Abstract: A method includes forming a crown structure over a substrate; forming fins in the crown structure; forming an intra-device isolation region between the fins and forming inter-device isolation regions on opposing sides of the crown structure; forming a gate structure over the fins; forming a dielectric layer that extends continuously over the inter-device isolation regions, the fins and the intra-device isolation region; performing an etching process to reduce a thickness of the dielectric layer, where after the etching process, upper surfaces of the inter-device isolation regions and upper surfaces of the fins are exposed while an upper surface of the intra-device isolation region is covered by a remaining portion of the dielectric layer; and forming an epitaxial structure over the exposed upper surfaces of the fins, where after the epitaxial structure is formed, there is a void between the epitaxial structure and the intra-device isolation region.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for supporting message mapping via time and/or frequency indexing. For example, these techniques may be applied to device-to-device wireless communication. For example, device to device discovery may use message mapping via frequency indexing. A portion of the payload of a message, such as a discovery message, may be offloaded to a frequency and/or time index. A receiving device may determine the offloaded portion of the payload based on the frequency and/or time (e.g., subcarrier and/or slot) used to transmit the message.

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) and base station may implement improved communication methods which enable a UE to operate according to a sub-frame allocation based on its current power state. The UE may transmit information including a maximum number of uplink (UL) sub-frames the UE can transmit in an allocation period and receive, from a base station, a first sub-frame allocation based on at least the first information. In embodiments, the UE may merge an un-allocated UL sub-frame's downlink association set with a next closest allocated UL sub-frame's downlink association set.

Abstract: An embodiment is a method including forming a raised portion of a substrate, forming fins on the raised portion of the substrate, forming an isolation region surrounding the fins, a first portion of the isolation region being on a top surface of the raised portion of the substrate between adjacent fins, forming a gate structure over the fins, and forming source/drain regions on opposing sides of the gate structure, wherein forming the source/drain regions includes epitaxially growing a first epitaxial layer on the fin adjacent the gate structure, etching back the first epitaxial layer, epitaxially growing a second epitaxial layer on the etched first epitaxial layer, and etching back the second epitaxial layer, the etched second epitaxial layer having a non-faceted top surface, the etched first epitaxial layer and the etched second epitaxial layer forming source/drain regions.

Abstract: An enhanced listen-before-talk procedure may be performed by a device for efficiently accessing and utilizing available resources. The procedure may include specifying input parameter values pertaining to intended wireless communications of the device, adjusting output parameter values based on the input parameter values and an access history of the device, and determining whether to access at least a portion of the wireless communication resources to conduct the wireless communications, based at least on the output parameter values. The output parameter values may pertain to wireless communication resources accessible to the device, and the access history may keep track of wireless communication resource accesses previously made by the device.

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) device may perform uplink (UL) data communication using a first radio access technology (RAT) while performing an UL voice call communication using a second RAT. The UL data communication may be supported by a first subscriber identity module (SIM) and the UL packet switched voice call communication may be supported by a second SIM. The UL voice call communication may be a packet switched communication. The communications may be performed by a radio(s) of the UE. The radio(s) may include shared physical layer resources that are shared between the UL data and UL voice communications. The UE may also include a single transmitter that may be shared between the UL data and UL packet voice communications and the UL data communication may use a first portion of the single transmitter's TTI and the UL voice communication may use a second portion of the single transmitter's TTI.

Abstract: While operating in connected discontinuous reception (C-DRX) mode, a wireless communication device may initiate handover operations when a neighboring base station is determined by the wireless communication device to be a better serving cell than a base station operating as the current serving cell for the wireless communication device. Instead of transmitting a measurement report to the current serving cell, the wireless communication device may select one of the neighboring base stations as the new serving cell, responsive to measurements of the current serving cell and the neighboring cells performed by the wireless communication device during the on-duration of the C-DRX cycle. This enables a longer C-DRX cycle, which leads to the wireless communication device saving more power during non-real-time sensitive background data transmissions, while also avoiding higher handover failure rates and extra Radio Resource Control signaling that may need to be performed as a result of radio link failure.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus is configured to wirelessly communicate with a base station in a real-time internet protocol (IP) session using a first retransmission parameter in a first frame transmission scheme. In some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to determine a current performance metric and, based on the current performance metric, negotiate to use a second, different retransmission parameter in a second frame transmission scheme for communications via the real-time IP session. In some embodiments, the retransmission parameter is a number of retransmissions or a number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes.

Abstract: A device (e.g. a wireless communication device) may determine, according to a set of guidelines, a list that includes system information to be requested by the device as part of a system information request procedure. The device may determine whether to combine the system information request with an additional request associated with a random access procedure (RACH). In response to determining that the requests are to be combined, the device may initiate a unified RACH that combines the system information request and the additional request. The decision to combine the requests may be based on the type of the additional request, whether the list has been completed by the time the additional request is to be issued, and/or additional factors associated with wireless communications of the device. The system information request may be an OnDemand system information block request, and the RACH may be contention-based or contention-free.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for handling voice and data under uplink limited conditions in a wireless communication system. A wireless device and a base station may establish a wireless communication link. Transmission time interval bundling (TTI-B) may be enabled for uplink communications between the wireless device and the base station. It may be determined that the wireless device is experiencing uplink limited conditions. One or more rules prioritizing a first type of data over a second type of data for uplink communications may be enabled based on TTI-B being enabled and the wireless device experiencing uplink limited conditions.

