Abstract: A method of signalling resource allocation data in a communication system which uses a plurality of sub-carriers arranged in a sequence of chunks. An allocation of the sub-carriers for each of a plurality of user devices is received. The received allocations are processed to determine, for each user device, data identifying a start chunk and an end chunk within the sequence of chunks, which depend upon the sub-carriers allocated to the user device. Different resource allocation data is generated for each of the user devices using a predetermined mapping which relates the data identifying the corresponding start chunk and end chunk determined by the processing step to resource allocation data comprising a unique value. The respective resource allocation data is signaled to each of the plurality of user devices.

Abstract: A communication system is described in which system information is transmitted to communication devices, by a communication apparatus of the system, in system information blocks, in accordance with a system information block transmission scheme. The communication apparatus configures at least one system information block to include control information indicating how the system information blocks will be transmitted.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which a communication device and a base station initially communicate using a first bandwidth. The communication device monitors for control data transmitted, by the base station, using a first control resource set conveyed in the first bandwidth. The communication device and the base station switch to using a second bandwidth, wherein the second bandwidth is different to the first bandwidth, and the communication device monitors for control data transmitted, by the base station, using a second control resource set that is conveyed in the second bandwidth.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which an NR radio access network (RAN) node identifies resources, that the NR RAN node is to use for transmissions, for protection from interference from another RAN node. The NR RAN node sends, to the other RAN node, information indicating the identified resources for protection from interference. The information indicating the identified resources comprises a list of parameters, typically including resource bitmaps, based on which the other RAN node is able to determine the resources for protection from interference.

Abstract: A communications node operable to communicate with another communications node over a communications channel having a plurality of frequency resources, the communications node includes data defining a division of the communications channel into a plurality of contiguous sub-bands each having N frequency resources, wherein each frequency resource in a sub-band has a corresponding frequency resource in each of the other sub-bands, data defining an initial allocation of the frequency resources, a resource determination module operable to apply a frequency shift to the initially allocated frequency resources in accordance with a frequency hopping sequence to determine frequency resources to use for communicating information with the other communications node, wherein the frequency shift applied moves the initially allocated frequency resources to corresponding frequency resources in another sub-band, a transceiver for communicating information with the other communications node using the determined frequency reso

Abstract: A method, performed by a communication device, including a) measuring a respective beam quality for each of a plurality of beams of a cell, b) identifying, within said plurality of beams, a first group of beams comprising a number, N, of beams, c) selecting, from within said first group of beams, a second group of beams comprising a number, M, of beams, and d) deriving a cell quality for the cell based on the measured beam qualities for the M beams of the second group.

Abstract: A communication system is described in which system information is transmitted to communication devices, by a communication apparatus of the system, in system information blocks, in accordance with a system information block transmission scheme. The communication apparatus configures at least one system information block to include control information indicating how the system information blocks will be transmitted.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which an NR radio access network (RAN) node identifies resources, that the NR RAN node is to use for transmissions, for protection from interference from another RAN node. The NR RAN node sends, to the other RAN node, information indicating the identified resources for protection from interference. The information indicating the identified resources comprises a list of parameters, typically including resource bitmaps, based on which the other RAN node is able to determine the resources for protection from interference.

Abstract: A method, performed by a communication device, including a) measuring a respective beam quality for each of a plurality of beams of a cell, b) identifying, within said plurality of beams, a first group of beams comprising a number, N, of beams, c) selecting, from within said first group of beams, a second group of beams comprising a number, M, of beams, and d) deriving a cell quality for the cell based on the measured beam qualities for the M beams of the second group.

Abstract: We apply the techniques of deep reinforcement learning (RL) to the problem of coverage and capacity optimisation (CCO) in wireless networks. This is motivated by the idea that the type of combinatorial optimisation problems encountered in wireless networks are somewhat analogous to strategy games, for which deep RL has already proven to be an effective approach. We use a computer simulation of a small wireless network to generate synthetic data to train a deep Q network (DQN), and evaluate the performance of the DQN with further simulations. We compare the performance of the DQN with a conventional model-based approach. The results show that the DQN achieves slightly better performance than the conventional method, without the need for an explicit model of the environment. The performance is shown to be further improved by using the DQN within a search algorithm.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which a base station communicates with user equipment via an associated cell having a system bandwidth. The system bandwidth comprises a bandwidth part having a set of contiguous physical resource blocks. The base station initiates a random access procedure with the user equipment; provides first information identifying a set of frequency resources for an uplink channel; and provides second information identifying at least one specific frequency resource, within said set of frequency resources, for said uplink communication. The first information is provided prior to completion of the random access procedure.

