Abstract: Random Access (RA) formats are defined for NB-IoT operation in TDD mode. The formats are defined to allow use of the legacy LTE subframe configurations for TDD. The formats specify a predetermined, even number P of symbol groups composing a RA preamble, wherein each symbol group comprises a Cyclic Prefix (CP) and a number X of symbols. The P symbol groups are divided into symbol group sets fitting into 1, or 2, or 3 contiguous uplink subframes, each comprising at least two symbol groups transmitted back-to-back (i.e., contiguously in time), and at least two symbol group sets are transmitted non-contiguously in time across a number of uplink subframes over which the RA preamble is transmitted. The number of symbol groups in a set can be two or three, and the number of symbol groups is four or six, respectively. Symbol groups within a set are transmitted on adjacent uplink subframes. Five format options are defined, which map to various of the LTE TDD configurations.

Abstract: Enabling a UE to determine whether the UE can skip the acquisition of SIB1-BR. An indication (e.g., a one bit flag) in the MIB is provided, which indication is set to a particular value if the UE needs to read SIB1-BR, otherwise the indication is set to a different value indicating that the UE can skip reading SIB1-BR assuming other conditions are met (e.g., assuming that the UE has previously read SIB1-BR within a MIB indication time period).

Abstract: A method for allocating a resource grant at a network node comprises receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a preamble message; providing, to the UE, at least two uplink resource grants in a system information message, wherein the at least two uplink resource grants have different sizes and are overlapping; and receiving, from the UE, a transmission via a first uplink resource grant selected from the at least two uplink resource grants. The method provides multiple and flexible grants for the UE to select a corresponding grant to perform an uplink transmission.

Abstract: A UE operating in a wireless network receives a paging message from the wireless network and performs a random access procedure in response to the paging message, where performing the random access procedure includes sending an indication of whether the UE will transmit a reply to an early data transmission from the wireless network to the UE. The network receives, as part of a random access procedure performed by the UE in response to the paging message, an indication of whether the UE will transmit a reply to an early data transmission from the wireless network to the UE.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method includes determining that at least one condition is met while a wireless device is in a power saving mode (PSM) and no non-access stratum (NAS) connection is established. In response to determining that the at least one condition is met and while no NAS connection is established, a timer is set to an initial value and restarted with the initial value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining timing advance (TA) validity are disclosed. In some embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed herein in which a wireless device implicitly considers a TA to be valid in a full cell when no TA validation mechanisms are explicitly configured. In other embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed herein in which a timer serves a dual purpose. If the timer is set to infinity, a wireless device will always consider a TA to be valid within a given cell, and at the same time will disable other TA validation mechanisms. Otherwise, the wireless device will interpret the timer as indicating for how long the TA value that the wireless device possesses is considered to be valid. Benefits of the solutions described herein include reducing signaling bits in the configuration and avoiding the possibility of conflicting configurations.

Abstract: A technique for transmitting and receiving data from a node of a radio access network, RAN, to a radio device is described. The radio device is configured for discontinuous reception, DRX, according to a DRX configuration. As to a method aspect of the technique, it is determined whether data is available for transmission to the radio device. A power saving signal is selectively transmitted to the radio device depending on the DRX configuration. If the data is available, at least one of the data and a scheduling assignment for the transmission of the data is transmitted to the radio device on a radio resource according to the DRX configuration.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for synchronizing one or more radio devices with a radio access node. A method of providing synchronization with a radio access node for radio communication to one or more radio devices is disclosed. The method comprises or triggers transmitting a configuration message to at least one of the radio devices, where the configuration message is indicative of a synchronization signal configuration for a configurable synchronization signal. The method further comprises or triggers transmitting the configurable synchronization signal to the at least one radio device in accordance with the synchronization signal configuration and communicating one or more decodable signals between the radio access node and the at least one radio device using radio resources in accordance with the configurable synchronization signal. A corresponding method of synchronizing the radio device with the radio access node for radio communication is disclosed.

Abstract: A technique for wirelessly charging a wireless device using a charging beam transmitted by a base station in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A method implementation of the technique is performed by the base station and comprises receiving (S208), from the wireless device, feedback on charging quality observed by the wireless device, and adjusting (S212) the charging beam based on the feedback received from the wireless device.

Abstract: A method is performed by a wireless device for performing a random access. In response to a received paging transmission, and when certain conditions are met, the wireless device randomly selects a random access resource from a plurality of available random access resources. The available random access resources may be spread in time, or in frequency, or in time and frequency. The wireless device then transmits a random access signal on the selected random access resource.

