Abstract: A method, in a network node, for managing a wireless device is disclosed. The method comprises conducting spectrum opportunity detection within a spectrum band and indicating a result of the spectrum opportunity detection to the wireless device. For the purposes of the method, a spectrum opportunity comprises a channel within the spectrum band which is at least temporarily available for use by the wireless device. Also disclosed is a method in a wireless device in a network. The method comprises detecting an indication of a result of spectrum opportunity detection conducted by a network node within a spectrum band and if the indication indicates a detected spectrum opportunity, conducting one of a transmission or reception operation on the detected spectrum opportunity. Also disclosed are a computer program product for carrying out the above methods, a network node and a wireless device.

Abstract: A wireless device 108 and a method therein for access control in a communications network 100. The wireless device and a Radio Network Node (RNN) 106 operate in the communications network. The wireless device receives a Master Information Block (MIB) from the RNN. Further, the wireless device determines whether or not access barring is active by checking an access barring indication in the received MIB.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method of operating a terminal device in a communication network, the network defining an extended period that comprises a plurality of predefined periods, each predefined period corresponding to the time taken to transmit a predefined plurality of frames, the method comprising receiving information blocks, IBs, broadcast by a network node in the communication network, each IB indicating a value for a relative shift indication for the predefined period in which the IB is broadcast; comparing the value for the relative shift indication for a current predefined period to a value for the relative shift indication for a predefined period preceding the current predefined period; and determining whether the current predefined period is a particular one of the predefined periods in the extended period based on the result of the comparison.

Abstract: A way to support a handover of a wireless device from a serving cell being served by a serving base station to a candidate cell being served by a candidate base station is disclosed. A network node determines a respective value of one or more parameters for affecting a range for soft handover. The range of soft handover is applied by the wireless device to determine if the candidate cell is a subject for soft handover. At least one respective value of the one or more parameters is determined based on output power of a transmitter of the serving base station for serving the serving cell and/or of a transmitter of the candidate base station for serving the candidate cell. The network node provides a sending of the respective value of the one or more parameters to the wireless device.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for coordinating a wireless data exchange between communication entities (10) and base transceiver stations (100-104) in at least one cellular network.

Abstract: A method in a wireless communication device for handling an extended paging cycle. The extended paging cycle is used for receiving a paging message from a core network node. The extended paging cycle is longer than a frame number range of the wireless communications network. The wireless communication device obtains a parameter related to a length of the extended paging cycle. The wireless communication device obtains an information about when the wireless communication device has entered an idle mode. The wireless communication device determines a time period when the wireless communication device is to monitor for the paging message. The determining is based on the parameter related to the length of the extended paging cycle and based on the information about when the wireless communication device has entered the idle mode.

Abstract: Method performed by a network node (110) for keeping wireless devices (140) served by the network node (110) in active mode. Each of the wireless devices has a value for a first condition. The network node (110) determines whether each of the wireless devices has the value for the first condition among a number of highest values for the first condition. The first condition is associated with a need to be in active mode. The number of highest values for the first condition corresponds to a maximum amount of wireless devices allowed to be in the active mode simultaneously. The network node (110) updates a register, so that the wireless devices (140) in the register have the highest values for the first condition, according to the maximum amount. The network node (110) keeps the wireless devices (140) in the updated register in active mode.

Abstract: A network node (200), a wireless device (202) and methods therein, for decoding of contention based uplink transmissions of data in a cell served by the network node. The network node (200) registers the wireless device (202) for contention based uplink transmissions of data on a radio resource reserved for contention based uplink transmissions of data, e.g. when receiving a registration request sent from the wireless device, such that the wireless device (202) is included in a set (200a) of wireless devices being registered for contention based uplink transmissions of data on the radio resource in the cell. The network node (200) then performs blind decoding of uplink signals transmitted on the radio resource by considering the wireless devices in the set. In this way, the decoding is made more efficient by disregarding any other wireless devices in the cell which are not registered for contention based uplink transmissions of data on the radio resource in the cell.

Abstract: According to one aspect, there is provided a method of operating a network node in a communication network with the communication network comprising at least one mobile device that is operating in a discontinuous reception, DRX, mode with a DRX cycle length that is longer than a modification period in the network. In the method, when an update to system information is to occur in an updated information modification period, the modification period immediately preceding the updated information modification period comprising a change notification modification period, a paging message is transmitted to the mobile device during a modification period other than the change notification modification period and the updated information modification period, the paging message informing the mobile device that an update to system information is to occur in the updated information modification period.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a communication device and method therein for enabling a relay in a radio communications network. First, the communication device transmits a request for a relay device to serve as a relay for communication device. Then, the communication device receives an acknowledgement message from a relay device indicating that the relay device is to serve as a relay between the communication device and a network node (110) in the radio communications network. Embodiments herein further relate to a relay device, a network node and methods therein for enabling a relay in a radio communications network.

