Abstract: Systems and methods for adapting a timer(s) for a satellite-based radio access network are disclosed. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device and corresponding embodiments of a wireless device are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises obtaining a value to be used to offset, extend, and/or scale one or more timers related to the satellite-based radio access network relative to values for non-satellite-based radio access networks. The method further comprises utilizing the value to offset a start of one or more timers, extend one or more timers, and/or scale one or more timers and performing one or more actions based on the one or more offset timers, the one or more extended timers, and/or the one or more scaled timers. Embodiments of a method performed by a base station and corresponding embodiments of a base station are also disclosed.

Abstract: A network node of a wireless communication network provides information to a User Equipment (UE) that allows the UE to adapt it radio measurements with respect to the network, to account for “link changes.” Link changes are service-link and/or feeder-link changes arising from motion by the satellite(s) included in the Radio Access Network (RAN) portion of the network. The UE uses the provided information to adapt its radio measurements in conjunction with the link changes. Among the several advantages of accounting for satellite link changes in the manner contemplated are any one or more of reduced signaling going between the UE and the network, reduced battery consumption at the UE, mitigation of the effects of the link changes on the radio measurements, avoidance of spurious measurements, and an effective “automation” of the timed changeover by the UE to new measurement configurations, coincident with the occurrence of link changes.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods performed by a wireless device for random access to a wireless communications network. Such methods include transmitting a random access preamble in a first uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a carrier and selecting a first downlink (DL) BWP of the carrier based on an association between the first UL BWP and the first DL BWP. Such methods include monitoring the first DL BWP for a random access response from the wireless communication network to the transmitted random access preamble. Other embodiments include complementary methods for a base station configured to support random access by wireless devices, as well as wireless devices and base stations configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network node (101) for enabling a second feeder link (132) to be established between a second network node (102) and an airborne or orbital communication node (110) in non-terrestrial communications network (100) to handle wireless devices (121) being served by the airborne or orbital communication node (110) is provided. The first network node (101) is handling the wireless devices (121) served by the airborne or orbital communication node (110) over a first feeder link (131) between the first network node (101) and the airborne or orbital communication node (110). The method comprises determining (701) that the wireless devices served by the airborne or orbital communication node (110) are to be handled by the second network node (102) over the second feeder link (132). Also, the method comprises initiating (702) the second feeder link (132) to be established between the second network node (102) and the airborne or orbital communication node (110).

Abstract: A method performed by a network node (160) includes serving a cell area by a first physical network node for a first time duration. The first physical network node uses an identifier of a logical network node. For a second time duration, the cell area is served by a second physical network node. The second physical network node uses the identifier of the logical network node. The first physical network node serves the cell area with a first frequency band and the second physical network node serves the cell area with a second frequency band.

Abstract: A method in a User Equipment (UE) for control of Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching. The method includes determining that the UE has an active configured grant in a non-default BWP; and refraining from switching from the non-default BWP to a default BWP while the configured grant is active.

Abstract: A method by a wireless device includes determining whether one or more conditions for triggering measurement reporting have occurred and triggering the measurement reporting based on the occurrence of the one or more conditions. The one or more conditions for triggering the measurement reporting are based on at least one of: a timing advance value in a source cell; the wireless device being within a pre-determined distance of a satellite node serving the source cell and/or a candidate target cell of the wireless device; an expected time for the wireless device to be served in the source cell and/or in the candidate target cell; an elevation angle of the satellite node serving the source cell and/or the candidate target cell; a point in time configured by the network is reached; detection of an identifier associated with a specific cell.

Abstract: A method by a wireless device includes determining whether one or more conditions for triggering measurements have occurred and performing the one or more measurements based on the occurrence of the one or more conditions. The one or more conditions for triggering measurements is based on at least one of: a timing advance value in a source cell; a distance between the wireless device and a satellite node serving a source cell or a candidate target cell; an expected time for the wireless device to be served in the source cell and/or in the candidate target cell; elevation angle of the satellite node serving the source cell and/or the candidate target cell; a point in time configured by a network node is reached; detection of an identifier associated with a specific cell; and a speed or velocity of the wireless device.

Abstract: A method in a User Equipment (UE) for control of Bandwidth Part (BWP) switching. The method includes determining that the UE has an active configured grant in a non-default BWP; and refraining from switching from the non-default BWP to a default BWP while the configured grant is active.

