Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmissions of reduced bandwidth User Equipments (UEs) to efficiently coexist with regular UEs in a network. In some embodiments, a method performed by a UE comprises obtaining a PUCCH configuration for reduced bandwidth UEs wherein there is a dependency between the PUCCH configuration for reduced bandwidth UEs and a PUCCH configuration for non-reduced bandwidth UEs. The method further comprises transmitting a PUCCH in accordance with the PUCCH configuration for reduced bandwidth UEs.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (12) is configured for random access to a wireless communication network (10). The N wireless communication device (12) transmits, to the wireless communication network (10), a random access preamble (14) in a random access channel occasion (18) that comprises one or more symbols. The wireless communication device (12) monitors for a response (20) to the random access preamble (14) within a response window (24). The response window (24) starts in an earliest control resource set (22-2) that begins at least a minimum number (Dmin) of symbols after the last symbol (18L) of the random access channel occasion (18), wherein the minimum number of symbols is greater than one.

Abstract: Embodiments herein disclose e.g. a method performed by a wireless device (10) for handling communication for the wireless device in a second wireless communication network. The second wireless communication network coexists with a first wireless communication network on a same bandwidth in frequency, wherein the first wireless communication network applies a first shift in frequency in uplink transmissions. The wireless device receives from a radio network node (12, 13), an indication indicating application of a second shift in frequency to uplink transmissions in case the second wireless communication network uses Frequency Division Duplex (FDD). The wireless device further applies the second shift in frequency to uplink transmissions, wherein the second shift defines a shift in frequency to a subcarrier relative to a subcarrier grid of the second wireless communication network or a shift in frequency to the subcarrier grid of the second wireless communication network.

Abstract: A first wireless communication device (401, 404), WCD, transmits a first indication to a second WCD (401, 404) or receives a first indication from the second WCD. The first indication indicates a first time period (501) during which the first WCD is expected to monitor for receipt of a transmission. The first WCD monitors for receipt of a transmission during the first time period. The first WCD is not expected to monitor for receipt of a transmission during a second time period (502) before the first time period begins. The first WCD performs the transmission or receipt of the first indication after a link has been established between the first WCD and the second WCD for relaying of information to and/or from a network via one or more sidelink transmissions between the first WCD and the second WCD.

Abstract: A method performed by user equipment, UE, includes receiving a DL reception and transmitting an UL transmission, wherein there is a collision between the DL reception and the UL transmission. The method also includes prioritizing for processing the DL reception or the UL transmission by applying a particular prioritization rule of a plurality of prioritization rules depending upon a type of the DL reception and/or the UL transmission. The method further includes processing the DL reception or the UL transmission in response to applying the particular prioritization rule.

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 performed by a User Equipment (UE) for handling a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) from a network node in a wireless communications network is provided. The UE operates with a reduced bandwidth. The UE detects an SSB from the network node, and that a bandwidth of the SSB is larger than the bandwidth of the UE. The UE determines which part of the SSB to skip to make the bandwidth of the SSB equal or smaller than the bandwidth of the UE, such that the UE is capable of receiving the SSB. The part of the SSB to be skipped is determined based on a predicted decoding performance of the SSB.

Abstract: A method performed by a User Equipment (UE) for handling a Control Resource Set (CORESET) from a network node in a wireless communications network is provided. The UE operates with a reduced bandwidth. The UE detects a CORESET from the network node, and that a bandwidth of the CORESET is larger than the bandwidth of the UE. Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) candidates are transmitted in the CORESET. The UE determines which part of the CORESET to skip, to make the bandwidth of the CORESET equal or smaller than the bandwidth of the UE, such that the UE is capable of receiving the CORESET. The part of the CORESET to be skipped is determined based on a predicted decoding performance of the PDCCH candidates in the CORESET.

Abstract: A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in idle mode, for determining common search space (CSS) for NB-IoT paging is disclosed. The method comprises determining a set of periodic subframes as a Paging Occasion (PO) subframe pattern. The method further comprises monitoring a starting subframe of paging CSS for a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI). The starting subframe of paging CSS is determined as follows: a first subframe (SF0) defined by the Paging Occasion subframe pattern, is used when SF0 is determined to be a valid downlink subframe. A next valid downlink subframe after SF0 is used when SF0 is determined to be an invalid downlink subframe.