Abstract: Systems and methods for handling transmissions and retransmissions on a periodic preconfigured uplink resource (PUR) are provided. Respective resources for transmission and retransmission can be determined and configured for a wireless device to prevent blocking of a new data transmission on a PUR opportunity by a retransmission attempt. Responsive to determining that a first transmission on the PUR was unsuccessful, a second resource can be configured for the retransmission.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a receiver arranged to receive radio signals from a radio access network node of the cellular communication system, and a signal detector arranged to detect a first signal and a second signal among the signals received from the access network node. The first signal includes a network synchronisation signal having information about synchronisation and an identification of a cell associated with the access network node. The second signal includes a notification. A controller causes the signal detector to detect a notification of a first type when the received identification of the cell is equal to a previous reception of an identification of a cell at a last interaction between the wireless communication device and the cellular communication system or detect a notification of a second type when the received identification of the cell differs from the previous reception of the identification of the cell at the last interaction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein that relate to determining Timing Advance (TA) value validity in a cellular communications system. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises measuring a reference time of arrival (TOA) value for a reference base station (BS) for a time T0 at which the wireless device has a valid timing advance, TA(T0), value, measuring TOA values for a set of other BSs for T0, and computing and storing time difference of arrival, TDOAX(T0), values for the other BSs for T0. The method further comprises measuring a reference TOA value for the reference BS for a time T1, measuring TOA values for the other BSs for T1, and computing time difference of arrival, TDOAX(T1), values for the other BSs for T1. The method further comprises determining whether the TA(T0) value is valid at T1 based on the TDOAX(T0) and TDOAX(T1) values.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for use in a wireless device is provided. The method comprises waking up from a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode in a cell. The method further comprises determining whether the cell is the same as a previous cell of the wireless device. In response to determining that the cell is not the same as the previous cell, the method further comprises determining whether the wireless device missed a wake-up signal opportunity in the cell. The method further comprises monitoring each of the paging occasions associated with the wake-up signal opportunity if the cell is not the same as the previous cell and the wake-up signal opportunity was missed.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods for a user equipment (UE) to receive downlink user data from a wireless network. Such methods include receiving, from a network node in the wireless network, a paging message indicating that downlink user data is available for the UE, and transmitting a random-access (RA) preamble to the network node. Such methods include receiving, from the network node, a response to the RA preamble, the response including a timing advance (TA) command for timing alignment of a subsequent transmission by the UE, and either the downlink user data or scheduling information pertaining to the downlink user data. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a network node, as well as UEs and network nodes configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for determining which 5 of a plurality of subframes are repetition subframes, wherein repetition subframes are subframes scheduled for use by abase station to transmit a repetition of a system information block. A method comprises receiving a first mapping comprising information designating a subset of the plurality of subframes as invalid subframes; and determining, based on the first mapping and a second mapping, which of the 0 subframes designated as invalid subframes are repetition subframes, wherein the second mapping comprises information designating at least one of the subset of the plurality of subframes as a repetition subframe.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a receiver arranged to receive radio signals from a radio access network node of a cellular communication system, and a signal detector arranged to detect a first signal and a second signal among the signals received. The first signal has a network synchronisation signal comprising having information about synchronisation and an identification of a cell associated with the access network node. The second signal has a notification. A controller causes the signal detector to detect the notification at a first timing when the received identification of the cell is equal to a previous reception of an identification of a cell at a last interaction between the wireless communication device and the cellular communication system or detect the notification at a second timing when the received identification of the cell differs from the previous reception of the identification of the cell at the last interaction.

Abstract: A method for allocating a resource grant at a network node comprises receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a preamble message; providing, to the UE, at least two uplink resource grants in a system information message, wherein the at least two uplink resource grants have different sizes and are overlapping; and receiving, from the UE, a transmission via a first uplink resource grant selected from the at least two uplink resource grants. The method provides multiple and flexible grants for the UE to select a corresponding grant to perform an uplink transmission.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method performed by a User Equipment, UE, comprises receiving, from a network node, at least one parameter for use in performing Automatic Neighbor Relation, ANR, measurements. The method comprises performing one or more measurements while the UE is not connected to the network. The one or more measurements are performed according to the at least one parameter received from the network node. The method comprises determining, based at least in part on the one or more measurements, whether the UE has detected any cells to include in a report. The method comprises transmitting the report to the network node when the UE is connected to the network node.

Abstract: Wake-up signal grouping is based on a paging probability (PP) type rather than a service type to further reduce false paging. This approach enables differentiation between wireless devices with the same service type. Paging probability can be expressed as a function of the wireless devices' traffic profile, DRX, eDRX, or power saving mode (PSM) configuration, paging configuration (number of narrowbands, paging carriers, nB parameter, etc.), and other parameters.