Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the field of wireless communications, and in particular to techniques for efficiently transferring, among network nodes, an access context required to initiate data transfer when a user equipment (UE) is in an active or suspended Radio Access Network (RAN) connection state. The techniques disclosed herein involve identifying, based on UE-specific data (such, for example, as mobility information, a traffic profile), one or more relevant network nodes where the UE in the suspended RAN connection state could be located at the time when next data transfer needs to be initiated. After that, the access context is sent from an anchor network node to said one or more relevant network nodes. By sending the access context in this manner, network signalling overhead and storage capacity overhead may be significantly reduced.

Abstract: An Apparatus for a wireless communications system, comprising at least one processor, and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to configure a user equipment with a radio link control, RLC, failure configuration which defines how the user equipment should react to an RLC failure of a first logical channel associated with the user equipment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for user equipment (UE) context duplication. In certain embodiments, when a UE may resume at a target network node within its configured radio area, a duplication of a UE context may occur at the target network node, and the target network node may allocate an additional/secondary identifier to the UE. The secondary identifier may indicate the UE's identity within the network. When configured with a secondary identifier, the UE may retain an original/primary identifier assigned by the anchor network node. The anchor network node may retain the UE context and may maintain user plane connectivity to a core network. The UE may use this primary identifier for operations within the configured radio area, whereas the secondary identifier may be used when resuming operations to a cell that is outside of the configured radio area.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for configured grant small data transmission reconfiguration without user equipment context in a distributed unit are provided. For example, a method can include receiving, at a first network element, data in a transmission from a user equipment. The method can also include storing a first indication of a first configuration used by the user equipment to perform the transmission. The method can further include sending, to a second network element, a resume request to set up communication context for the data transmission. The method can additionally include receiving, from the second network element, a second indication of a second configuration previously allocated to the user equipment. The method can also include comparing the first indication and the second indication. The method can further include proceeding with setting up the communication of the data based on the comparing.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for efficiently signalling feature combinations for RACH partitioning. One method may include a network entity transmitting a radio resources configuration associated with at least one feature combination configuration and associated random access resources configuration. The at least one feature combination configuration is associated with at least one of coverage enhancement, network slicing, reduced capability user equipment, or small data transmission. The associated random access resources configuration is associated with access conditions for the at least one feature combination configuration.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for estimating the reliability and/or latency of a transmission in communication systems are provided. One method may include identifying at least one user equipment requiring dual connectivity or multi connectivity support. The method may then include configuring, by an anchor network node, at least one secondary network node to serve as a duplication set for the at least one user equipment. The duplication set may include one or more secondary network nodes that are capable of transmission of a duplicated packet to at least one user equipment. The method may also include receiving, from the at least one secondary network node, estimates of supported latency and reliability for the at least one user equipment. The configuring may include selecting the duplication set that minimizes a probability of outage and minimizes latency of the transmission of the duplicated packet to at least one user equipment.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprising determining, by a user equipment in a radio resource control inactive state, whether information has been received from a wireless network, wherein the information is configured to cause the user equipment to access the network; and triggering, by the user equipment and in response to receiving the information, an access to the wireless network, is disclosed.

Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising: monitoring at least one paging identifier in a first radio resource control state, in which first radio resource control state a radio resource configuration is maintained for the user equipment; transitioning from the first radio resource control state to a second radio resource control state; and monitoring at least two different paging identifiers in the second radio resource control state.

Abstract: Improved techniques of managing measurement gaps for MPUEs include identifying an idle time for the UE in a coordinated and network-controlled manner during which the UE is able to perform SSB/CSI-RS based measurements for a serving cell using non-serving panels. Such idle time is defined as an omitted operation time (i.e., an idle time of a certain pre-defined length) in which the network has to apply the scheduling restrictions in the SSBs' symbols to the UE. Note that currently as per the RAN4 requirements, the network must apply scheduling restrictions in all SSB symbols for all UEs in FR2 at any time (i.e., worst case scenario).

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a method of updating a security. The method can include monitoring a bearer that includes first and second radio accesses according to different radio technologies between user equipment and a communications network. One or more properties of the monitored bearer can be determined. An update of a security key utilized for securing communications over at least one of the radio accesses can be triggered in response to determining that the determined properties meet at least one triggering condition capable of indicating a need for the update.

