Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for a subframe structure for wideband LTE. In an embodiment, a method in a communications controller for transmitting a packet to a wireless device includes signaling a UL/DL configuration to the wireless device, wherein the UL/DL configuration indicates a quantity of uplink microframes in a group of microframes, wherein each subframe includes a plurality of microframes, and wherein the group of microframes includes a consecutive sequence downlink microframes and a consecutive sequence of uplink microframes. The packet is transmitted to the wireless device in one downlink microframe. The method further includes receiving an acknowledgement of the packet in an uplink microframe, wherein the uplink microframe is determined in accordance with the one downlink microframe and the uplink-downlink configuration, and wherein the acknowledgement is received in a same subframe as a subframe utilized for transmitting the packet to the wireless device.

Abstract: A method includes determining a first subframe on which to transmit a first downlink control information (DCI) message and determining a second subframe on which to transmit a first information. The method also includes determining a delay between the first subframe and the second subframe and transmitting, by a communications controller to a user equipment (UE), the second subframe in accordance with the delay.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method includes, by a first mobile device, obtaining a data packet and determining, from a first set of resources, control resources for transmitting scheduling information associated with the data packet. The control resources include a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH). The method includes determining, by the first mobile device from a second set of resources, acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) resources associated with the data packet and related to the control resources. The scheduling information includes transmission information for transmitting the data packet and an indication of the ACK/NACK resources. The method includes transmitting, by the first mobile device to a second mobile device, the scheduling information on the control resources and the data packet on a set of resources indicated by the transmission information and listening, by the first mobile device, for an ACK/NACK transmitted by the second mobile device on the ACK/NACK resources.

Abstract: A device and method for transmission and reception of control and data channels with a group reference signal (GRS). A GRS may include a first common reference signal associated with a first group of users and a second common reference signal associated with a second group of users. Some users or channels can be grouped to use one set of common reference signals and other users or channels can be grouped to use another set of common reference signals.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided herein for determining a synchronizing master for device-to-device (D2D) communication in a cellular network environment. In an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) receives a discovery signal comprising a timing reference, and determines a transmitter of the discovery signal. In accordance with the determination of the transmitter of the discovery signal, the UE performs one of synchronizing to the timing reference in the discovery signal and transmitting a second discovery signal. The UE performs the synchronizing to the timing reference if the transmitter of the discovery is a cellular network. Alternatively, the UE transmits the second discovery signal upon determining that the transmitter of the discovery signal is a second UE that is out of coverage of a cellular network.

Abstract: An efficient random access procedure is provided for reduced control overhead of connections in random access systems. A base station transmits one or more synchronization signal (SS) blocks. A UE detects and determines a preferred SS block. The UE transmits multiple random access signals (e.g., PRACH signals) in a RACH occasion. Each PRACH signal is transmitted on a different beam and includes a RACH preamble. The base station receives one or more of the PRACH signals. The RACH occasion and optionally the RACH preamble identify the preferred SS block. The base station determines a preferred PRACH signal. The base station sends a RAR to the UE using the transmit beam of the preferred SS block. The RAR indicates the preferred PRACH signal and an uplink resource allocation. The UE receives the RAR and transmits a message using the transmit beam of the preferred PRACH signal and the uplink resource allocation.

Abstract: A method for operating a communications controller includes selecting a search space configuration out of a set of candidate search space configurations for a user equipment served by the communications controller, wherein the search space configuration specifies one or more search spaces to be monitored out of a set of search spaces, and signaling the selected search space configuration to the user equipment.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for network adaptation and utilization of a discovery signal (DS). In an embodiment, a method in a UE for communicating in a wireless network includes receiving a parameter(s) from a network controller, wherein the parameter provides the UE with an activation time frame within which the UE can expect to receive a common reference signal (CRS) from a network component, a deactivation time frame within which the UE is not to expect to receive the CRS, and information for receiving and processing a DS from the network component; receiving the DS from the network component, wherein a structure and format of the DS conforms to the parameter received by the UE; refraining from attempting to perform CRS based procedures when the CRS is not received; and performing one of synchronization, cell identification, and DS based radio resource management (RRM) measurements according to the DS.

Abstract: A method for operating a communications controller includes selecting a search space configuration out of a set of candidate search space configurations for a user equipment served by the communications controller, wherein the search space configuration specifies one or more search spaces to be monitored out of a set of search spaces, and signaling the selected search space configuration to the user equipment.

Abstract: An embodiment of a system for operating a communications controller for a group of user equipments engaged in a DMC link in a wireless communications system is provided. The communications controller is configured to allocate a set of subframes in one periodic group of subframes to the group of UEs for the DMC link, signal the set of allocated subframes to the group of UEs, and transmit parameters related to a group of HARQ processes of the DMC link. In an embodiment, the communication controller uses HARQ processes for cellular UE transmission that are determined independently from HARQ processes of the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link, and the parameters are configured to enable the group of UEs to manage the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link.

Abstract: When at least one of device-to-device UEs in connections of a group of D2D UEs is outside of the coverage area of mobile network of an access point, an information exchange mechanism established directly between the D2D UEs without involving a third party, is provided. A Sidelink Control Information (SCI) message type comprises one or more format flags indicating the respective resource allocation format, obtaining a first SCI message, adjusting a size of the first SCI message based on the determined size, and transmitting the adjusted first SCI message by a first UE in a Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) to one or more second UEs for establishing the D2D communication link.