Abstract: An embodiment is a structure including a first fin over a substrate, a second fin over the substrate, the second fin being adjacent the first fin, an isolation region surrounding the first fin and the second fin, a gate structure along sidewalls and over upper surfaces of the first fin and the second fin, the gate structure defining channel regions in the first fin and the second fin, a source/drain region on the first fin and the second fin adjacent the gate structure, and an air gap separating the source/drain region from a top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to performing implicit radio resource control state transitions in a cellular communication system. A wireless device may establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a cellular base station. A data inactivity timer length and a target RRC state for implicit RRC transitions may be determined. A data inactivity timer having the determined data inactivity timer length may be initiated. It may be determined that the data inactivity timer has expired. The wireless device may transition to the target RRC state based at least in part on determining that the data inactivity timer has expired.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to an epitaxy scheme for forming source/drain regions in a semiconductor device, such as an n-channel device. In an example, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an active area on a substrate. The active area includes a source/drain region. The formation of the source/drain region includes forming a barrier region along a bottom surface and side surface of a recess in the active area. The barrier region includes arsenic having a first dopant concentration. The formation of the source/drain region further includes forming an epitaxial material on the barrier region in the recess. The epitaxial material includes phosphorous having a second dopant concentration.

Abstract: Various mechanisms for paging link-budget-limited (LBL) devices are disclosed, including: (1) transmitting paging message with non-conventional paging identifier; (2) transmitting paging message(s) with increased power; (3) repeating transmission of paging message to support combining at receiver. Various mechanisms for UE device to signal LBL status are disclosed, including, transmitting status flag or special value of DRX cycle to network node as part of tracking area update and/or attach request. The network node informs a base station of the device's LBL status as part of a paging message. (The network node may, e.g., assign an S-RNTI to the LBL device from a reserved subset of S-RNTI space.) The base station invokes a paging enhancement mechanism when paging an LBL device. Alternatively, the base station may page UE devices without knowledge of LBL status, e.g., by counting paging attempts for a given UE, and boosting power after the Nth paging attempt.

Abstract: Mechanisms enabling link-budget-limited (LBL) devices to more effectively perform random access may include: (1) broadcasting a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) configuration index (PCI) reserved for LBL devices; (2) configuring LBL devices to use a PCI that is offset from the conventional PCI of current cell; (3) configuring LBL devices to transmit PRACH messages using an alternative set of subframes, different from conventionally-defined subframe set; (4) configuring LBL devices to transmit PRACH messages on odd frames when the conventional PRACH configuration specifies even frames; (5) configuring LBL devices to generate and use extra PRACH preambles that are not used by non-LBL devices; (6) configuring LBL devices to use group B preambles while non-LBL devices are configured to use group A preambles; and (7) boosting power of a random access response message after an Nth random access failure with preamble conforming to an LBL-reserved pattern of preambles.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to support parallel communication using multiple subscriber identities in a wireless communication device via multiple subscriber identity modules (SIMs) are disclosed. A representative method includes establishing a connection with a first wireless network via a first wireless cellular protocol software stack for a first subscriber identity associated with a first subscriber identity module; registering with a second wireless network via a second wireless cellular protocol software stack for a second subscriber identity associated with a second subscriber identity module; and receiving radio frequency signals from the second wireless network via the second wireless cellular protocol software stack in parallel with communicating with the first wireless network via the first wireless cellular protocol software stack.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for efficient idle mode wakeup for wireless devices supporting an enhanced coverage mode and a normal coverage mode in a wireless communication system. A wireless device may camp on a cellular base station in idle mode. The wireless device may monitor a control channel associated with the normal coverage mode during a paging occasion. The wireless device may also monitor a control channel associated with the enhanced coverage mode during the paging occasion if a paging indication is not successfully decoded on the control channel associated with the normal coverage mode.

Abstract: Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a first fin structure and a second fin structure over a substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a gate structure over the first and second fin structure. The semiconductor device structure further includes a source/drain structure over the first and second fin structure. The source/drain structure includes a first semiconductor layer over the first fin structure and a second semiconductor layer over the second fin structure. The source/drain structure also includes a third semiconductor layer covering the first and second semiconductor layers. The third semiconductor layer has a surface with [110] plane orientation.

Abstract: A method using multiple receivers of a wireless communication device to accelerate cell selection and reselection is disclosed. Multiple receivers of the wireless device are used to implement carrier aggregation in LTE connected mode. The multiple receivers of the wireless device are used to search for cells concurrently across multiple radio frequency bands and/or multiple radio access technologies during cell selection and/or cell reselection procedures. A first receiver and a second receiver of the wireless device each search for cells over different radio frequency bands simultaneously, and accordingly the cell selection and reselection time is effectively reduced compared to using only one receiver. Multiple receivers are also used concurrently, in parallel, to accelerate inter-frequency cell detection and measurement and for inter-RAT searches and measurements.

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) comprises a radio having TX and RX paths that include a duplexer, thus facilitating a full-duplex mode. The radio may also have TX and RX paths that exclude the duplexer, and which thus facilitate a half-duplex mode. The UE may be configured to autonomously and opportunistically switch from the full-duplex mode (the paths that include the duplexer) to the half-duplex mode (the paths that exclude the duplexer) when the UE desires to avoid the path loss caused by the duplexer, e.g., to temporarily receive with greater sensitivity and/or transmit with more power, during poor channel conditions. At other times the UE may autonomously decide to remain in full-duplex mode to achieve reduced transmission time, e.g., during time-critical communications such as VoLTE. The UE may autonomously determine whether to use full or half-duplex mode, i.e., without requiring any coordination with network-side devices.