Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for increasing uplink beamforming gain. In one aspect there is provided a method of identifying user equipment which makes use of the proposed new beam-sweeping random access channel procedure that enables the base station to identify the best uplink transmit beam rather than the first beam that the base station managed to detect. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from improved HARQ. For example, it may be helpful to improve HARQ in non-terrestrial networks. A method may include receiving at a user equipment a configuration from a network entity. The configuration may include a hybrid automatic repeat request virtual process number. The method may also include receiving at the user equipment a downlink control information from the network entity. The downlink control information may include a hybrid automatic repeat request virtual process identification. In addition, the method may include receiving at the user equipment another downlink control information. The another downlink control information may include the hybrid automatic repeat request virtual process identification.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for mutually exclusive configurations. The method may include operating on at least part of a first bandwidth part. The method may also include receiving, from a network node, an information of switching criterion for switching from the first bandwidth part to a second bandwidth part. The method may further include determining, at a user equipment, whether to switch to operate on at least part of the second bandwidth part based on the received information of switching criterion. In addition, the method may include based on the determination, switching to operate on at least part of the second bandwidth part.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for a multi-stage positioning reference signal (PRS) mechanism for downlink angle of departure (DL-AoD) positioning.

Abstract: Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a solution for configuring a retransmission in communications. In an aspect, a first device transmits, to a second device, a first indication of a plurality of candidate retransmission configurations. Each of the plurality of candidate retransmission configurations includes a transmission feedback configuration and/or a data retransmission configuration. The first device selects a target retransmission configuration from the plurality of candidate retransmission configurations. The first device transmits, to the second device, a second indication of the target retransmission configuration. The first device communicates with the second device using the target retransmission configuration. The example embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dynamical multi-level indication for a retransmission scheme.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for increasing uplink beamforming gain. In one aspect there is provided a method of identifying user equipment which makes use of the proposed new beam-sweeping random access channel procedure that enables the base station to identify the best uplink transmit beam rather than the first beam that the base station managed to detect. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from improved HARQ. For example, it may be helpful to improve HARQ in non-terrestrial networks. A method may include receiving at a user equipment a configuration from a network entity. The configuration may include a hybrid automatic repeat request virtual process number. The method may also include receiving at the user equipment a downlink control information from the network entity. The downlink control information may include a hybrid automatic repeat request virtual process identification. In addition, the method may include receiving at the user equipment another downlink control information. The another downlink control information may include the hybrid automatic repeat request virtual process identification.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from an improved resource block group allocation in a cell. A method may include determining at a network entity a common frequency resource allocation grid in a cell. The method may also include configuring at the network entity a frequency location of a bandwidth part of a user equipment within the cell. The frequency location of the bandwidth part may be offset from a reference point of the common frequency resource allocation grid. In addition, the method may include determining a size of one or more of a plurality of resource block groups within the bandwidth part of the user equipment based on the frequency location of the bandwidth part and the reference point. Further, the method may include transmit downlink control information from the network entity to the user equipment.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from an improved resource block group allocation in a cell. A method may include determining at a network entity a common frequency resource allocation grid in a cell. The method may also include configuring at the network entity a frequency location of a bandwidth part of a user equipment within the cell. The frequency location of the bandwidth part may be offset from a reference point of the common frequency resource allocation grid. In addition, the method may include determining a size of one or more of a plurality of resource block groups within the bandwidth part of the user equipment based on the frequency location of the bandwidth part and the reference point. Further, the method may include transmit downlink control information from the network entity to the user equipment.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for providing transfer block indications in uplink (UL) grant-free transmissions may include a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon, and at least one processor configured to execute the computer readable instructions to transmit a first transport block (TB) to a base station (BS) during a first transmission time interval (TTI) using a grant-free UL transmission, receive a UL grant from the BS in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) region during a time window, determine a target of the UL grant, the target including at least one of the first TB, a second TB, or a previously transmitted TB, based on the UL grant, and transmitting the target of the UL grant to the BS.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for providing transfer block indications in uplink (UL) grant-free transmissions may include a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon, and at least one processor configured to execute the computer readable instructions to transmit a first transport block (TB) to a base station (BS) during a first transmission time interval (TTI) using a grant-free UL transmission, receive a UL grant from the BS in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) region during a time window, determine a target of the UL grant, the target including at least one of the first TB, a second TB, or a previously transmitted TB, based on the UL grant, and transmitting the target of the UL grant to the BS.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for providing transfer block indications in uplink (UL) grant-free transmissions may include a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon, and at least one processor configured to execute the computer readable instructions to transmit a first transport block (TB) to a base station (BS) during a first transmission time interval (TTI) using a grant-free UL transmission, receive a UL grant from the BS in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) region during a time window, determine a target of the UL grant, the target including at least one of the first TB, a second TB, or a previously transmitted TB, based on the UL grant, and transmitting the target of the UL grant to the BS.

Abstract: An approach is provided for cell re-selection. A notification message is generated to indicate initiation of a coverage area re-selection procedure to operate in a new coverage area from a current coverage area. The re-selection procedure is performed if an acknowledgement message is received in response to the notification message.

Abstract: An approach is provided for cell re-selection. A notification message is generated to indicate initiation of a coverage area re-selection procedure to operate in a new coverage area from a current coverage area. The re-selection procedure is performed if an acknowledgement message is received in response to the notification message.

Abstract: An approach is provided for cell re-selection. A notification message is generated to indicate initiation of a coverage area re-selection procedure to operate in a new coverage area from a current coverage area. The re-selection procedure is performed if an acknowledgement message is received in response to the notification message.

Abstract: This invention relates to signalling of control information related to retransmissions in a wireless communication network. According to one aspect of the invention, a method for controlling transmission over a wireless communication link is provided. The method comprises the step of indicating on a transmission resource control channel whether a HARQ retransmission process in a mobile station should be activated or deactivated.

Abstract: The definition and use of an additional timer for the MAC-hs reordering function in a user equipment. The timer counts transmission time intervals and is reset each time that the user equipment receives a data packet. If the timer reaches a set value, indicating a sufficiently long period of inactivity, then the transmission sequence number is reset to zero or another predefined value. A base station can run a similar timer and, after the timer reaches a set value, can consider the user equipment as no longer being active.

Abstract: In one non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, a method includes: receiving at least one parameter from a broadcast channel (51); determining, using the received at least one parameter, information including at least one of an initial bit rate to use when transmitting on a random access channel (RACH) and an automatic repeat request (ARQ) profile to use when transmitting on the RACH (52); and transmitting a message on the RACH in accordance with the determined information (53).

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and computer program products in a wireless communications system provide an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) for use by user equipment operating in the wireless communications system for use in conjunction with the random access procedure. The user equipment has circuitry to request a HS random access channel and, in response to receiving an assignment from a Node B of a dedicated mode channel for use as the random access channel, to send uplink data in a random access fashion over the assigned dedicated mode channel while receiving feedback from the Node B over at least one downlink L1 feedback channel. The Node B has circuitry to assign to the UE the dedicated mode channel for use as the random access channel, to receive uplink data in a random access fashion over the assigned dedicated mode channel, and to send feedback information to the UE over at least one downlink L1 feedback channel.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a communication system for collision detection for a random access procedure for an uplink data channel. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a module configured to transmit a data transmission on the uplink data channel, and an uplink scheduling and signal generating module configured to select random access parameters for a random access procedure and schedule the data transmission using the random access parameters for the random access procedure. The uplink scheduling and signal generating module is also configured to interrupt the data transmission after a predetermined time interval if the apparatus does not receive a permission signal from a network element during the predetermined time interval.