Abstract: Rate-less multiple access schemes for wireless networks uses physical layer, rate-less codes to enable grant-free, contention-based, random access and grant-based, contention-free, non-orthogonal multiple access in uplink or downlink channels.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to enable a cooperating group of user equipments (UEs) to receive a group-specific common-parameters configuration (CPC) message over a first spectrum band and access a second spectrum band synchronously for device-to-device (D2D) sidelink transmission within the group. In an embodiment, a UE operating in a cooperation mode in a cooperating group of UEs receives a group-specific common-parameters configuration (CPC) message from a transmit point (TP) over a first spectrum band, the group-specific CPC message comprising information to configure cooperating UEs in the group for synchronous clear channel assessment (CCA) and aligned sidelink transmission starting times in a second spectrum band. The UE performs a synchronous CCA in the second spectrum band in accordance with a common contention window generated based on the information in the group-specific CPC message.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided to support network communications with groups of UEs. The embodiments include a two-level group-based hybrid-automatic repeat request (HARQ) mechanism and acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (NACK) feedback. An embodiment method includes receiving, at a UE within a virtual multi-point (ViMP) comprising UEs, a data packet for a target UE (TUE) that is broadcasted from a base station (BS) to the ViMP node, decode the data packet, and upon successfully decoding the data packet, broadcasting the data packet to the UEs within the ViMP node until a timer pre-established by the BS expires or an ACK message is received from the TUE or the ViMP node. In an embodiment, broadcasted data received in the ViMP node is re-broadcasted upon receiving a negative acknowledgment (NACK) message from the TUE, a beacon UE, or any of the UEs within the ViMP node.

Abstract: A network may have data to send to a target UE in a D2D group. It is desired to use the D2D group to help facilitate the downlink transmission of the data to the target UE. In one embodiment, control information in a downlink control channel is masked with a D2D group ID. UEs in the D2D group use the group ID to unmask the control information. The control information is used to locate and decode data in the downlink data channel that is meant for the target UE. Other UEs in the D2D group may forward the decoded data (or a re-encoded version of the decoded data or other information) to the target UE over a D2D channel.

Abstract: In a wireless (e.g., machine-to-machine) network, items of user equipment compete for wireless communication resource slots (“resources”). In a contention period, an item of user equipment (a UE) sends a first signal to a base station using a first resource. The first resource is mapped to a second resource in a data transmission period. If the base station successfully receives the first signal, it sends a second signal to the UE to confirm that the UE has been awarded the second resource and can transmit data in the data transmission period.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are disclosed to enable the use of unlicensed wireless channels by nodes and devices in a network, such as a mobile or cellular communications network, which primarily operates over licensed wireless channels. A selected channel, or selected channel and node pair for serving a user device are determined based on a combined metric of a signal quality level and a target time share parameter. The time share parameter represents the estimated data rate available for each potential channel, or channel and node pair, in light of the requirement to share the unlicensed wireless channel resources with other equipment. The signal quality level represents an estimated signal quality at the user device for each channel and node based on factors including residual interference from other communications signals transmitted over the unlicensed channels.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided to achieve efficient Direct Mobile Communications (DMC) and device-to-device (D2D) communications for terminal based groups with improved spectrum efficiency, reduced interference, and virtual full duplex operation mode. The embodiments include a distributed mechanism for D2D communications that enables one or more cooperating UEs (CUEs) to help one or more target UEs (TUEs) with limited additional signaling overhead and relatively simple implementation. The mechanism comprises a grantless multi-dimensional multiplexing scheme that uses low density spreading (LDS) over time, frequency, and/or space domains to enable data forwarding between multiple half-duplex terminals or UEs while allowing the UEs to operate in virtual full-duplex mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for establishing a device-to-device (D2D) group amongst a plurality of user equipments (UEs). In one embodiment a target UE transmits, using D2D communication, a request message inviting at least one other UE to be part of a D2D group with the target UE. A neighbor UE receives the request message and transmits a report message indicating that the neighbor UE will be part of the D2D group with the target UE. A base station receives the report message and transmits to the target UE and to the neighbor UE a confirmation message indicating that the neighbor UE is in the D2D group with the target UE.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a device in a wireless communication network including a plurality of user equipment UEs and a BS, including a first device generating a signaling message defining resource elements (REs) as an encoded time slot (TS) and subcarrier pairing. A subset of the REs is encoded, such as to create a discovery signal configured to enable discovery of the first UE by a second UE or the BS. The UE is configured to engage in device-to-device communications, including device centric UEs operable in 5G networks.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided to achieve efficient Direct Mobile Communications (DMC) and device-to-device (D2D) communications for terminal based groups with improved spectrum efficiency, reduced interference, and virtual full duplex operation mode. The embodiments include a distributed mechanism for D2D communications that enables one or more cooperating UEs (CUEs) to help one or more target UEs (TUEs) with limited additional signaling overhead and relatively simple implementation. The mechanism comprises a grantless multi-dimensional multiplexing scheme that uses low density spreading (LDS) over time, frequency, and/or space domains to enable data forwarding between multiple half-duplex terminals or UEs while allowing the UEs to operate in virtual full-duplex mode.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to enable a cluster of user equipments (UEs) to receive a multicast signal over a first spectrum band and access a second spectrum band as a single virtual entity for device-to-device (D2D) mutual broadcast within the cluster. In an embodiment, a first UE in a cluster receives a multicast signal from a wireless network over the first spectrum band, the multicast signal including downlink information targeted to a second UE in the cluster. The first UE performs in a contention procedure for a transmission opportunity (TXOP) in the second spectrum band in accordance with group listen-before-talk (LBT) parameters configured for the cluster. If the contention procedure has acquired a TXOP in the second spectrum band for the cluster, the first UE sends at least a portion of the downlink information to the second UE over the second spectrum band during the TXOP.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for establishing a device-to-device (D2D) group amongst a plurality of user equipments (UEs). In one embodiment a target UE transmits, using D2D communication, a request message inviting at least one other UE to be part of a D2D group with the target UE. A neighbour UE receives the request message and transmits a report message indicating that the neighbour UE will be part of the D2D group with the target UE. A base station receives the report message and transmits to the target UE and to the neighbour UE a confirmation message indicating that the neighbour UE is in the D2D group with the target UE.