Abstract: A user equipment is configured for use in a wireless communication system. The user equipment in particular is configured to receive from a base station one or more configuration messages that indicate a pattern of downlink transmission gaps in time. The user equipment is further configured to receive from the base station a scheduled downlink transmission that comprises a downlink data block and one or more repetitions of the downlink data block. The scheduled downlink transmission is received with downlink transmission gaps therein according to the indicated pattern. Alternatively or additionally, the user equipment is configured to transmit a scheduled uplink transmission that comprises an uplink data block and one or more repetitions of the uplink data block. In this case, the scheduled uplink transmission is transmitted with uplink transmission gaps therein according to an uplink transmission gap pattern that specifies a pattern of uplink transmission gaps in time.

Abstract: A method, in a network node, for managing a wireless device is disclosed. The method comprises conducting spectrum opportunity detection within a spectrum band and indicating a result of the spectrum opportunity detection to the wireless device. For the purposes of the method, a spectrum opportunity comprises a channel within the spectrum band which is at least temporarily available for use by the wireless device. Also disclosed is a method in a wireless device in a network. The method comprises detecting an indication of a result of spectrum opportunity detection conducted by a network node within a spectrum band and if the indication indicates a detected spectrum opportunity, conducting one of a transmission or reception operation on the detected spectrum opportunity. Also disclosed are a computer program product for carrying out the above methods, a network node and a wireless device.

Abstract: There is provided a method for determining an offset to be used to extend the range of a first base station in a mobile communication network, the method comprising determining one or more characteristics of a mobile device; and determining offset to be used to extend the range of the first base station from the one or more characteristics.

Abstract: A method in a wireless network node for handling the configuration of bundle sizes in communications involving the transmission and/or reception of more than one bundle in a transmission and/or reception attempt, comprises the step of initiating the use of a first bundle size for communicating with a wireless device during an initial transmission and/or an initial reception, the first bundle size comprising a first number of repetitions. The method comprises initiating the use of at least a second bundle size for communicating with the wireless device during at least one retransmission and/or subsequent reception associated, respectively, with the initial transmission and/or initial reception, wherein the at least second bundle size comprises a smaller number of repetitions compared to the first bundle size.

Abstract: There is provided a method performed by a wireless device for supporting transmission to a network node in a wireless communication network according to an embodiment. The method is adapted for a wireless network based on LTE, wherein the wireless device is allowed to transmit on a set of Resource Elements, REs, allocated for transmission to the network node. The method comprises the step (S1) of determining at least one transport format control parameter for at least a first part of the set of REs allocated for transmission. The method further comprises the step (S2) of transmitting, to the network node, an indication representing the at least one determined transport format control parameter on at least a second part of the set of REs allocated for transmission to notify the network node of the determined transport format control parameter(s).

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for reducing power consumption and/or decreasing latency for a wireless device in a wireless communications system. In particular, the systems and methods disclosed herein are particularly beneficial for Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices, but are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a node of a wireless communications system comprises determining a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) that is optimized for MTC for one of an uplink from a MTC device to a base station and a downlink from the base station to the MTC device, and using the MCS with respect to the one of the uplink from the MTC device to the base station and the downlink from the base station to the MTC device. By optimizing the MCS, power consumption by the MTC device and/or latency can be reduced.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating a first base station in a mobile communications network, the network comprising a mobile device, a second base station and a node that controls the first and second base stations, the mobile device having an active connection with the second base station, the mobile device not having an active connection with the first base station, the method comprising receiving a data transmission sent from the mobile device to the second base station; attempting to decode the data transmission; and in the event that the data transmission is successfully decoded, transmitting the decoded data to the node or the second base station. Methods of operating second base stations and nodes that control the operation of the first and second base stations are also provided.

Abstract: According to one aspect, there is provided a method of operating a network node (10) in a communication network (2) to provide timing information for a mobile device (12), the network (2) defining an extended period that is longer than a predefined period in the network (2), the predefined period in the network (2) corresponding to the time taken to transmit a predefined plurality of frames, the method comprising broadcasting (101) a plurality of information blocks, IBs, to the mobile device (12), each IB indicating a current frame number in the predefined plurality of frames and a time reference bit, the time reference bit indicating whether the current predefined period is a particular one of a number of predefined periods in the extended period.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method in a wireless device of a wireless communication network comprises receiving scheduling information for one or more System Information (SI) messages. The wireless device determines a coverage enhancement level associated with each of the one or more SI messages based on the received scheduling information. The wireless device also determines a coverage enhancement level of the wireless device. After identifying a subset of the one or more SI messages based on the determined coverage enhancement level of the wireless device, the wireless device acquires a SI message from the identified subset of the one or more SI messages.

Abstract: A radio network controller, RNC, 614, and a method therein, for enhancing reception quality of transmissions on an uplink control channel from a user equipment, UE, 613 to a serving base station, BS, 610. The RNC, the UE and the serving BS are comprised in a communication system 600. The method comprises, when conditions for boosting the uplink control channel are fulfilled, determining a boosting factor based on a ratio of path gains of a channel from the UE to the serving BS and of a channel from the UE to a non-serving BS 611, respectively, which non-serving BS is comprised in the communications system. The method further comprises transmitting the determined boosting factor to the UE, whereby the reception quality of transmission on the uplink control channel from the UE to the serving BS is enhanced by the UE boosting the control channel by means of the boosting factor.