on a non-primary channel on a condition that a predetermined period of time has lapsed since the last activity associated with the non-primary channel. Channel quality measurement may be triggered via a data sending event on the non-primary channel such as sending a data frame on the non-primary channel. The DSM engine may perform respective quality measurements on multiple channels and store the respective quality values in a database. Time-averaged channel qualities for the channels may be computed based on the stored quality values for computing transmit power distribution of across the channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described that provides flexible spectrum usage by using a paired frequency division duplex (FDD) spectrum to enable dynamic access in television white space (TVWS), sub-leased spectrum or unlicensed spectrum, (e.g., industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) bands), in a femto cell environment or the like. Elastic FDD (E-FDD) enables femto cell operation in TVWS, sub-leased spectrum and/or unlicensed spectrum, either simultaneously with licensed spectrum or as an alternate channel to licensed spectrum. E-FDD enables dynamic asymmetric bandwidth allocation for uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) in FDD, and enables variable duplex spacing, (i.e., using FDD with minimum duplex spacing between DL and UL spectrum, or, using hybrid-FDD, (FDD in a time duplexed fashion), when a spectrum gap between the UL and DL spectrum is below a certain minimum threshold. Additionally, the signaling enhancements to implement E-FDD are also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating supplementary cells in licensed exempt (LE) spectrum. An aggregating cell operating in a frequency division duplex (FDD) licensed spectrum is aggregated with a LE supplementary cell operating in a time sharing mode for uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) operations. The LE supplementary cell may be an FDD supplementary cell dynamically configurable between an UL only mode, a DL only mode, and a shared mode, to match requested UL and DL traffic ratios. The LE supplementary cell may be a time division duplex (TDD) supplementary cell. The TDD supplementary cell may be dynamically configurable between multiple TDD configurations. A coexistence capability for coordinating operations between the LE supplementary cell with other systems operating in the same channel is provided. Coexistence gaps are provided to measure primary/secondary user usage and permit other systems operating in the LE supplementary cell channel to access the channel.

Abstract: A method for sensing measurement gap scheduling includes allocating a new supplementary carrier in a license-exempt spectrum by a radio resource management (RRM) entity in an evolved Node B (eNB); configuring a local cognitive sensing entity in the eNB by the RRM entity; configuring a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for cognitive sensing through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, the RRC signaling being generated by the eNB; configuring a local cognitive sensing entity at the WTRU by a dynamic spectrum management (DSM) entity; and signaling a start and a duration of a measurement gap to an enhanced sensing component.

Abstract: Described herein is a silent period method and apparatus for dynamic spectrum management. The methods include configuration and coordination of silent periods across an aggregated channel in a wireless communication system. A silent period management entity (SPME) dynamically determines silent period schedules for channels based on system and device information and assigns a silent period duration and periodicity for each silent period. The SPME may reconfigure the silent period schedule based on system delay, system throughput, channel quality or channel management events. A silent period interpretation entity (SPIE) receives and implements the silent period schedule. The silent periods for the channels may be synchronized, independent, or set-synchronized.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described. According to a method, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) communicates with a base station using a first base station operating frequency and a set of cell configuration parameters. The WTRU receives information indicating a second base station operating frequency to use for communications with the base station at a given time. The WTRU communicates with the base station using the second base station operating frequency and the same set of cell configuration parameters on or after the given time.