Abstract: A method for device-to-device (D2D) communication includes sensing D2D resources from a pool of resources for a predetermined duration to produce measurements of the D2D resources and determining statistics in accordance with the measurements of the D2D resources. The method also includes determining a first subset of the D2D resources in accordance with the statistics and transmitting, by a first user equipment (UE) to a second UE, data over the first subset of the D2D resources.

Abstract: A method for providing user equipment access to millimeter wave stations through a microwave station includes receiving an indication of millimeter wave stations operating within a microwave coverage area of a microwave station. In a microwave band, information associated with the millimeter wave stations is broadcasted to user equipment in the microwave coverage area. A request is sent to the millimeter wave stations to transmit configuration signals over a microwave band. An instruction is transmitted over the microwave band to the user equipment to perform proximity measurements of the configuration signals. According to the proximity measurements, a request is sent to a particular millimeter wave station to transmit beamforming signals over a millimeter wave band. An instruction is transmitted over the microwave band to the user equipment to perform beamforming measurements of the beamforming signals. According to the beamforming measurements, the user equipment is switched to millimeter wave operation.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for network adaption and utilization of a discovery signal (DS). In an embodiment, a method in a UE for communicating in a wireless network includes receiving a parameter(s) from a network controller, wherein the parameter provides the UE with an activation time frame within which the UE can expect to receive a common reference signal (CRS) from a network component, a deactivation time frame within which the UE is not to expect to receive the CRS, and information for receiving and processing a DS from the network component; receiving the DS from the network component, wherein a structure and format of the DS conforms to the parameter received by the UE; refraining from attempting to perform CRS based procedures when the CRS is not received; and performing one of synchronization, cell identification, and DS based radio resource management (RRM) measurements according to the DS.

Abstract: When the frequency resource allocation is conveyed on a bandwidth that is different from a bandwidth on which the frequency resource allocation is sent, a receiving D2D UE needs to understand the resource allocations. A resource allocation method for device-to-device resource allocation is provided according to an example. The resource allocation method includes a first D2D user equipment (UE) receiving a downlink control information (DCI) from an access point, wherein the DCI comprises a first D2D frequency allocation and the first D2D frequency allocation comprises a first resource allocation field for transmission of data; setting a second resource allocation field of a second D2D frequency allocation of a sidelink control information (SCI) format according to the first resource allocation field; transmitting the SCI format to one or more additional D2D UEs; and transmitting the data on the resource according to the second D2D resource allocation.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting, by a communications controller to a user equipment (UE), a first data block on a first carrier and transmitting, by the communications controller to the UE, a first downlink control information (DCI) to initiate a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process associated with the first data block. The method also includes retransmitting, by the communications controller to the UE, the first data block and transmitting, by the communications controller to the UE, a second DCI, where the second DCI includes a first transmission indicator and an indicator of the first carrier, and where the second DCI continues the HARQ process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for supporting vehicle-to-vehicle communication utilizing a base station. Included is a vehicular network interface configured to receive, from a first subset of a set of vehicles, first messages. The vehicular network interface is further configured to receive composite messages that are generated by a base station based on second messages transmitted by a second subset of the set of vehicles. Also included is circuitry in communication with the vehicular network interface. The circuitry is configured to re-create at least a portion of the second messages based on at least a portion of the first messages and at least a portion of the composite messages.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to technology for a base station to signal user equipment to monitor a narrowband control channel in a wideband system. The base station sends a configuration signaling to configure the user equipment including a designation of subframe(s). The base station then determines whether to signal the user equipment to monitor the subframe(s) using one of a narrowband bandwidth and a system bandwidth. In response to the base station signaling the user equipment to monitor the narrowband bandwidth, the base station communicates with the user equipment using the narrowband bandwidth. In response to the base station signaling the user equipment to monitor the system bandwidth, the base station sends a probe message within the narrowband bandwidth to the user equipment, where the probe message signals to the user equipment to begin monitoring the system bandwidth and to communicate with the user equipment using the system bandwidth.

Abstract: When at least one of device-to-device UEs in connections of a group of D2D UEs is outside of the coverage area of mobile network of an access point, an information exchange mechanism established directly between the D2D UEs without involving a third party, is provided. A Sidelink Control Information (SCI) message type comprises one or more format flags indicating the respective resource allocation format, obtaining a first SCI message, adjusting a size of the first SCI message based on the determined size, and transmitting the adjusted first SCI message by a first UE in a Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) to one or more second UEs for establishing the D2D communication link.

Abstract: A method for operating a UE includes receiving, by the UE during an initial access sequence, a plurality of first inbound beams each transmitted by a communications controller in a different transmit direction over a first carrier, where the first inbound beams have a different subcarrier frequency range from each other, generating values of a receive metric in accordance with the first inbound beams, selecting one of the first inbound beams in accordance with the receive metric values, transmitting, by the UE, an indication of the selected first inbound beam, and receiving, by the UE, a second inbound beam transmitted by the communications controller in a transmit direction in accordance with the indication of the selected first inbound beam, where the second inbound beam has a second subcarrier frequency range of the first carrier that is different than a first subcarrier frequency range of the selected first inbound beam.