Abstract: Systems and methods for defining a Random Access Response (RAR) window for a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) are provided. In some embodiments, a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) comprises transmitting a first random access transmission in a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) occasion, the first random access transmission being either a random access preamble or a Msg A; determining a reference symbol for a start of a response window, the response window being either a RAR window or a MsgB response window; and monitoring for a response during the response window, the start of the monitoring response window being defined relative to the reference symbol. In this way, some embodiments herein eliminate the problems associated with the current RAR window timing definition, when applied in an NTN.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods performed by a wireless device for random access to a wireless communications network. Such methods include transmitting a random access preamble in a first uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a carrier and selecting a first downlink (DL) BWP of the carrier based on an association between the first UL BWP and the first DL BWP. Such methods include monitoring the first DL BWP for a random access response from the wireless communication network to the transmitted random access preamble. Other embodiments include complementary methods for a base station configured to support random access by wireless devices, as well as wireless devices and base stations configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods performed by a wireless device for random access to a wireless communications network. Such methods include, using a physical random access channel (PRACH) configuration that is associated with a first index, transmitting a random preamble to the wireless communication network in an uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a carrier. Such methods also include selecting a first downlink (DL) BWP of the carrier based on an association between the first index and the first DL BWP and monitoring the first DL BWP for a random access response from the wireless communication network. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a base station, as well as wireless devices and base stations configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: A method (1200) performed by a wireless device (110) includes obtaining a remaining service time (Tservice) associated with a first satellite or first spot beam. Based on the remaining service time, the wireless device determines whether to initiate a connection with the first satellite or first spot beam.

Abstract: Buffer Status Reports (BSR), by which the network is made aware of uplink transmission needs of wirless devices, are specifically enabled to be transmitted using 2-step Random Access (RA), to reduce latency and network resource use. In one embodiment, 2-step RA configurations tailored to B SR-transmissions are introduced. These may, for example, use a subset of the configured resources in the configured 2-step RA resources for B SR. In another embodiment, conditions for triggering B SR over 2-step RA, depending on the traffic, are introduced. For example, the priority or the the delay budget of the traffic may be used to determine whether a BSR over 2-step RA should be triggered. In another embodiment, simplified procedures when receiving the response to MsgA are introduced. These may include, for example, not transmitting a full MsgB, but rather having the UE receive an UL grant.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate e.g. to a method performed by a UE (10) for managing monitoring of a control channel for transmissions from a radio network node (12). The UE activates, upon detection of a triggering event occurrence, a timer, wherein the triggering event occurrence comprises transmitting a scheduling request and/or receiving a RAR. The UE further initiates, upon expiry of the timer, a monitoring of a control channel for one or more transmissions from the radio network node.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network node (101) for enabling a second feeder link (132) to be established between a second network node (102) and an airborne or orbital communication node (110) in non-terrestrial communications network (100) to handle wireless devices (121) being served by the airborne or orbital communication node (110) is provided. The first network node (101) is handling the wireless devices (121) served by the airborne or orbital communication node (110) over a first feeder link (131) between the first network node (101) and the airborne or orbital communication node (110). The method comprises determining (701) that the wireless devices served by the airborne or orbital communication node (110) are to be handled by the second network node (102) over the second feeder link (132). Also, the method comprises initiating (702) the second feeder link (132) to be established between the second network node (102) and the airborne or orbital communication node (110).

Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure provides a method performed by a wireless device for performing handover from a source network node to a target network node. The method comprises: obtaining (1402) an indication of a round-trip time for transmissions to the target network node; initiating (1406) access to the target network node; and, subsequent to initiating access to the target network node, transmitting (1408) data to or receiving (1408) data from the source network node for a time window following initiation of access to the target network node. The time window has a duration of at least the round-trip time for transmissions to the target network node.

Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure provides a method for a terminal device in a wireless communications network, wherein the terminal device is configurable with a plurality of logical channel groups. The method comprises generating buffer status information and transmitting a message to a network node operative in the wireless communications network. The message comprises a buffer status report comprising the buffer status information. The buffer status report comprises respective indications, for each of the plurality of logical channel groups, of the availability of data to transmit in the terminal device for the logical channel group. The buffer status report further comprises respective buffer size fields, for one or more of the logical channel groups for which data is available to transmit, indicating an amount of data which is available to transmit.

Abstract: A system, method and non-transitory computer readable media for facilitating reduced signaling load with respect to UE location reporting in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) environment (100) interoperable with one or more terrestrial cellular communications networks. In one embodiment of an index-based location reporting scheme, a UE (105, 1200) may receive (402) a list of reference locations from a network node (1000, 1100), each identified with an index. Responsive to receiving the list of reference locations, the UE (105, 1200) may report to the network node (1000, 1100) an index or a subset of indices of one or more reference locations that match a specific reporting criterion. In an example implementation, reporting of index-based location information by the UE (105, 1200) may be configurably triggered, e.g., periodically or in response to the occurrence of a particular event, condition, etc.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods performed by a wireless device for random access to a wireless communications network. Such methods include, using a physical random access channel (PRACH) configuration that is associated with a first index, transmitting a random preamble to the wireless communication network in an uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a carrier. Such methods also include selecting a first downlink (DL) BWP of the carrier based on an association between the first index and the first DL BWP and monitoring the first DL BWP for a random access response from the wireless communication network. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a base station, as well as wireless devices and base stations configured to perform such methods.