Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for reception of simultaneously transmitted downlink channels having different spatial quasi-co-location (sQCL) assumptions. The method can include receiving a configuration specifying a control resource set (CORESET) monitoring occasion of a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) at a user equipment (UE), receiving a second PDCCH scheduling or activating transmission of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) at the UE, determining whether the PDSCH overlaps the first PDCCH in time domain, determining whether a first spatial quasi-co-location (sQCL) assumption for reception of the first PDCCH and a second sQCL assumption for reception of the PDSCH are different, and prioritizing the reception of the first PDCCH when the PDSCH overlaps the first PDCCH in time domain and the first and second sQCL assumptions are different.

Abstract: The scheduling flexibility of CSI reference signals enables time and frequency synchronization using multiple non-zero CSI-RSs transmitted in the same subframe, or using CSI-RSs transmitted in the same subframe with other synchronization signals. Also, multiple synchronization signals may be scheduled in the same subframe to enable fine time and frequency synchronization without cell-specific reference signals.

Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and UE are provided. The UE receive a configuration from a base station, the configuration indicating one or more constraints for constructing and transmitting a multiple-access signature. The UE then constructs the multiple-access signature in accordance with the one or more constraints. The UE autonomously transmits the multiple-access signature to the base station in accordance with the one or more constraints.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for beam management at a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system. The method can include transmitting a beam training reference signal (RS) resource configuration from a base station (BS) to a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, transmitting an anchor association index indicating an association between a beam pair link and a set of second transmit beams of the BS, wherein the beam pair link is formed by a first transmit beam of the BS and a receive beam of the UE, transmitting beam training RSs according to the beam training RS resource configuration on the set of second transmit beams, and receiving a measurement report including quality measurements of beamformed channels over the receive beam and a subset of the second transmit beams.

Abstract: A method of uplink beam indication for uplink transmission in a beamforming network is proposed. After entering connected mode, both downlink and uplink have a default beam pair link (BPL). Based on uplink beam management, the network establishes mapping between uplink beam indication states and reference signal (RS) resources. The network then signals the uplink beam indication states mapping to UE. UE performs subsequent uplink transmission based on the uplink beam indication, where UE determines its TX beams by mapping from RS resources to corresponding UE TX beams. The uplink beam indication is updated whenever a mapping between a beam indication state to a UE TX beam is changed.

Abstract: An incremental scheduling scheme is proposed in a wireless communication system with beamforming. In an initial stage (stage-1), coarse scheduling plan is granted via control beam transmission. In a second stage (stage-2), fine scheduling plan is granted via dedicated beam transmission. Such incremental scheduling scheme provides load balancing for overhead channels on control/dedicated beams via stage-2 scheduling. It utilizes dedicated beam transmission that is more resource efficient and more UE-specific. Furthermore, it provides UE natural power-saving opportunities via stage-1 scheduling.

Abstract: A method of beam failure recovery request (BFRQ) transmission is proposed. UE can search for UE-specific control channel in a search space that is signaled specifically for monitoring network response of the BFRQ. Furthermore, configurations indicated specifically for BFRQ can be carried by dedicated signaling such as high-layer radio resource control (RRC) signaling. After successfully rebuilding connection, UE assumes the demodulation reference signal (DMRS) ports of UE-specific control channel to be spatially quasi-co-located (QCL-ed) with the reference signals identified during the beam failure recovery procedure.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided using interleaved frequency division multiple access (IFDMA)-based beam management reference signal for TX and RX beam sweeping. In one novel aspect, a set of IFDMA-based BM RS for TX and RX beam sweeping is configured by decomposing a defined reference numerology into N equal-length sub-time units such that the TX and RX beams can switch across sub-time unit boundary. In another novel aspect, a set of IFDMA-based beam management RS for TX and RX beams are configured by concatenating a plurality of IFDMA signals each defined over a corresponding numerology, wherein at least two IFDMA signals have different numerologies. TX and RX beam sweeping are performed based on corresponding TX and RX beam switching points. In another embodiment, the RS is a channel state information RS for a downlink measurement and a sounding reference signal for an uplink measurement.

Abstract: A method for harmonized operation between radio link monitor and beam failure recovery is proposed. In one example, upon indication of unsuccessful recovery from beam failure, a counter is initiated to count a configured number of OOS indication before RLF is declared due to beam failure. In another example, upon indication of successful recovery from beam failure, a counter is initiated to count a configured number of IS indication before starting over RLM procedure on its previous observations on failed beams. As a result, either early RLF declaration or RLM reset may be triggered based on BFR procedure to more accurately maintain the link quality.

Abstract: A method of configuring different uplink beam management (UL BM) procedures is proposed. Different UL BM procedures are defined such that UE knows how to transmit the configured uplink reference signal (UL RS) over UL RS resource groups to BS. A first UL BM procedure enables UE to transmit with sweeping TX beams and enables BS to measure with sweeping RX beams (U-1 procedure). A second UL BM procedure enables UE to transmit UL RS on a number of UL resources with a fixed UE TX beam (U-2 procedure). A third UL BM procedure enables UE to transmit UL RS on a number of UL resources with different UE TX beams (U-3 procedure).