Abstract: In accordance with example embodiments of the invention there is at least a method and apparatus to perform at least detecting, by a network device of a communication network, at least one failure of network node channel access during or preceding a wake-up signal occasion, and based on the detecting, performing on-duration monitoring. In addition, there is at least a method and apparatus to perform at least determining, by a network node of a communication network, information comprising a configuration for performing on-duration monitoring if a failure of network node channel access is detected during or preceding a wake-up signal occasion; and sending an indication of the information towards the at least one network device.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for verification of user equipment (UE) for small data transmission (SDT) when the user equipment is in an inactive state with respect to a communication network. For example, the UE is verified at a selected target gNB upon an SDT resume request initiated by the UE, i.e., a returning UE with respect to the selected target gNB, or otherwise prior to UE data resuming transmission to an anchor gNB from the selected target gNB.

Abstract: In order to perform small data transmission during an RRC_INACTIVE mode, a UE may need to determine whether the stored timing advance (TA) is valid. A TA may be valid if its usage would result in an uplink transmission arriving at a TRP of a base station during a time period during which the base station expects to receive uplink transmission. A UE may determine that a TA is valid based on a received fraction of the length of a cyclic prefix and observed SSB time shift.

Abstract: In accordance with example embodiments of the invention there is a method and apparatus to perform at least detecting, by a network device of a communication network, a wake-up signal related message format comprising control information, wherein the network device is in a radio resource control inactive state; and based on the detected message format, performing operations to initiate a connection resume procedure in the communication network. Further, in accordance with example embodiments of the invention there is a method and apparatus to perform at least determining, by a network node of a communication network, a wake-up signal related message format comprising control information for at least one network device in a radio resource control inactive state; and based on the determining, sending towards the at least one network device the message format to cause the at least one network device to perform operations to initiate a connection resume procedure in the communication network.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for determining which of at least two lower layer radio units co-located at a first location, each lower layer radio unit associated with a higher layer radio unit, has a best path to the associated higher layer radio unit and causing the transmit power of the determined one of the at least two lower layer radio units received at a user equipment to be higher relative to the transmit power of any of the other of the at least two lower layer radio units received at the user equipment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for improved signaling of small data transmission (SDT) are provided. One method may include storing, at a first target network node, a user equipment (UE)-specific uplink (UL) small data transmission (SDT) context for a user equipment (UE) in a non-connected radio resource control (RRC) state that previously had initiated a small data transmission (SDT) procedure without anchor relocation via the first target network node or a second target network node. The method may also include performing radio link control (RLC) processing of the radio link control (RLC) protocol data units (PDUs) received from the user equipment (UE) using the stored user equipment (UE)-specific uplink (UL) small data transmission (SDT) context.

Abstract: An apparatus which is able to communicate based on at least two communication methods, wherein each communication method is configured to communicate with access networks by using at least one subflow, acquires (S41) information from at least one of the communication methods for at least one of the subflows and provides (S42) the information to a subflow control entity at a higher layer of the apparatus. Based on the information, the subflow control entity evaluates (S43) whether a change will occur in the at least one of the subflows. In case the change is evaluated to occur in the at least one of the subflows, the subflow control entity evaluates (S44) when the change will occur, and evaluates (S45) whether the change evaluated to occur impacts a specific requirement of delivering packets by using the at least one of the subflows. In case the change is evaluated to impact the specific requirement, the subflow control entity changes (S46) usage of the subflows for delivering packets.

Abstract: There is provided a solution for performing packet duplication in a wireless network.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in accordance with example embodiments in order to provide for the efficient, dynamic distribution of traffic in a hybrid network environment based at least in part on reliability probabilities associated with individual subflows within the network. In some example implementations, a traffic distribution entity provides for control over the determination of combined reliability probabilities of multiple potential traffic distribution modes and the selection of a traffic distribution mode that is capable of meeting performance targets, such as those associated with mission-critical operations of cyber-physical systems.

Abstract: Apparatus, method and computer program for adjusting radio resource management (RRM) measurements are disclosed. The method includes: obtaining a radio channel propagation profile (902) for a user apparatus, wherein the radio channel propagation profile indicates multipath effects on a radio signal received by the user apparatus; and adjusting (904) radio resource management measurements of the user apparatus based on the radio channel propagation profile.