Abstract: A method and system of allocating resources in a Radio Access Network that includes associating each of a plurality of services with a slice that is allocated a unique set of network resources and transmitting information in the Radio Access Network for at least one of the services using the slice associated with the at least one service.

Abstract: It is possible to reduce overhead when dynamically establishing an air interface configuration by communicating a modification instruction along with an index associated with a predefine air interface configuration. The modification instruction identifies a modification to one or more parameters of the predefined air interface configuration associated with the index. Together, the index and the modification indication specify a modified air interface configuration that is different than any of the candidate air interface configurations predefined for the network. The modification instruction allows networks to achieve similar degrees of flexibility while using substantially fewer predefined air interface configurations, which in turn permits the index associated with the selected air interface configuration to be signaled using fewer bits.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for delivering both PMP communications, for example standard cellular communications via a base station, and also delivering P2P communications, for example, communications between two mobile stations, using the same spectral resources for both types of communication.

Abstract: Different filtered-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (f-OFDM) frame formats may be used to achieve the spectrum flexibility. F-OFDM waveforms are generated by applying a pulse shaping digital filter to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signal. Different frame formats may be used to carry different traffic types as well as to adapt to characteristics of the channel, transmitter, receiver, or serving cell. The different frame formats may utilize different sub-carrier (SC) spacings and/or cyclic prefix (CP) lengths. In some embodiments, the different frame formats also utilize different symbol durations and/or transmission time interval (TTI) lengths.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for uplink measurement based mechanism and control using user equipment (UE) centric sounding signals. The mechanism provides an alternative to DL-measurement dominated system control. Based on UL-measurements at TPs, the network obtains knowledge of users' channel and timing information, traffic, and interference, and is thus able to perform better control, including TP and UE clustering and optimization, and power control and link adaptation. In an embodiment method, a TP receives one-to-one mapping information indicating a plurality of UE IDs and a plurality of sounding channels assigned to the corresponding UE IDs. When the TP detects a sounding reference signal (SRS) from a UE, the TP is able to identify the UE using the detected SRS and the one-to-one mapping information. The TP then obtains measurement information for the identified UE, enabling better control and communications for uplink and downlink transmissions between multiple TPs and the UE.

Abstract: In response to receiving a random access channel message from a User Equipment (UE), a network element in a communication network may initiate a random access procedure, for example. The random access channel message includes multiple sequences, such as a first sequence associated with a group of UEs that includes the UE and a second sequence associated with the UE, and may be in any one of multiple different message formats. The random access procedure could include respective search stages for each of the multiple sequences. Power control for random access message transmission is also implemented by the UE in some embodiments.

Abstract: There is provided methods and apparatus to improve spectral efficiency in Hybrid Automated Repeat reQuest (HARQ) communications. New data and retransmission data is combined in packets using code domain multiplexing, where data layers carry data and retransmission layers carry retransmission data. This technique is leveraged to introduce Multi-Packet HARQ. The HARQ layers contain Incremental Redundancy (IR) bits to assist in the decoding of a subset of previously undecoded layers. Multiple packets are jointly decoded at the receiver. Using the properties of code multiplexing, and in particular Sparse Code Multiple Access (SCMA), the correct decoding of a subset of previously undecoded layers assists in the decoding of all previously undecoded layers. HARQ feedback for multiple packets is jointly interpreted by the receiver and the transmitter using state tables. These techniques are further leveraged to allow for Multiple-User SCMA.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed in which the start time of a downlink transmission to a user equipment (UE) is more flexible. For example, instead of beginning at predetermined starting points in a frame or subframe, a downlink transmission may instead possibly begin every x OFDM symbols, where x may be as small as one OFDM symbol.

Abstract: Systems and methods of transmitting using different cyclic prefix types are provided. In some embodiments, the cyclic prefix type used changes on a per time interval based on characteristics of the traffic. In some embodiments, different cyclic prefix types are used simultaneously during a time interval for different traffic types.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a first device from a second device, a plurality of encoded messages on a plurality of transmission time intervals (TTIs), where the plurality of encoded messages are forward error correction (FEC) encoded, and where the FEC spans the plurality of encoded messages and decoding the plurality of encoded messages using FEC. The method also includes determining a plurality of decoding status messages in accordance with decoding the plurality of encoded messages and transmitting, by the first device to the second device, the plurality of decoding status messages less often than once every TTI.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for uplink measurement based mechanism and control using user equipment (UE) centric sounding signals. The mechanism provides an alternative to DL-measurement dominated system control. Based on UL-measurements at TPs, the network obtains knowledge of users' channel and timing information, traffic, and interference, and is thus able to perform better control, including TP and UE clustering and optimization, and power control and link adaptation. In an embodiment method, a TP receives one-to-one mapping information indicating a plurality of UE IDs and a plurality of sounding channels assigned to the corresponding UE IDs. When the TP detects a sounding reference signal (SRS) from a UE, the TP is able to identify the UE using the detected SRS and the one-to-one mapping information. The TP then obtains measurement information for the identified UE, enabling better control and communications for uplink and downlink transmissions between multiple TPs and the UE.

