Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide control signaling mechanisms to support data transmission by a user equipment (UE) that is in the RRC_INACTIVE state and, more generally, in any inactive state. Beyond simply supporting data transmission by a user equipment that is in the RRC_INACTIVE state, aspects of the present application provide mechanisms for configuring the UE for preamble transmission or sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission and for toggling between such transmissions. Aspects of the present application relate to mechanisms for enabling Timing Advance estimation, which mechanisms are not burdened with high overhead and which allow the UE to remain in the RRC_INACTIVE state.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided in which uplink transmission of pilot uses time-frequency resources that overlap with time-resources for the uplink transmission of data, by the same UE or different UEs. This can result in a decrease in pilot overhead, or if longer pilot sequences are used, can result in a decrease in collision probability. In a group-based approach, UEs are organized into groups, and each group is allocated the same resources for pilot and data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for wireless communication in which a downlink control information (DCI) is transmitted in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first bandwidth part (BWP). A UE is responsible for determining a starting resource block (RB) for a data transmission allocated by the DCI based on a value of a frequency domain resource allocation field in the DCI, a reference RB, and a reference size of a second BWP. The data transmission can then be transmitted, in the case of, for example, PUSCH, by a UE or received, in the case of, for example, PDSCH.

Abstract: Control signaling mechanisms are provided to support data transmissions to or from a user equipment (UE) in an inactive state. In some embodiments, a UE in an inactive state receives DCI including: a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that is specific to a group of UEs, the group of UEs including the UE; and a resource assignment for a data transmission to the UE. The data transmission is then received on a physical shared channel. In further embodiments, a UE in an inactive state receives DCI including: a CRC scrambled by a paging RNTI; and a resource assignment for a paging message to the UE. A data transmission is received by the UE in the paging message or in a further transmission that is scheduled by the paging message.

Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure introduce a new downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) and a new uplink (UL) BWP for communication in the RRC_INACTIVE state. In addition, aspects of the disclosure also provide for configuring generic parameters of the BWP, which include, but not limited to, frequency location, bandwidth, subcarrier spacing (SCS), and cyclic prefix (CP). Some aspects of the present disclosure may support a reinterpretation of generic parameters of a BWP, for example which may be configured for the RRC_CONNECTED state, to be used in the RRC_INACTIVE state. Some aspects of the present disclosure are directed to implicit DL BWP switching in the RRC_INACTIVE state where no BWP identifier (ID) indication is needed as part of the switching mechanism.

Abstract: A method of path loss estimation at a user equipment (UE) comprises receiving a downlink cell-specific signal block comprising a synchronization channel and a broadcasting channel demodulation reference signal; receiving control information indicative of a signal transmission power of the downlink cell-specific signal block; and determining an estimated path loss for the UE based at least in part on the signal transmission power of the downlink cell-specific signal block and a received power of the downlink cell-specific signal block filtered using a layer 3 filtering coefficient.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to improve UE power management and support multiple-PDCCH based multi-TRP or multi-antenna panel transmission with intra-cell (same cell ID) and inter-cell (different Cell IDs). The methods involve configuring CORESETs and associated search space sets. A configured search space set can then be activated implicitly activating the associated CORESET, or a configured CORESET can be activated implicitly activating the associated search space sets. Alternatively, CORESET-search space set links are configured, and then activated. Multiple different overall configurations, each having different CORESET, search space set configurations may be provided and selected between.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that support the transmission of transport blocks over carrier bundles and bandwidth part (BWP) bundles. These carrier bundles and BWP bundles include physical resources from multiple carriers, the multiple carriers being a proper subset of the carriers configured for a user equipment (UE). A base station transmits an indication to the UE identifying one or more carrier bundles and/or BWP bundles. Each carrier bundle and BWP bundle supports the transmission of a respective transport block over a given duration, and is associated with a respective hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity.

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) receives control signaling in a scheduling bandwidth part (BWP). The control signaling indicates switching from a first active BWP to a second active BWP or switching from a first active BWP pair to a second active BWP pair for the UE. The control signaling aligns with a time unit boundary, such as a slot boundary, that is associated with the scheduling BWP. In the event that a scheduled BWP for a UE has a different numerology than a scheduling BWP that is currently active for the UE, the UE could switch from the scheduling BWP to the scheduled BWP based on a control signaling monitoring periodicity of the scheduled BWP.

Abstract: Aspects of the present application use a linear transformation of a sparse mapped single carrier transmission at a transmitter, for which a comparable inverse transform of the linear transform applied at the transmitter can be applied at the receiver. The linear transform reduces the sparsity of sparse mapped symbols. The use of the linear transform to reduce the sparsity enables peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) and/or cubic metric to be reduced as compared to if the linear transform is not used. The linear transforms may be implemented in a block-wise manner, element-wise manner or combination thereof.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for encoding and transmitting data sequences for low data rate applications. An encoded data sequence is transformed and used to shape a multi-carrier pulse to create a narrow-band signal for transmission. Time domain tails of the narrow-band signal may be removed to decrease overhead. The data may be first encoded to create a sparse modulated data sequence. Multi-carrier pulse shaping may be carried out using frequency division multiplexing (FDM) or filter bank multi-carrier (FBMC) techniques. Alternatively, single carrier pulse shaping may be used to create the narrow-band signal.