Abstract: The load on Random Access channels (N)PRACH (i.e., Msg1) is temporally distributed, to better handle synchronized access peaks from machine type devices. Access attempts by wireless devices are distributed in time, based on their identities (e.g., IMSI, which is used for the distribution of paging load) or random draw. The distribution restricts when 5 wireless devices can access the network, either based on System Frame Number or on random access occurrence. The method is implicit, i.e., after the initial System Information (SI) acquisition, wireless devices will automatically apply temporal network access load distribution according to the configuration provided in SI without any need for explicit signaling or re-acquisition of SI. Embodiments of the invention may be advantageously applied to any wireless 10 communication network supporting machine type communications, such as GPRS/EGPRS/ECGSM-IoT and UMTS/HSPA, as well as non-3GPP radio access technologies such as LoRa, Sigfox, and Ingenu.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network node operating in a wireless communications network is described herein. The first network node initiates sending a first indication to a first wireless device operating in the wireless communications network using NB-IoT. The first indication indicates that a first carrier, the first carrier being a standalone Narrow Band-Internet of Things, NB-IoT, carrier operating within a New Radio, NR, carrier, is: a) deployed in one of: a guardband mode and an inband mode, and b) shifted away by a frequency offset from a frequency channel raster grid used by the first wireless device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting subcarriers to be used for sub-Physical Resource Block (PRB) transmission and, in some embodiments, for mapping Demodulation Reference Signals (DMRS) to resources on the selected subcarriers are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a radio node for providing sub-PRB transmission comprises selecting two adjacent subcarriers from a set of three allocated subcarriers that are allocated for a sub-PRB transmission that uses Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) Pi/2 Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation using only two adjacent subcarriers out of the set of three allocated subcarriers with Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) spread length of 2. In some embodiments, the selection is such that the selected adjacent subcarriers varies, e.g., from one cell to another. In doing so, interference is distributed.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method (500) by a wireless device (110) includes receiving information relating to a Narrowband Secondary Synchronization Signal (NSSS) transmit diversity scheme. The information indicates a number of NSSS occasions that use different NSSS transmit diversity configurations. Based on the NSSS transmit diversity scheme, at least one measurement is performed across NSSS occasions.

Abstract: A wireless device is operable to communicate with a network node of a communications network via a non-terrestrial communication path that includes satellites and satellite gateways. The wireless device determines that communication between the wireless device and the network node will experience a communication interrupting transition during a transition period in which the non-terrestrial communication path between the wireless device and the network node will be interrupted. The wireless device adjusts a PHY layer procedure of the wireless device to mitigate switching problems with one of the of satellites during and/or after the interruption.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for Control Resource Set (CORESET) enhancements for initial access. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device comprises receiving and decoding a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission in a CORESET in accordance with at least a portion of a Control Channel Element (CCE) to Resource Element Group (REG) mapping. The PDCCH transmission comprises one or more CCEs. The CCE to REG mapping comprises an interleaved portion that maps the one or more CCEs to a first set of REGs that are spread across a bandwidth of the CORESET, and a second portion that maps at least a portion of an additional CCE to at least a REG in a frequency gap between two REGs in the first set of REGs, the additional CCE corresponding to one of the CCEs mapped to the first set of REGs.

Abstract: A method in a user equipment is disclosed. The method comprises generating a narrowband random access preamble for a narrowband random access procedure, the narrowband random access preamble comprising a Zadoff-Chu sequence. The method comprises transmitting, to a network node, the generated narrowband random access preamble via a narrowband physical random access channel (PRACH) according to a narrowband PRACH format, wherein the narrowband PRACH is frequency multiplexed with a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and comprises: at least one narrowband PRACH slot having a narrowband PRACH slot duration; and a narrowband PRACH period.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting subcarriers to be used for sub-Physical Resource Block (PRB) transmission and, in some embodiments, for mapping Demodulation Reference Signals (DMRS) to resources on the selected subcarriers are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a radio node for providing sub-PRB transmission comprises selecting two adjacent subcarriers from a set of three allocated subcarriers that are allocated for a sub-PRB transmission that uses Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) Pi/2 Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation using only two adjacent subcarriers out of the set of three allocated subcarriers with Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) spread length of 2. In some embodiments, the selection is such that the selected adjacent subcarriers varies, e.g., from one cell to another. In doing so, interference is distributed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for control resource set (CORESET) enhancements that are particularly beneficial for reduced bandwidth wireless communication devices. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system comprises receiving, from a network node, information that configures a CORESET for the wireless communication device, the CORESET comprising four or more symbols in the time domain. The method further comprises receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission from the network node within a search space that comprises at least a subset of time-frequency resources within the CORESET. In this manner, the CORESET is enhanced in a way that is particularly beneficial for reduced bandwidth wireless communication devices. Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method performed by a network node comprises transmitting a transmission of system information. The transmission comprises coded bins obtained by reading from a circular buffer. The transmission is transmitted in a first set of subframes corresponding to subframes #4 of a plurality of radio frames. The method further comprises transmitting an additional transmission of the system information. The additional transmission comprises additional coded bits obtained by continuing reading from the circular buffer. The additional transmission is transmitted in a second set of subframes corresponding to subframes of the plurality of radio frames other than subframes #4.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for communicating to a wireless device (WD) a DL-to-UL frequency offset (or frequency shift) that may need to be applied. For example, a method implemented in a wireless device (WD) is provided. The method comprises: receiving, from the network node, an indication of a frequency offset; and applying the received frequency offset; wherein the WD is configured to operate on a narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) carrier in a New Radio (NR) carrier.