Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for band scanning in lean carrier operation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for a network node includes identifying at least one time period for transmitting a reference signal over a full cell bandwidth in lean earner operation, and transmitting a reference signal according to a bandwidth pattern. The bandwidth pattern is based at least in part on the identified at least one time period.

Abstract: A method of operating a first communication node includes receiving a communication at the first communication node from a second communication node, wherein the communication includes information bits in a plurality of information bit positions, determining, by the first communication node, a subset of the information bit positions of the communication that are punctured wherein the determining is performed based on detected or decoded control information, and responsive to determining the subset, reducing, by the first communication node, magnitudes of information bits in the subset of the information bit positions that are punctured.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device for lean carrier operation comprises obtaining lean carrier assistance information (LCAI). The LCAI comprises one or more of the following sets of information for a carrier frequency: reference signal (RS) muting pattern information, wherein the RS muting pattern information provides a RS muting pattern used in one or more cells on the carrier frequency; and coverage area information, wherein the coverage area information indicates a coverage area where the RS muting is applied or is expected to be applied on one or more cells operating on the carrier frequency. The method further comprises performing one or more radio operational tasks using the LCAI.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus are disclosed. A network node configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD) is provided. The network node is configured to, and/or includes a radio interface and/or includes processing circuitry configured to: determine a radio link monitoring (RLM) state of a wireless device that is served by a first cell and configured to operate with at least a first operational mode and a second operation mode within an overlapping time, and schedule at least one signal associated with the wireless device based on the RLM state.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for semi-persistent channel state information (CSI) reporting procedures with uplink (UL) clear channel assessment (CCA) are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes receiving a signal indicating activation or deactivation of semi-persistent channel state information (CSI) reporting and responsive to receiving the signal, attempt to transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), the attempt being subject to success or failure of a clear channel assessment (CCA). When the CCA fails and when the signal indicates activation, the method includes refraining from CSI measurement and reporting unless CCA subsequently succeeds before expiry of a time interval. When the CCA fails and when the signal indicates deactivation, the method includes continuing CSI measurement but refraining from CSI reporting unless CCA subsequently succeeds before expiry of a time interval.

Abstract: A Wireless Device (WD), a network node and corresponding methods are disclosed. The WD comprises processing circuitry and a memory, the WD being adapted to obtain a Cell Global Identity (CGI) of a target cell within a first time period if the target cell transmits System Information (SI) where the fields other than frame numbers do not change in different transmission periods over a certain period of time, and otherwise, to obtain the CGI of the target cell within a second time period longer than the first time period. The WD is adapted to use information as to whether or not the target cell is going to transmit Quasi-Stationary SI (QSI) to select a first or a second SI acquisition procedure to obtain the CGI of the target cell within the first time period if QSI is transmitted, or within a second time period is non QSI is transmitted.

Abstract: A method performed by a wireless device for monitoring a radio link with a base station is disclosed. The method comprises performing a measurement on at least one reference signal received from a base station (1202) and converting a result of the measurement to a BLER of a hypothetical Downlink Control Channel transmission from the base station using a mapping (1204). The method further comprises comparing the converted result to at least one threshold to determine whether the wireless device is in synchronization with the base station (1206), triggering a measurement event on the basis of the comparison (1208), and selecting, on the basis of the triggered measurement event, a mapping for use in a subsequent conversion of a measurement result (1210). Also disclosed are a method performed by a base station, a wireless device, a user equipment and a base station.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device operating in connected mode for reporting channel quality comprise: determining that aperiodic channel quality reporting has been triggered for the wireless device and transmitting a downlink channel quality report to a network node. A channel quality in the report is represented by a number of repetitions used to receive a channel. In particular embodiments, the number of repetitions comprises a number of repetitions used to receive a machine type communication (MTC) physical downlink control channel (MPDCCH) or a narrowband Internet-of-things (NB-IoT) physical downlink control channel (NPDCCH).

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include methods and/or procedures for operating a wireless device (420, 1210) in communication with a first network node. Exemplary embodiments include receiving (902), from the first network node, an indication of at least one repetition method used in a broadcast channel transmitted by a second network node (401, 1260), wherein the repetition method comprises: a first portion of an information block in first resources of the broadcast channel that are reserved for the information block; and a second portion of the information block, comprising at least a subset of the first portion, in second resources of the broadcast channel that are different from the first resources. Exemplary embodiments also include receiving (904) the broadcast channel transmitted by the second network node, and decoding (906) the information block by combining the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for narrowband measurements and reporting in a cellular communications system are disclosed. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method performed by the wireless device comprises determining a set of narrowbands on which to perform measurements, wherein the set of narrowbands on which to perform measurements is a subset of all narrowbands within a respective system bandwidth. The method further comprises performing measurements on the set of narrowbands during one or more time periods associated with a random access procedure, and reporting the measurements or information derived from the measurements to a base station within a message sent from the wireless device to the base station during the random access procedure. In some embodiments, the message sent from the wireless device to the base station during the random access procedure is a Msg3.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining and using a reference signal muting configuration are provided. A network can configure a muting configuration for a first reference signal in accordance with determining if the first reference signal is used by a wireless device for operating a channel. The first reference signal can be transmitted in accordance with the muting configuration and used by the wireless device to perform an operation.

