Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for random access in a wireless communication system such as, e.g., a wireless communication system having a non-terrestrial (e.g., satellite-based) radio access network. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device and corresponding embodiments of a wireless device are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device for random access comprises performing an open-loop timing advance estimation procedure to thereby determine an open-loop timing advance estimate for an uplink between the wireless device and a base station. The method further comprises transmitting a random access preamble using the open-loop timing advance estimate. In this manner, random access can be performed even in the presence of a long propagation delay such as that present in a satellite-based radio access network. Embodiments of a method performed by a base station and corresponding embodiments of a base station are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for triggering conditional handovers in user equipment, such as wireless devices in communication systems. Triggering conditions can comprise location, timer, and signal quality-based conditions. Triggering conditions can be combined together and can be evaluated in hierarchical order depending on user preference, so as to prioritize location, timer, signal quality, or other factors.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device for handover in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) from a source cell to a target cell comprises receiving a conditional handover configuration for one or more potential target cells. The conditional handover configuration comprises a condition for handover comprising a timing advance threshold value for each of the one or more potential target cells. The method further comprises determining that a timing advance between the wireless device and one of the one or more potential target cells is less than or equal to the timing advance threshold and based on the determination, performing a handover to the target cell.

Abstract: A method is performed by a wireless device for communication in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, comprising at least a first non-terrestrial network node and a second non-terrestrial network node. The method includes determining an estimated location of the wireless device. The method further includes obtaining first location information associated with the first non-terrestrial network node and second location information associated with the second non-terrestrial network node. The method further includes calculating an estimated signal time arrival difference based on the location of the wireless device, the first location information, and the second location information. The method further includes using the estimated signal time arrival difference to provision an NTN-specific synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel, SS/PBCH, block measurement timing configuration, NTN-SMTC.

Abstract: Systems and methods for power headroom reporting for uplink transmissions towards multiple Transmission and Reception Points (TRPs) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device comprises receiving, from a base station, downlink control information or a configuration that schedules an uplink transmission with two or more repetitions, wherein each of the two or more repetitions is associated to a different one of two or more Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resource sets and a different one of two or more power headrooms (PHs) and a power headroom report (PHR) is triggered and is to be carried by the uplink transmission. The method further comprises calculating at least one PH among the two or more PHs, constructing a PHR Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) comprising the at least one PH, and transmitting the PHR MAC CE in the uplink transmission.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods for radio link monitoring (RLM) by a user equipment (UE) in a combined terrestrial and satellite wireless communication network. Such methods include, during a discontinuity in a connection between a UE and a terrestrial network node (TNN), performing RLM of the connection based on a second configuration. Such methods also include, before and/or after the discontinuity, performing RLM of the connection based on a first configuration. The connection includes a first link between the UE and a satellite and a second link between the satellite and the TNN. The discontinuity includes a link switch in at least one of the first link and the second link. The RLM before, during, and after the discontinuity can include various first, second, and third operations, respectively. Embodiments also include complementary methods performed by a TNN, as well as UEs and TNNs configured to perform operations corresponding to such methods.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adapting a timer(s) for a satellite-based radio access network are disclosed. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device and corresponding embodiments of a wireless device are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises obtaining a value to be used to offset, extend, and/or scale one or more timers related to the satellite-based radio access network relative to values for non-satellite-based radio access networks. The method further comprises utilizing the value to offset a start of one or more timers, extend one or more timers, and/or scale one or more timers and performing one or more actions based on the one or more offset timers, the one or more extended timers, and/or the one or more scaled timers. Embodiments of a method performed by a base station and corresponding embodiments of a base station are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a Layer 1(L1)/Layer 2 (L2) centric inter-cell mobility environment or for inter-cell multi-Transmission Reception Point (mTRP) operation. The method comprises: suspending a connection based on a first configuration for L1/L2 centric inter-cell mobility or for inter-cell mTRP; receiving a resume message to resume a connection with a network node; and in response to receiving the resume message, resuming the connection with the network node, based on a second configuration for L1/L2 centric inter-cell mobility or for inter-cell mTRP operation. A method in a first network node is also provided. The method comprises transmitting a suspend message to the UE to suspend a connection with the first network node; and suspending the connection by performing one of deleting a first configuration for L1/L2 centric inter-cell mobility or for inter-cell mTRP operation and storing the first configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method performed by a wireless device for optimized reconfiguration of radio link monitoring, RLM, and beam monitoring. The method includes receiving, from a first network node, a first message comprising at least one RLM parameter related to at least one reference signal. The method further includes receiving, from the first network node, a second message comprising a bitmap indicating activation of at least one RLM parameter associated with the first message. The method additionally includes monitoring one or more reference signals based on the first message and the second message.

