Abstract: A method of wireless communication via a first and a second communication channel in a frequency band shared between a first and second radio access technology comprising: a radio network access node distributing data packets for transmission via the first or the second communication channel, the radio network access node transmitting data packets via the first communication channel according to the first radio access technology in said shared frequency band, the radio network access node transmitting data packets via the second communication channel according to the second radio access technology in said shared frequency band, wherein the second radio access technology differs from the first radio access technology.

Abstract: According to one configuration, a system includes a mobile communication device operated in a network environment. The mobile communication device can be one of multiple mobile communication devices in the network environment. To request establishing a wireless link, the mobile communication device receives a notification of an allocation of wireless channel resources. Via the allocated wireless channel resources, over a shared access channel, the first mobile communication device communicates a wireless connection request to a wireless base station. In one example configuration, the wireless request communicated over the allocated wireless channels includes: i) a first wireless communication including a preamble (such as PRACH message), and ii) a second wireless communication (such as a PUSCH message) including information for establishing a wireless communication link.

Abstract: According to one configuration, a system includes a mobile communication device in communication with a wireless base station. During operation, the mobile communication device detects one or more conditions associated with the wireless network environment. Based on the one or more detected conditions, the mobile communication device selects amongst multiple channel access procedures to communicate with the wireless base station and establish a wireless communication link. The mobile communication device can be configured to include supplemental data in a message to the wireless base station to indicate a reason for the mobile communication device selecting a particular channel access procedure of the multiple channel access procedures.

Abstract: A method performed by a first communication device is described herein for sending an indication to a second communication device. The first communication device determines an indication of a subframe type. The subframe type is of a subframe sent on a carrier by a cell associated with the first communication device and a second communication device. The subframe type is one of punctured and normal. The first communication device sends the indication to the second communication device, the indication being as determined by the first communication device.

Abstract: A first communications device including a transmitter, such as a base station or UE, identifies a first packet flow for which end to end packet retransmission is supported. The first communications device assigns said first packet flow to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process which does not require generation of acknowledgements (ACKs) or negative acknowledgements (NAKs) from a device receiving data corresponding to said first packet flow; and transmits data corresponding to said first packet flow to a second communications device. In some embodiments, the HARQ process to which the first packet flow is assigned is a dedicated HARQ suppression process. In some embodiments, the HARQ process to which the first packet flow is assigned is a HARQ process which has been temporarily designated as a HARQ suppression process. HARQ suppression is applied for the first packet flow at a radio link layer and/or MAC layer.

Abstract: A base station schedules a user equipment (UE) for uplink air link resources, e.g., unlicensed spectrum PUSCH resources, corresponding to one or more slots and, in some embodiments, at least one mini-slot. There may be, and sometimes are gaps between two scheduled slots and/or between a scheduled slot and a scheduled mini-slot. Different uplink air link resources corresponding to a schedule slot or mini-slot may, and sometimes do, use different set of frequencies. The base station generates and sends to the UE a single UL grant which grants uplink air link resources corresponding to the composite of resource allocations corresponding to the one or more slots and, in some embodiments, at least one mini-slot. The single UL grant may, and sometimes does, communicates gap information and frequency information.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method for use in a user equipment (UE) of transmitting uplink data in unlicensed spectrum comprises receiving, from a network node, an uplink grant comprising an indication of one or more subframes to use for transmitting uplink data. Each subframe comprises a plurality of symbols. The method further comprises obtaining an indication of a listen-before-talk (LBT) type. The LBT type indicates a type of LBT procedure that the UE should perform before transmitting uplink data. The method further comprises determining, using the obtained LBT type, at least one of a starting symbol and a stopping symbol for transmitting uplink data, and transmitting uplink data according to at least one of the determined starting symbol and the determined stopping symbol.

Abstract: A contending radio node is configured for attempting contention-based random access. The contending radio node obtains a timing advance sequence that is susceptible to contention. The contending radio node transmits, using the same transmission advancement timing, the timing advance sequence and a contention-resolving identity to a recipient radio node. Responsive to that transmission, the contending radio node receives a response signal that indicates a contention-resolving identity and a timing advance. The contending radio node resolves any contention in its favor when the contention-resolving identity indicated by the response signal corresponds to the contention-resolving identity that the contending radio node transmitted. The contending radio node, responsive to resolving the contention in its favor, adjusts its transmission advancement timing according to the timing advance indicated by the response signal.

Abstract: A base station generates, e.g., based on current UE and current system information, a UE specific paging priority list for an idle or inactive mode UE identifying a set of (small cell base) stations which are to be used to subsequently page the UE. The base station communicates the paging priority list to the UE in a radio resource control release message. In some embodiments, the release message further conveys information indicating a maximum paging monitoring duration and/or a maximum number of paging cells to be monitored. The UE receives the release message and transitions into idle or inactive mode. The UE uses the communicated information to perform efficient paging, identifying which small cells are potential sources of a paging signal, and determine how long to monitor for a paging signal.