Abstract: A method of antenna capability signaling and group-based reference signal resource configuration is proposed. A User Equipment (UE) provides its antenna capability signaling to BS to facilitate the UL beam training. From UE perspective, different antenna structures can be assumed and different beamforming mechanisms can be achieved based on the antenna structures. When BS determines multiple UL beam pair links (BPLs), BS needs to know the UE antenna capability information. In a preferred embodiment, group-based UL RS resources are configured for UL beam determination based on the UE antenna capability signaling, which helps BS to learn the UE beamforming constraints as well as UL beamformed channels corresponding to the UL BPLs.

Abstract: Various solutions for frequency hopping design for grant-free transmission with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may receive a frequency hopping pattern from a network node. The apparatus may determine a frequency hopping location according to the frequency hopping pattern. The apparatus may perform an uplink grant-free transmission according to the frequency hopping position. The frequency hopping pattern may comprise user equipment specific information.

Abstract: A beam indication (BI) mechanism is proposed to provide user equipment (UE) information of network (NW) beam(s) for later transmission. UE can then select its UE beam(s) for the later transmission based on the BI. In one embodiment, NW provides beam management configuration to UE via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, and then provides beam indication index signaling to UE via MAC-CE or DCI. The beam management configuration comprises a mapping table between network beams and configured reference signal (RS) resources. The beam indication index signaling indicates one or more preferred beam pair links (BPLs). Upon triggering a beam management procedure by the network, UE is able to identify the beam management procedure and selects corresponding UE beam(s) based on the beam management configuration and the beam indication index signaling.

Abstract: A method of beam failure recovery request (BFRQ) transmission is proposed. In a first step of beam failure detection, UE detects a beam failure condition of the original serving beam. In a second step of new candidate beam identification, UE performs measurements for candidate beam selection. In a third step of beam failure recovery request (BFRQ) transmission, UE transmits a BFRQ message to BS upon the triggering condition for BFRQ transmission is satisfied. In a fourth step of monitoring BS response, UE monitors BS response to decide the success or failure of the BFRQ transmission attempt. In one advantageous aspect, the BFRQ transmission is over dedicated contention-free PRACH or PUCCH resources or over contention-based PRACH resources. Furthermore, a beam failure recovery timer is used to oversee the initiation and the termination of the BFRQ transmission.

Abstract: A flexible radio frame structure for both FDD and TDD is proposed. Under the flexible frame structure, each radio frame consists of a plurality of slots, and each slot within a radio frame has a flexible slot type. As a basic scheduling unit, each slot can be configured by the base station via physical layer signaling. The slot type can be changed dynamically based on current system needs to support different DL/UL ratios and latency requirements. With the support of different slot types and asynchronous DL/UL HARQ operation, HARQ operation for DL/UL can share the same HARQ timing to simplify the system design and reduce implementation complexity.

Abstract: A method of configuring and applying UE beam training gaps for simultaneous UE beam training and data reception in a beamforming wireless communication system is proposed. UE beam training gaps are configured by the base station for each UE. Typically, UE-specific data transmission can take place during the serving control beam time region. The UE beam training gaps are periods where UE-specific data transmission does not happen within the serving control beam time region. During each UE beam training gap, non-serving UE beam training can take place, where the UE performs intra-frequency reference signal measurements from serving and/or neighbor cells using various non-serving UE beams. The UE beam training gaps are configured and signaled to each UE, and each individual UE can have different data occupancy region within its serving CB time region.

Abstract: Mechanisms for wireless directional transmission systems are proposed. In a first novel aspect, a mechanism for reference signal provisioning and channel information reporting is proposed. Two sets of measurement pilots are introduced for initial access and control signaling. In a second novel aspect, a beamwidth adaptation mechanism is proposed to deal with occasional channel variation without requiring constantly high overhead due to measurement pilot transmission. In a third novel aspect, a mechanism for backhaul link to activate/deactivate efficiently is proposed. New states of activated state and deactivated state are introduced.

Abstract: A method of group-based beam reporting is proposed. The BS TX beams are grouped into groups to increase beam reporting efficiency. After measuring reference signals for beam management, UE reports RS quality to the network in beam groups. The beam grouping can be done either implicitly or explicitly. The grouping within the beam report is done by the UE with or without help from the network. According to principles of grouping mechanism, the grouping methods can be divided into two different categories. A first category is referred to as beam set based group, where UE groups TX beam information in a beam report based on its RX beam set(s). A second category is referred to as antenna group-based grouping, where UE groups TX beam information in a beam report based on UE antenna group.

Abstract: Techniques, schemes and examples pertaining to sequence design for synchronization and device identification in mobile communication systems are described. A processor of an apparatus generates a set of root sequences and also generates a set of signature sequences from the set of root sequences. The processor then transmits a signal comprising one or more of the signature sequences to a receiving device via a wireless channel. Each signature sequence of the set of signature sequences identifies the apparatus.

Abstract: Techniques, schemes and examples pertaining to using even-length sequence for synchronization and device identification in wireless communications are described. A processor of an apparatus can generate a signal containing at least an even-length Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequence and transmit the signal to a receiving device. The even-length ZC sequence identifies the apparatus, carries information for signaling, or functions in time-frequency synchronization. The processor can also receive a signal containing at least an even-length ZC sequence and detect the even-length ZC sequence in the received signal.