Abstract: Systems and methods for associating power control states with Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) states are provided. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless communication device comprises obtains information that indicates associations between two or more power control states and: (a) two or more TCI states, (b) two or more uplink (UL) channels, (c) two or more UL resources, (d) two or more UL resource sets, (e) two or more UL resource groups, or (f) any combination of two or more of (a)-(e). In this way, some embodiments herein enable efficient signaling to associate the TCI states with the power control states.

Abstract: A wireless device is configured to perform measurements for radio resource management (RRM) and/or radio link monitoring (RLM). The wireless device performs a plurality of radio measurements. The wireless device filters at least a first subset of the radio measurements using a first filtering configuration and filters at least a second subset of the radio measurements using a second filtering configuration, where the second filtering configuration differs from the first filtering configuration. The first and second filtering configurations apply to first and second different types of reference signals, respectively, or to beam-level measurements and cell-level measurements, respectively.

Abstract: There is provided a method performed by a UE for performing a plurality of CSI measurements for CSI reporting, wherein at least a first of the plurality of CSI measurements is based on a single CSI-RS resource and at least a second of the plurality of CSI measurements is based on a pair of CSI-RS resources, the UE being configured with a set of CMRs and a set of IMRs.

Abstract: A system, method and non-transitory computer readable media for facilitating reduced signaling load with respect to UE location reporting in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) environment (100) interoperable with one or more terrestrial cellular communications networks. In one embodiment of an index-based location reporting scheme, a UE (105, 1200) may receive (402) a list of reference locations from a network node (1000, 1100), each identified with an index. Responsive to receiving the list of reference locations, the UE (105, 1200) may report to the network node (1000, 1100) an index or a subset of indices of one or more reference locations that match a specific reporting criterion. In an example implementation, reporting of index-based location information by the UE (105, 1200) may be configurably triggered, e.g., periodically or in response to the occurrence of a particular event, condition, etc.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods for operating a user equipment (UE) in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) that utilizes one or more polarization modes for serving one or more cells. Such methods include sending, to a network node, an indication of one or more polarization capabilities of the UE. Such methods also include transmitting and/or receiving one or more signals or channels in a first cell of the NTN according to the indicated polarization capabilities of the UE. In some embodiments, the indicated polarization capabilities of the UE include: a UE type; one or more polarization modes supported by the UE; a polarization correspondence between uplink and downlink signals that is supported by the UE; and/or a list of antenna panels supported by the UE and polarization modes supported by the antenna panels. Other embodiments include complementary methods for operating network nodes, and UEs and network nodes configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: There is provided a method performed by a user equipment (UE) configured in Carrier Aggregation for handling Layer 1(L1)/Layer 2 (L2) mobility for secondary cells associated with a cell group, the UE being configured with a first cell as a secondary cell in a first frequency. The method may comprise: receiving a configuration of at least one second cell in the first frequency, wherein the at least one second cell is a candidate to become the secondary cell: receiving a L1/L2 signaling, which comprises an indication to change the secondary cell from the first cell to the second cell: and changing the secondary cell in the first frequency from the first cell to the second cell.

Abstract: Techniques, apparatuses, and systems for improving communications involving unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs. An example method, in a user equipment, UE, in a UE-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, comprises the steps of determining (710) that flight information for UAVs in the vicinity of the UE-equipped UAV is needed and sending (720), to a wireless communication system, a request for flight information, in response to said determining. The step of determining that flight information is needed might be based on any of the following, in various examples: the flight path of the UE-equipped UAV has changed; a configured timer has expired; a discovery signal sent by a neighbor drone is received; the UE has been handed over; interference measured by the UE has gone above a configured threshold; and a channel quality measured by the UE has gone below a configured threshold.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises: determining geographical location information of the wireless device with respect to each cell of a plurality of cells; adjusting a cell reselection ranking for the plurality of cells based on the geographical location information for the plurality of cells; selecting a cell from the plurality of cells based on the adjusted ranking; and camping on the selected cell.

Abstract: A wireless device (14) is configured for use in a wireless communication system (10). The wireless device (14) configures a number of parallel hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, processes (18) as being available for use. The wireless device (14) discontinuously monitors a downlink control channel (20), including monitoring the downlink control channel (20) during an active time (24) that is based on how many of the configured number of parallel HARQ processes (18) are used.

Abstract: A non-terrestrial network (“NTN”) can include a communication device and a network node. The communication device can determine a location of the communication device using global navigation satellite systems (“GNSS”) measurements. The communication device can further report location information based on the location to the network node. In some examples, reporting the location information includes reporting a tracking area identifier (“TAI”) associated with a tracking area (“TA”) in which the communication device is located.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method is performed by a wireless device capable of operating in a non-terrestrial network (NTN). The method comprises determining an amount of time until a service link or feeder link switch and, based on the determined amount of time, modifying a radio resource control (RRC) connection timer.