Abstract: Methods and user equipment (UE) for data demodulation. A UE comprises a receiver (Rx), a transmitter (Tx), a demodulator, a decoder, a processor, and a memory. An order message can be received by the receiver from a radio network node. The order message orders the UE to utilize both additional pilots and common pilots. In response to the receiver receiving the order message, the transmitter may return an ACK message to the radio network node. The receiver may also be configured to receive data from the radio network node. The memory stores computer program code which, when run in the processor, causes the demodulator to demodulate received data utilizing additional pilots in addition to common pilots. Furthermore, the memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the processor, cause the demodulator to demodulate received data utilizing only common pilots when the decoder is unsuccessful in decoding received data demodulated by utilizing additional pilots in addition to common pilots.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns radio communication. More particularly, the present disclosure concerns random access procedures used in communication between user equipments (UEs) and radio network nodes, such as evolved NodeB's. According to one exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a method in a UE 10 comprises transmitting 110, 130 two or more Physical Random Access Channel, PRACH, signals, where the two or more PRACH signals have different frequency bandwidths. Hereby it is made possible to improve the resource utilization during the random access procedure.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to transmission and reception of a Random Access Response (RAR) message to a wireless device (e.g., a User Equipment (UE)) in a manner that is particularly well-suited for, but not limited to, reduced bandwidth devices, such as Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a wireless device to perform random access to a cellular communications network comprises transmitting a random access preamble on a physical random access channel and determining, from a random access preamble index of the random access preamble, one of a random access response resource and a channel to monitor for a transmission of an indication of the random access response resource. The method further comprises receiving a random access response on the random access response resource.

Abstract: A method in a network node includes communicating, over a narrowband Internet of Things downlink, a first message to a first wireless device during repetition periods of at least a first time frame and a second time frame of a plurality of time frames of a transmission time of a narrowband physical downlink control channel (NB-PDCCH) or a narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NB-PDSCH). Each time frame of the plurality of time frames includes a repetition period and a gap. The method also includes communicating a second message to a second wireless device during a gap of the first time frame.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method in a wireless device comprises determining the wireless device is capable of narrow bandwidth operation. The wireless device obtains a parameter associated with a measurement pattern The measurement pattern comprises: a first time period and a second time period; a first type of radio measurements to be performed during the first time period on radio signals transmitted in a first set of physical resource channels; and a second type of radio measurements to be performed during the second time period on radio signals transmitted in a second set of physical resource channels. The wireless device determines a measurement pattern using the obtained parameter, and performs radio measurements of the first type during the first time period.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to a synchronization signal particularly well suited for wireless devices in an extended coverage area of a cell of a cellular communications network are disclosed. In one embodiment, a base station transmits a synchronization signal including multiple repetitions of a basic synchronization block during a coherence time of a downlink channel over which the synchronization signal is transmitted. The multiple repetitions of the basic synchronization block during the coherence time enable coherent combining during detection of the synchronization signal at wireless devices located in the cellular communications network. This coherent combining enables, for example, wireless devices located in an extended coverage area of a cell served by the base station to synchronize to the cell using a shorter synchronization signal than that which would be required if only non-coherent combining were used.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that facilitate power and quality control of uplink MIMO transmissions. A method in a NodeB comprises controlling transmission power of multiple pilot signals transmitted by a user equipment by using a single inner power control loop operating on at least one pilot signal of the multiple pilot signals. Some disclosed embodiments also relate to adjustment of a quality target applied by the single inner power control loop and to updating of a power offset for computing the number of bits that the user equipment can transmit on a stream that is associated with a pilot signal that is not power controlled by the single inner power control loop.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method in a wireless access network node for controlling a UE. The UE comprises at least two transmit antennas, and is capable of uplink transmit diversity. There is an antenna weight associated with each transmit antenna. First, the wireless access network node determines that the antenna weights of the user equipment may be controlled. Then, it creates a control signal that comprises control information and transmits it to the user equipment. The control information controls a UE autonomous selection of the antenna weights in the UE.

Abstract: A radio network node (12) communicates with user equipments, UEs, (10) over a radio interface and estimates one or more quality factors, associated with each of a first and second network, that depend on a load or an expected UE behavior or an uplink channel quality for one or both of first and second networks. The node (12) determines one or more network selection parameters based on the estimated one or more quality factors, and communicates the one or more network selection parameters to at least one UE (10) for enabling the UE to select one of the first and second networks for subsequent access by the at least one UE. The UE receives from the radio network node one or more network selection parameters. The UE uses the one or more network selection parameters to select one of first and second radio networks and then accesses the selected radio network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system, and in particular to uplink outer loop power control. A Node B identifies if a UE from which the Node B receives data is in a predetermined set of power challenged situations. The Node B transmits to the RNC an indication to hold the SIR target of the UE if the UE has been identified to be in a power challenged situation. As a consequence, the uplink outer loop power control (OLPC) procedure in the RNC will not change the SIR target of the UE. This implies that the output power level of the UE remains unchanged as long as the UE remains in the power challenged situation. Thus, user and network performance are improved in the wireless communication system.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to connection setup between a wireless device and a mobile communication network using random access, and more specifically to dynamic random access resource configuration and selection. The disclosure provides for a method in a wireless device, of selecting random access resources for performing a random access procedure to a wireless network. The method comprises the step receiving information from a radio network node comprised in a cell of the wireless network, wherein the received information indicates at least a first and a second random access resource having different resource sizes. The method further comprises selecting one of said at least first and a second random access resources based on an expected uplink power received by the radio network node and transmitting a random access message to said wireless network using the selected resource.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method in a wireless communication device that operates in an enhanced coverage mode, the enhanced coverage mode comprising sequential repetition of messages sent from the wireless communication device to a network node. An example method includes: receiving a Timing Advance Command TAC from the network node; and adapting a time at which the TAC is applied, wherein a time difference between the time at which the TAC is applied and a time at which the TAC is received shall be greater than or equal to a specified time depending on a type of the used Radio Access Technology, such that application of the TAC does not occur during a period after a first subframe of a repeated uplink transmission till the end of the repeated uplink transmission.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless terminal may include transmitting a random access preamble of a random access procedure from the wireless terminal to a node of a radio access network. After transmitting the random access preamble, a random access response of the random access procedure may be received from the node of the radio access network, with the random access response including an Uplink grant for a Message 3 uplink communication of the random access procedure. The UL grant may include a time domain configuration associated with the Message 3 uplink communication. The time domain configuration may include a repetition factor that defines a number of repetitions across subframes for the Message 3 uplink communication, and/or Transmission Time Interval information for the Message 3 uplink communication. Related wireless terminals and base stations are also discussed.