Abstract: An example method described herein includes obtaining a private identifier for a private radio access network (RAN). The private identifier may be used by a user equipment (UE) to access the private RAN. The method may include deploying network functions to one or more devices of a private network platform. The network functions may be associated with one or more radio access technologies (RATs). The method may include configuring the private network platform to host the network functions to provide a private multi-access edge computing (MEC) environment. The private MEC environment may be configured to host one or more MEC applications. The method may include configuring a communication interface between the private RAN and the private MEC environment to enable the UE to access, via the private RAN, the private MEC environment and performing an action associated with the private MEC environment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to HARQ feedback, e.g. delayed HARQ ACK/NACK, and uplink control information (UCI) multiplexing, in unlicensed spectrum are described. A base station transmits an UCI request to a UE, including: a request for ACK/NACK feedback corresponding to a set of HARQ identified processes, a request for channel state information report, and/or a scheduling request. The UCI request includes information which is used, by the UE, in determining the time and air link resources on which to send the UCI. The HARQ processes are communicated in a first Channel Occupancy Time (COT), while the ACK/NACK feedback is communicated in a later COT.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting transmission bursts in unlicensed spectrum are described. Different sets of sub-bands within a downlink bandwidth portion of unlicensed spectrum can be, and sometimes are, occupied during different DL transmission bursts depending on channel availability. A user device is configured with channel usage information, e.g. N bitmaps, each bitmap indicating a different control channel resource allocation that may be used for communication with the UE, and/or reference signal information. The UE determines the occupied sub-bands in a DL transmission burst over the bandwidth portion, and determines control channel resource information based on the determined occupied sub-channels. The UE determines CSI-RS measurement locations based on determined sub-band occupancy. In some embodiments, the UE performs in-sync and out-of-sync evaluations based BLER threshold scaling factors, which are based on sub-band occupancy.

Abstract: A method in a wireless device for performing an uplink transmission to a base station in a wireless access system, wherein the wireless access system comprises one or more mini-slot configurations, the method comprising performing a clear channel assessment for identifying a transmission opportunity and determining the start of a mini-slots. The wireless device performing an uplink transmission within the determined mini-slot wherein the transmission is performed according to a predetermined configuration for mini-slot communication between the base station and the wireless device, such that the base station can identify the start of the uplink transmission.

Abstract: A radio device (10) controls a first uplink radio transmission on a first carrier (33) from an unlicensed frequency spectrum on the basis of a first access scheme. Further, the radio device (10) controls a second uplink radio transmission on a second carrier (34) from the unlicensed frequency spectrum. The latter is accomplished on the basis of a second access scheme which is different from the first access scheme. Further, the radio device (10) coordinates the first uplink radio transmission and the second uplink radio transmission.

Abstract: According to one configuration, a system includes user equipment in communication with a wireless base station. The user equipment receives a notification from a first wireless access point of multiple wireless access points. The notification indicates a set of candidate wireless access points in the wireless network environment in which to selectively perform a handoff from a first wireless access point. The user equipment monitors for occurrence of a trigger condition. In response to detecting a trigger condition, the user equipment identifies (such as selects) a second wireless access point (from the set of candidate wireless access points) in which to perform the handoff. Via communications from the user equipment to the second wireless access point, the user equipment initiates the handoff. The user equipment notifies the first wireless access point of the attempted and/or failed attempt of the handoff to the second wireless access point.

Abstract: An Authorized Shared Access (ASA) controller to provide parameter coordination for base stations and wireless devices operating on shared or adjacent channels and method of operation of same are provided. A method of operation of an ASA controller comprises configuring one or more parameters used by at least one base station and/or wireless device operating on shared or adjacent channels. The one or more parameters comprise: a parameter related to timing of Downlink (DL) or Uplink (UL) transmissions by base stations and/or wireless devices; a parameter related to carrier aggregation; a parameter related to DL and/or UL transmissions within base stations sharing the same or adjacent frequency channels; a parameter related to different DL and/or UL reference signal parameters for different base stations; a random access channel parameter; and/or a parameter related to configuring System Information Block (SIB) and Master Information Block (MIB) parameters for adjacent base stations.

Abstract: A first communications device including a transmitter, such as a base station or UE, identifies a first packet flow for which end to end packet retransmission is supported. The first communications device assigns said first packet flow to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process which does not require generation of acknowledgements (ACKs) or negative acknowledgements (NAKs) from a device receiving data corresponding to said first packet flow; and transmits data corresponding to said first packet flow to a second communications device. In some embodiments, the HARQ process to which the first packet flow is assigned is a dedicated HARQ suppression process. In some embodiments, the HARQ process to which the first packet flow is assigned is a HARQ process which has been temporarily designated as a HARQ suppression process. HARQ suppression is applied for the first packet flow at a radio link layer and/or MAC layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to transmit power control are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a radio access node for providing transmit power control commands to a wireless device for uplink (UL) transmission on a cell that operates in an unlicensed frequency spectrum is provided. The method comprises indicating, for the cell that operates in the unlicensed frequency spectrum, a dynamic Transmit Power Control (TPC) command using a downlink (DL) control channel which indicates a DL-UL allocation of upcoming subframes in the cell that operates in the unlicensed frequency spectrum. In some embodiments, the DL control channel is a common DL control channel. In some other embodiments, the DL channel is a common Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Abstract: A base station schedules a user equipment (UE) for uplink air link resources, e.g., unlicensed spectrum PUSCH resources, corresponding to one or more slots and, in some embodiments, at least one mini-slot. There may be, and sometimes are gaps between two scheduled slots and/or between a scheduled slot and a scheduled mini-slot. Different uplink air link resources corresponding to a schedule slot or mini-slot may, and sometimes do, use different set of frequencies. The base station generates and sends to the UE a single UL grant which grants uplink air link resources corresponding to the composite of resource allocations corresponding to the one or more slots and, in some embodiments, at least one mini-slot. The single UL grant may, and sometimes does, communicates gap information and frequency information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficient paging in a communications system using unlicensed spectrum are described. A base station, which uses unlicensed spectrum, receives a paging request message from a network node and performs paging operations attempting to page the UE. The paging attempt may fail due to the base station being unable to transmit a paging signal to the UE because the unlicensed spectrum is currently unavailable or because the UE did not respond to a transmitted page. The base station generates and transmits a paging failure response message including a failure cause code indicating the reason that the paging attempt failed. The network node receives the paging failure response message, recovers the failure cause code, and implements a paging escalation strategy as a function of the recovered failure cause code.