Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communications, and more specifically to enhanced paging procedures for devices with limited communications resources, such as machine type communication (MTC) devices and enhanced or evolved MTC (eMTC) devices. An example method generally includes determining a set of subframes corresponding to a paging occasion for the UE to receive a paging message from a base station (BS), determining, within the set of subframes, at least one narrowband region for receiving the paging message, and monitoring for the paging message in the at least one narrowband region within the set of subframes.

Abstract: Techniques for performing path loss (PL) compensation in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) systems are provided. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE) is provided. The method generally includes selecting, from a plurality of transmission points involved in uplink (UL) coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE, a transmission point to associate with for path loss (PL) compensation, and adjusting power of one or more transmissions based on path loss measured based on the selected transmission point.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for design of synchronization signals for narrowband operation, which can be used for stand-alone/in-band/guard-band deployment. An example method is provided for operations which may be performed by a base station (BS). The example method generally includes generating a primary synchronization signal (PSS) utilizing a first code sequence and a cover code applied to the first code sequence over a first number of symbols within one or more subframes, generating a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) based on a second code sequence over a second number of symbols within one or more subframes, and transmitting the PSS and the SSS in the first and second subframes to a first type of a user equipment (UE) that communicates on one or more narrowband regions of wider system bandwidth.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provided techniques that for wireless communications by a base station (BS). An exemplary method, performed by a base station, generally includes identifying an operating state of a user equipment that communicates with the BS in at least one narrowband region, determining, based on the operating state, one or more operating parameters of a configurable measurement procedure whereby the user equipment (UE) tunes away from the narrowband region to measure signals transmitted from other BSs, and configuring the UE to perform the measurement procedure in accordance with the determined operating parameters.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may select a coverage enhancement (CE) level based on a coverage limitation. The UE may then receive system information from a base station indicating an index of CE levels and corresponding physical random access channel (PRACH) configurations, and the UE may transmit a random access preamble using the PRACH configuration for the selected CE level. For example, the UE may transmit the preamble based on a frequency offset that corresponds to the selected CE level. In some cases, the UE and base station may also associate groups of preambles with downlink (DL) CE levels. The UE may select a preamble from a group corresponding to a desired DL CE level for a random access response message. The base station may determine the DL CE level based on the group the preamble was selected from and respond accordingly.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide various mechanisms that allow a user equipment to convey information regarding one or more attributes to a base station during a random access (RA) procedure. The attributes may include, for example a capability of the UE (e.g., to support a particular feature or version of a standard) or a condition of the UE (e.g., if it is currently experiencing an interference condition).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. Discontinuous reception (DRX) operation may be configured differently on enhanced component carriers (eCCs) than on other component carriers, including a primary cell (PCell). In some cases, a user equipment (UE) may be configured with several different eCC DRX modes. An eCC DRX configuration may, for example, be coordinated with downlink (DL) transmission time interval (TTI) scheduling so each DRX ON duration may correspond to a DL burst duration of the corresponding eCC. The eCC DRX ON durations may also be scheduled according to hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process scheduling. In some examples, eCC DRX ON durations may be based on listen-before-talk (LBT) procedures. In some cases, eCC DRX ON durations may be configured to contain an uplink (UL) burst to enable channel state information (CSI) reporting. The eCC DRX may also be configured to minimize interruption of the PCell.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive data from both a source base station and a target base station during handover. For example, the UE may refrain from resetting or reestablishing media access control (MAC) and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer configurations until after a successful access procedure is performed with the target base station. In some cases, a single radio link control (RLC)/PDCP stack may be used during handover procedures. A source base station may, for example, forward data to a target base station after receiving a handover execution message. A UE may identify and resolve any duplicate data sent by both base stations during the transition. Additional signaling may be used (e.g., during the radio resource control (RRC) configuration) to indicate that a UE supports dual link handover.

Abstract: Techniques are described for preempting resource allocations to one or more UEs in the event that delay sensitive data is received. A resource allocation of a number of symbols may be granted to a first user equipment (UE) for first associated data to be transmitted. Subsequently, data may be received for a second UE that is more delay sensitive than the first data. The resource allocation to the first UE may be preempted, and resources allocated to the second UE for the second data within a variable length transmission time interval (TTI) of the resource allocation to the first UE. UEs may monitor for preemption during transmissions to other UEs in order to receive new resource grants associated with the preempted resource grant. Whether a UE monitors transmissions for preemption may be determined based on a quality or service (QoS) of the UE.

Abstract: Various aspects described herein relate to receiving a first communication over a first set of resources based on a first transmission time interval (TTI), receiving a second communication over a second set of resources based on a second TTI, where the second TTI is smaller than the first TTI, and where the second set of resources overlap the first set of resources defining a common set of resources, and determining whether to prioritize decoding of the first communication over the second communication.