Abstract: Some user equipments (UEs) served by a base station may need to receive data from the base station and/or transmit data to the base station with lower latency than other UEs. It is desired to accommodate the presence of both low latency and latency tolerant communications in shared time-frequency resources to try to improve resource utilization. Embodiments are disclosed in which low latency and latency tolerant communications coexist in the same time-frequency resources. In some embodiments, a latency tolerant transmission is postponed to free resources to send a low latency transmission.

Abstract: A method for user equipment (UE) identification in a wireless network comprising selecting, at the UE, a sequence from a stored pool of possible sequences based on a stored secret value; and transmitting the selected sequence to the wireless network.

Abstract: Resources used for downlink communication may be partitioned by the base station so that a portion of the resources is reserved for the downlink transmission of low latency data. However, low latency data may be bursty or sporadic in nature, and may be transmitted in short packets. Therefore, there may not always be low latency data at the base station that needs to be transmitted using all of the low latency resources. System and methods are therefore disclosed in which the base station opportunistically schedules, on the low latency resources, latency tolerant data for one or more latency tolerant UEs. When latency tolerant data is scheduled on the low latency resources, signaling is used to indicate if the latency tolerant transmission on the low latency resources is modified.

Abstract: A system and method for wireless communications using resources allocated for different types of traffic that co-exist in the same transmission interval. In one embodiment, first data of a first type of traffic is scheduled in resources that are pre-reserved for a second type of traffic. Control signaling may be used to indicate whether the first type of traffic is scheduled in the resources pre-reserved for the second type of traffic.

Abstract: An embodiment method of indicating reception of a plurality of low-payload messages includes receiving the plurality of low-payload messages from respective user equipments (UEs). The method also includes generating a composite reception indication (RIND) containing a RIND for each of the plurality of low-payload messages. The method also includes broadcasting the composite RIND to the respective UEs.

Abstract: Systems and method for defining sub-bands are provided. Each sub-band has a respective sub-carrier spacing, and at least one sub-band portion. Each sub-band portion has a channelization configuration including a resource block size configuration and a sub-band portion bandwidth. The sub-bands are allocated based on a sub-band configuration framework that includes a preconfigured set of possible sub-carrier spacings, a preconfigured set of possible resource block sizes, and a preconfigured set of possible sub-band portion bandwidths. In some embodiments, to improve bandwidth utilization, the channelization configuration for a given sub-band configures a plurality of resource blocks having a first number of sub-carriers and an additional resource block having a number of sub-carriers other than the first number.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure mitigate interference in a time division duplexed frame by altering a transmission parameter of grant-based uplink transmissions upon determining that a portion of the grant-based transmission will coincide with the retransmission of a detected grant-free uplink transmission. In particular, a base station may determine that a grant-free retransmission is to occur over resources scheduled to carry a grant-based transmission, and then send a signal instructing a UE to delay, or puncture a portion, of the grant-based transmission. This may mitigate interference between the grant-based transmission and the grant-free transmission.

Abstract: Feedback from a base station is used to reduce retransmissions of a grant-free UE where the SINR of an initial transmission from the grant-free UE is higher than a threshold. Feedback from a base station is also used to adjust transmission by grant-based UEs in resources that overlap with those also available to grant-free UEs.

Abstract: It is possible to reduce overhead when dynamically establishing an air interface configuration by communicating a modification instruction along with an index associated with a predefine air interface configuration. The modification instruction identifies a modification to one or more parameters of the predefined air interface configuration associated with the index. Together, the index and the modification indication specify a modified air interface configuration that is different than any of the candidate air interface configurations predefined for the network. The modification instruction allows networks to achieve similar degrees of flexibility while using substantially fewer predefined air interface configurations, which in turn permits the index associated with the selected air interface configuration to be signaled using fewer bits.