Abstract: A two-phase approach to machine-type communications is provided. In a first phase, for activity detection, at least one symbol is transmitted using a long signature. During a second phase, for data transmission, information-carrying symbols are transmitted using a short spreading signature. Activity detection performance is enhanced through the use of a longer spreading signature.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided that include transmitting or receiving data and control signals over an air interface on a plurality of bandwidth part (BWP) groups (BWGs) of a carrier, wherein each BWG comprises a plurality of BWPs and each BWP is a set of contiguous resource blocks (RBs). The control signals are transmitted or received on an active BWP of at least one of the BWGs and the data signals are transmitted or received on active BWPs of at least two of the BWGs. Devices and methods are also provided that include transmitting or receiving data and control signals over an air interface on a plurality of active BWPs of a carrier, wherein each active BWP is a set of contiguous RBs, wherein control signals are transmitted or received on at most one active BWP at a time.

Abstract: Aspects of the present application provide methods and devices in a communication network that aid in implementing sounding reference signal (SRS) measurement by multiple cells (i.e. serving cells and non-serving cells, also known as “neighbor cells”) as well as NR LMUs.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for guard band utilization for synchronous and asynchronous communications in wireless networks. A user equipment (UE) or a network component transmits symbols on data bands assigned for primary communications. The data bands are separated by a guard band having smaller bandwidth than the data bands. The UE or network component further modulates symbols for secondary communications with a spectrally contained wave form, which has a smaller bandwidth than the guard band. The spectrally contained wave form is achieved with orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation or with joint OFDM and Offset Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (OQAM) modulation. The modulated symbols for the secondary communications are transmitted within the guard band.

Abstract: A method includes: sending, by a network device, first information to a terminal, where the first information is used to indicate a location of a channel bandwidth of the terminal, the channel bandwidth is a radio frequency bandwidth, and the radio frequency bandwidth includes an uplink transmission resource or a downlink transmission resource; and receiving, by the terminal, the first information, and determining the location of the channel bandwidth of the terminal based on the first information.

Abstract: A method for a multicast service is provided. In this example, the method includes receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a control format including a resource allocation field from a base station (BS), the resource allocation field indicating a starting resource block (RB) index and an RB range, obtaining a set of RBs allocated for a multicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) based on a starting RB location and the RB range; wherein the starting RB location is associated with the stating RB index and at least one of a reference RB location or an assigned sub-band; and transmitting or receiving, by the UE, data over at least one RB of the set of RBs allocated for the multicast PDSCH or PUSCH.

Abstract: Methods and devices for configuring an initial active downlink bandwidth part as part of an initial access procedure are provided. In one provided method, a base station broadcasts a synchronization signal block (SSB) that includes a control resource set CORESET) configuration index. The CORESET configuration index is one of a plurality of CORESET configuration indexes, each CORESET configuration index being associated with a respective configuration of a CORESET. Each configuration includes a CORESET frequency size, a CORESET time duration, and a frequency offset of the CORESET with respect to the SSB selected from a set of predefined frequency offsets. The initial active downlink bandwidth part is defined as having the same frequency location and bandwidth as the CORESET. The base station transmits, as part of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within the CORESET, information indicating scheduling of remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a physical downlink shared channel (POSCH).

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for configuring an alignment between various resource grids. A base station transmits alignment information between a first resource grid or a first transmission using the first resource grid, and a second resource grid and a third resource grid. The first resource grid uses a first sub-carrier spacing (SCS) from a first set of SCSs, the second resource grid uses a second SCS from a second set of SCSs, the third resource grid uses a third SCS from the second set of SCSs. The base station transmits a synchronization sequence block (SSB) using the first resource grid, and the base station transmits a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in assigned resource blocks using at least one of the second resource grid and the third resource grid. A user equipment receives the alignment information, and determines the resource grids based on the alignment information so as to be able to receive the transmitted resource blocks.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for encoding and transmitting data in a wireless communications system and, in particular, for unscheduled data transmissions including low data rate transmissions. The method for transmitting data in a wireless network includes mapping data according to a predefined sequence pattern from a group of sequence patterns to provide a spreading sequence that includes multiple non-zero elements and that is enabled to partially collide in the wireless network with other spreading sequences that have been mapped according to other sequence patterns from the group; and transmitting the spreading sequence. Multiple sequences may be received by a network node and decoded using successive interference cancellation (SIC) techniques.