Abstract: A communications node operable to communicate with another communications node over a communications channel having a plurality of frequency resources, the communications node includes data defining a division of the communications channel into a plurality of contiguous sub-bands each having N frequency resources, wherein each frequency resource in a sub-band has a corresponding frequency resource in each of the other sub-bands, data defining an initial allocation of the frequency resources, a resource determination module operable to apply a frequency shift to the initially allocated frequency resources in accordance with a frequency hopping sequence to determine frequency resources to use for communicating information with the other communications node, wherein the frequency shift applied moves the initially allocated frequency resources to corresponding frequency resources in another sub-band, a transceiver for communicating information with the other communications node using the determined frequency reso

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which a base station communicates with user equipment via an associated cell having a system bandwidth. The system bandwidth comprises a bandwidth part having a set of contiguous physical resource blocks. The base station initiates a random access procedure with the user equipment; provides first information identifying a set of frequency resources for an uplink channel; and provides second information identifying at least one specific frequency resource, within said set of frequency resources, for said uplink communication. The first information is provided prior to completion of the random access procedure.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which communication devices communicate with a base station using radio frames made up of a sequence of subframes and a frequency band made up of frequency subbands. The base station identifies a subframe in which a broadcast message, carrying information for at least one communication device, is to be broadcast; transmits, in a control channel, in a frequency subband in a current subframe that precedes the identified subframe, control information to identify said subframe in which said broadcast message is to be broadcast; and transmits the broadcast message in the identified subframe.

Abstract: A communications system is described that has a base station and a number of user devices, including legacy user devices and non-legacy user devices. The base station generates control data for transmission to the user devices, the control data including common control data for reception and decoding by a plurality of user devices and user specific control data for reception and decoding by a specific user device. The common control data is for reception and decoding by the non-legacy user devices and cannot be decoded by the legacy user devices. The common control data is repeated within multiple subframes for reception and decoding by non-legacy user devices. The non-legacy user devices are typically Machine Type Communications (MTC) user devices.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which a user equipment (UE) receives downlink control information (DCI) in accordance with at least one of a first DCI format and a second DCI format, the DCI indicating at least one communication resource to be used for transmitting Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) feedback for downlink data at a symbol or sub-slot level, and the DCI format used indicating whether a timing window in which said downlink data is to be transmitted is shorter or longer than a slot length. The UE receives downlink data during said timing window and transmits corresponding HARQ-ACK using the indicated at least one communication resource.

Abstract: A communications system is described that has a base station and a number of user devices, including legacy user devices and non-legacy user devices. The base station generates control data for transmission to the user devices, the control data including common control data for reception and decoding by a plurality of user devices and user specific control data for reception and decoding by a specific user device. The common control data is for reception and decoding by the non-legacy user devices and cannot be decoded by the legacy user devices. The common control data is repeated within multiple subframes for reception and decoding by non-legacy user devices. The non-legacy user devices are typically Machine Type Communications (MTC) user devices.

Abstract: A communications node operable to communicate with another communications node over a communications channel having a plurality of frequency resources, the communications node includes data defining a division of the communications channel into a plurality of contiguous sub-bands each having N frequency resources, wherein each frequency resource in a sub-band has a corresponding frequency resource in each of the other sub-bands, data defining an initial allocation of the frequency resources, a resource determination module operable to apply a frequency shift to the initially allocated frequency resources in accordance with a frequency hopping sequence to determine frequency resources to use for communicating information with the other communications node, wherein the frequency shift applied moves the initially allocated frequency resources to corresponding frequency resources in another sub-band, a transceiver for communicating information with the other communications node using the determined frequency reso

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed in which communication devices communicate with a base station using radio frames made up of a sequence of subframes and a frequency band made up of frequency subbands. The base station identifies a subframe in which a broadcast message, carrying information for at least one communication device, is to be broadcast; transmits, in a control channel, in a frequency subband in a current subframe that precedes the identified subframe, control information to identify said subframe in which said broadcast message is to be broadcast; and transmits the broadcast message in the identified subframe.

Abstract: Scrambling code is initialized based on a parameter, n?RNTI, that changes from a given block of sub-frames to a subsequent block of sub-frames wherein the parameter is derived using one of the following formulas: n?RNTI=(nRNTI+SFN)mod 216 n?RNTI=(nRNTI+k)mod 216 where nRNTI is a temporary identifier associated with a mobile device connected to said cell and for which said scrambling code is applicable; and SFN is a system frame number associated with said at least one of said sequence of sub-frames; and k is a sub-frame counter.