Abstract: Various techniques for narrowband communications in a wireless communications network are provided. Narrowband communications may be transmitted using a single resource block (RB) of a number of RBs used for wideband communications. In order to provide for efficient device discovery and synchronization using narrowband communications, a synchronization signal, such as a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or secondary synchronization signal (SSS), may be transmitted within the single resource block. The synchronization signal may be transmitted, for example, using multiple orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols within the single RB. A common reference signal (CRS) may also be present in the single resource block, which may puncture the synchronization signal, in some examples. In other examples, the synchronization signal may be mapped to non-CRS symbols of the single resource block.

Abstract: Techniques are described for wireless communication. A method for wireless communication at a base station includes identifying time resources and frequency resources for narrowband communication in a plurality of subframes, identifying a plurality of user equipment (UE) devices, allocating a first portion of the time resources and the frequency resources to an uplink (UL) channel to carry UL control information, and allocating resources of the UL channel to the identified UE devices. A method for wireless communication at a UE device includes identifying time resources and frequency resources for narrowband communication in a plurality of subframes, receiving an indication of at least a first portion of the time resources and the frequency resources allocated to a UL channel to carry UL control information for the UE device, and transmitting one or both of downlink acknowledgements (ACKs) and downlink non-acknowledgements (NAKs) on the UL channel.

Abstract: Various techniques for narrowband communications in a wireless communications network are provided. Narrowband communications may be transmitted using a single resource block (RB) of a number of RBs used for wideband communications. In order to provide for efficient device discovery and synchronization using narrowband communications, a synchronization signal, such as a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or secondary synchronization signal (SSS), may be transmitted within the single resource block. The synchronization signal may be transmitted, for example, using multiple orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols within the single RB. A common reference signal (CRS) may also be present in the single resource block, which may puncture the synchronization signal, in some examples. In other examples, the synchronization signal may be mapped to non-CRS symbols of the single resource block.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive data from both a source base station and a target base station during handover. For example, the UE may refrain from resetting or reestablishing media access control (MAC) and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer configurations until after a successful access procedure is performed with the target base station. In some cases, a single radio link control (RLC)/PDCP stack may be used during handover procedures. A source base station may, for example, forward data to a target base station after receiving a handover execution message. A UE may identify and resolve any duplicate data sent by both base stations during the transition. Additional signaling may be used (e.g., during the radio resource control (RRC) configuration) to indicate that a UE supports dual link handover.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. Wireless devices may use enhanced carrier aggregation (eCA) to increase the throughput of a communications link, and control schemes for reducing signaling overhead may be employed to support eCA operation. For instance, downlink control information (DCI) supporting resource grants on a plurality of component carriers (CC) may be provided. These joint grants of resources may be used in addition to individual resource grants. A resource allocation granularity associated with the joint grant of resources may be based on the number of CCs scheduled by a resource grant message. The resource allocation granularity may be a function of whether uplink or downlink CCs are scheduled, and it may be determined based on a location of or channel associated with the resource grant message. A receiving device may identify allocated resources based on the scheduled CCs and resource allocation granularity.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) configured with several component carriers (CCs) may select one or more CCs for fast activation. The UE may, in various examples, autonomously select the CCs for fast activation or may receive signaling indicating such CCs. In some cases, the UE may place the selected CCs in a semi-active state by detecting and synchronizing the CCs while refraining from control channel monitoring. In other examples, the UE may identify a set of CCs that may be activated quickly based on channel conditions or that have activation interdependency, such as CCs in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) group. The UE may then trigger an activation for one of the selected CCs, determine it is capable of fast activation, and begin monitoring, e.g., for control information, after a reduced delay period based on the fast activation.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for design of synchronization signals for narrowband operation, which can be used for stand-alone/in-band/guard-band deployment. An example method is provided for operations which may be performed by a base station (BS). The example method generally includes generating a primary synchronization signal (PSS) utilizing a first code sequence and a cover code applied to the first code sequence over a first number of symbols within one or more subframes, generating a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) based on a second code sequence over a second number of symbols within one or more subframes, and transmitting the PSS and the SSS in the first and second subframes to a first type of a user equipment (UE) that communicates on one or more narrowband regions of wider system bandwidth.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques for secure connectionless uplink transmissions by a wireless device. Such techniques may provide for negotiation of an encryption mechanism as part of the setup for connectionless transmissions and subsequent secure connectionless uplink transmissions.

Abstract: Techniques for managing handovers in an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band may provide that a serving base station may receive one or more base station measurement reports and one or more UE measurement reports. The base station measurement reports may include information associated with one or more devices that may transmit signals using an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band. The UE measurement reports may include information associated with one or more devices that may generate interfering signals at the UE, which may include interfering signals from one or more devices that are not detected by the serving base station. The serving base station may, in some examples, determine whether to handover the UE to a second base station based at least in part on the base station measurement report and the UE measurement report.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) and a base station may establish a communication link over a carrier including multiple narrowband regions. One or both of the devices may determine a subframe availability associated with each of the narrowband regions and may communicate on one or more of the regions according to the availability. In some cases, the availability may depend on a channel configuration, such as the presence of reference signals (e.g., positioning reference signals (PRS) or discovery reference singles (DRS)) covering a portion of the overall bandwidth of the carrier. In some cases, transmission time interval (TTI) bundling or frequency hopping may depend on the subframe availability.