Abstract: A Level-1 (L1) signaling flag is mapped to unused (invalid) bit sequences in Part 1 of the HS-SCCH—that is, Part 1 bit encodings that are not defined in the UTRAN specifications—and a corresponding L1 command is encoded in Part 2. This allows UE (18) to detect early that the HS-SCCH is pure L1 signaling, and the UE (18) may avoid wasting power by not processing an accompanying HS-PDSCH. Alternatively, in CPC HS-SCCH-less mode, the UE (18) may blind decode the HS PDSCH. In one embodiment, a general DRX mode is defined and controlled via L1 signaling. In one embodiment, a UE (18) acknowledgement improves the L1 signaling accuracy. In one embodiment, a L1 signal and UE (18) acknowledgement protocol are utilized to “ping” a UE (18).

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of resource allocation for wireless communication are presented. In an example, a user equipment may contain radio circuitry and processing circuitry such that the user equipment is configured to obtain a set of multiple indices, where each index in the set of multiple indices corresponds to a different uplink resource allocation from a set of uplink resource allocations formed from twelve contiguous subcarriers. In an aspect, the set of uplink resource allocations includes an allocation of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, two allocations of six contiguous subcarriers, four allocations of three contiguous subcarriers, and twelve allocations of a single subcarrier. In a further aspect, the user equipment can receive an index indication corresponding to an index from the set of multiple indices from the base station. Also, the user equipment can transmit data to the base station using the resource allocation corresponding to the received index indication.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of resource allocation for wireless communication are presented. In an example, a user equipment may contain radio circuitry and processing circuitry such that the user equipment is configured to obtain a set of multiple indices, where each index in the set of multiple indices corresponds to a different uplink resource allocation from a set of uplink resource allocations formed from twelve contiguous subcarriers. In an aspect, the set of uplink resource allocations includes an allocation of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, two allocations of six contiguous subcarriers, four allocations of three contiguous subcarriers, and twelve allocations of a single subcarrier. In a further aspect, the user equipment can receive an index indication corresponding to an index from the set of multiple indices from the base station. Also, the user equipment can transmit data to the base station using the resource allocation corresponding to the received index indication.

Abstract: A method by a network node in a communications system includes determining a codebook subset restriction indicating a reduced set of precoding matrices out of an original set of precoding matrices in an original codebook. The full set of Precoding Matrix Indicator, PMI, bits is used to identify the original set of precoding matrices in the original codebook. The method includes determining a reduced set of Precoding Matrix Indicator, PMI, bits for use in a feedback channel based on a number of entries in the reduced set of precoding matrices. The reduced set of PMI bits has fewer bits than the full set of PMI bits. Related user equipments, methods by user equipments and network nodes are disclosed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for operating a terminal (10) in a wireless communication network. The terminal is a narrowband terminal (10) comprising radio circuitry (22), the method comprising transmitting uplink control information on resources, the resources comprising at least one subcarrier in the first slot of a subframe and at least one subcarrier in the second slot of the subframe, such that the subcarrier in the second slot of the subframe is within the bandwidth of the radio circuitry (22) of the narrowband terminal (10) used for transmitting in the first slot of the subframe. There are also disclosed related methods and devices.

Abstract: Network node and UE, and methods therein for signaling system information, SI, to UEs. The method in the network node comprises transmitting SI to one or more UEs, where the SI comprises multiple alternative sets, where each set assigns different values to one or multiple radio system parameters. The method further comprises determining which set, out of the multiple alternative sets, that should currently be applied for a UE, and transmitting an SI selection signal to the UE, the SI selection signal indicating the determined set, thus enabling the UE to apply currently appropriate radio system parameters also in unfavorable radio conditions. The UE may be an MTC device (Machine Type Communication).

Abstract: Network node and UE, and methods therein for signaling system information, SI, to UEs. The method in the network node comprises transmitting SI to one or more UEs, where the SI comprises multiple alternative sets, where each set assigns different values to one or multiple radio system parameters. The method further comprises determining which set, out of the multiple alternative sets, that should currently be applied for a UE, and transmitting an SI selection signal to the UE, the SI selection signal indicating the determined set, thus enabling the UE to apply currently appropriate radio system parameters also in unfavorable radio conditions. The UE may be an MTC device (Machine Type Communication).