Abstract: Rate-less multiple access schemes for wireless networks uses physical layer, rate-less codes to enable grant-free, contention-based, random access and grant-based, contention-free, non-orthogonal multiple access in uplink or downlink channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for handling uplink data traversing a backhaul in a Radio Access Network (RAN). Uplink data received at access nodes of the RAN is processed by processing functions separate from the access nodes. The processing functions provide processed data for use, by further nodes, in decoding of the information transmitted from client devices. Processing can include one or more of: regenerating uplink signals, requantizing signals, and selecting a portion of received data to forward. A scheduler which controls various access nodes and processing functions concurrently with issuance of uplink grants is also provided.

Abstract: Virtualized group-wise communications between a wireless network and a plurality of user equipments (UEs) are supported using UE cooperation. UE cooperation includes receiving, at a cooperating UE (CUE), downlink information from the wireless network destined for a target UE (TUE) and associated with a group identifier (ID). The group ID indicates a virtual multi-point (ViMP) node that includes the TUE and the CUE. The UE cooperation also includes sending the downlink information to the TUE. The UE or UE component can have a processor configured to forward between the wireless network and a TUE at least some information that is associated with a group ID indicating a ViMP node that groups the TUE and the UE.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for encoding and transmitting video or multimedia content in wireless communications networks. The methods include encoding a block of input symbols using upper layer rateless forward error correction (FEC) codes to generate a plurality of encoded packets. The rateless FEC codes may be layer-aware or may incorporate unequal error protection (UEP). The input symbols represent one or more layers of scalable encoded video or multimedia content. Each of the plurality of encoded packets is transmitted over a selected one of a plurality of wireless channels. The wireless channel is selected based on an importance level of the input symbols in the encoded packet exceeding a threshold. The threshold may vary dynamically based on conditions in the networks.

Abstract: Virtualized group-wise communications between a wireless network and a plurality of user equipments (UEs) are supported using UE cooperation. UE cooperation includes receiving, at a cooperating UE (CUE), downlink information from the wireless network destined for a target UE (TUE) and associated with a group identifier (ID). The group ID indicates a virtual multi-point (ViMP) node that includes the TUE and the CUE. The UE cooperation also includes sending the downlink information to the TUE. The UE or UE component can have a processor configured to forward between the wireless network and a TUE at least some information that is associated with a group ID indicating a ViMP node that groups the TUE and the UE.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are disclosed to enable the use of unlicensed wireless channels by nodes and devices in a network, such as a mobile or cellular communications network, which primarily operates over licensed wireless channels. A selected channel, or selected channel and node pair for serving a user device are determined based on a combined metric of a signal quality level and a target time share parameter. The time share parameter represents the estimated data rate available for each potential channel, or channel and node pair, in light of the requirement to share the unlicensed wireless channel resources with other equipment. The signal quality level represents an estimated signal quality at the user device for each channel and node based on factors including residual interference from other communications signals transmitted over the unlicensed channels.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing access of a communication resource in a licensed assisted access (LAA) network. Each transmission point (TP) of a plurality of TPs provides a first set of information indicative of expected usage of a first communication resource by each TP. Information is transmitted to the TPs to cause each TP to align usage or reservation of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to a first radio access cluster (RAC) to which the given TP belongs, the first RAC being one in a first set of one or more RACs, wherein each of the plurality of TPs belongs to a respective RAC in the first set of RACs and each RAC in the first set of RACs contains one or more TPs.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure provide techniques for computing Vandermonde-subspace frequency division multiplexing (VFDM) precoders for secondary network transmissions that mitigate interference between secondary communication signals, while avoiding interference with the primary system altogether. A precoder for a secondary user (SU) is computed on accordance with a nullspace induced by cyclic prefixes communicated over a primary data channel, a primary interference channel between a second user (SU) and the primary receiver, and a secondary interference channel between the SU and a neighboring SBS. The precoder provides both frequency domain precoding and spatial domain precoding on secondary transmission signals communicated from the SU.