Abstract: A method performed by a first communication device is disclosed herein. The first communication device operates in a communications network. The first communication device selects a first method to decode a physical broadcast channel from a plurality of methods to decode the physical broadcast channel. The plurality of methods to decode the physical broadcast channel comprises: a) single-shot decoding only, b) soft-combining decoding only, and c) both single-shot decoding and soft-combining decoding simultaneously. The selecting is based on whether or not a time index of a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block, SS/PBCH block, for transmitting primary and secondary synchronization signals and a physical broadcast channel is known by the first communication device. The first communication device then decodes the received physical broadcast channel based on the selected first method.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device for optimizing transmission repetitions comprises: obtaining an initial number of transmission repetitions for coverage enhanced operation; receiving a wireless transmission comprising one or more repetitions; determining a number of received repetitions required for the wireless device to successfully decode the wireless transmission; determining the number of repetitions required to successfully decode the wireless transmission is different than the initial number of transmission repetitions; determining a desired number of repetitions based on the number of repetitions required to successfully decode the wireless transmission; and transmitting an indication of the desired number of repetitions to a network node.

Abstract: A system in which a wireless communication device (e.g. a NB-IoT device) can obtain assistance information from a location server which can help the WCD select the right target RAT. A method performed by a wireless communication device, the method comprising: receiving inter-Radio Access Technology (inter-RAT) assistance information; determining a RAT based on the received inter-RAT assistance information; and utilizing the determined RAT.

Abstract: A wireless device (12) is configured for use in a wireless communication system (10). The wireless device (12) is configured to receive signaling (16) from a network node (14). The signaling (16) in some embodiments indicates that a reference signal (20) is configured to be transmitted before and/or during every L occurrence of a physical downlink control channel search space (18), wherein L?2. In other embodiments, the signaling (16) indicates that a reference signal (20) is configured to be transmitted before and/or during every K discontinuous reception, DRX, cycle (22), wherein K?2.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a user equipment (UE) (110), comprises an interface (710) configured to receive one or more symbols at the start of a first transmission time interval (TTI) of a channel. The UE further comprises processing circuitry (720) operably coupled to the interface (710). The processing circuitry (720) configured to obtain a signal quality estimate based on at least one of the one or more symbols; compare the signal quality estimate to a signal quality threshold; and determine, based on the comparison, whether to process the channel in the first TTI.

Abstract: A Wireless Device (WD), a network node and corresponding methods are disclosed. The WD comprises processing circuitry and a memory, the WD being adapted to obtain a Cell Global Identity (CGI) of a target cell within a first time period if the target cell transmits System Information (SI) where the fields other than frame numbers do not change in different transmission periods over a certain period of time, and otherwise, to obtain the CGI of the target cell within a second time period longer than the first time period. The WD is adapted to use information as to whether or not the target cell is going to transmit Quasi-Stationary SI (QSI) to select a first or a second SI acquisition procedure to obtain the CGI of the target cell within the first time period if QSI is transmitted, or within a second time period is non QSI is transmitted.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus are disclosed. A network node configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD) is provided. The network node is configured to, and/or includes a radio interface and/or includes processing circuitry configured to: determine a radio link monitoring (RLM) state of a wireless device that is served by a first cell and configured to operate with at least a first operational mode and a second operation mode within an overlapping time, and schedule at least one signal associated with the wireless device based on the RLM state.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include methods and/or procedures for operating a wireless device (420, 1210) in communication with a first network node. Exemplary embodiments include receiving (902), from the first network node, an indication of at least one repetition method used in a broadcast channel transmitted by a second network node (401, 1260), wherein the repetition method comprises: a first portion of an information block in first resources of the broadcast channel that are reserved for the information block; and a second portion of the information block, comprising at least a subset of the first portion, in second resources of the broadcast channel that are different from the first resources. Exemplary embodiments also include receiving (904) the broadcast channel transmitted by the second network node, and decoding (906) the information block by combining the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a wireless device (10) for enabling the wireless device (10) to perform RLM of a cell (11) of a network node (12) in a wireless communication network (1). The wireless device (10) sends to a network node (12) serving the wireless device (10), e.g. the network node providing the cell, an indication indicating at least one recommended repetition level and/or recommended aggregation level, of at least one radio signal and/or control channel.