Abstract: A method for channel assessment in unlicensed spectrum is provided, wherein the method includes receiving, by a device, a clear channel assessment (CCA) configuration indicating one or more channels of the unlicensed spectrum each with a respective CCA bandwidth. The method also includes performing, by the device, a CCA on at least one channel in the one or more channels of the unlicensed spectrum in accordance with the CCA configuration. A corresponding device is also provided.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for operating an access node includes: generating, by the access node, an initial block and a time-dependent signal for transmission in a channel occupancy time (COT) of a shared communications channel, the initial block including a time-independent initial sequence that enables the initial block to be transmitted over any slot in the COT, wherein the time-dependent signal is transmitted after the initial block; and transmitting, by the access node, the initial block and the time-dependent signal in a first slot of the COT. An access node is also described.

Abstract: Assigning traffic to be transported over either the primary band or the complementary band of a unified air interface based on quality of service (QoS) constraints of the traffic may allow for improved network resource utilization efficiency. In one example, traffic having deterministic QoS constraints is assigned to the primary band, while traffic having statistical QoS constraints is assigned to the complementary band when the complementary band is capable of satisfying the statistical QoS constraints of the traffic. If a condition on the complementary band prevents it from satisfying the statistical QoS constraint of the traffic, then the traffic is assigned to the primary band.

Abstract: Dynamically varying transmission rates of a traffic flow over respective portions of a primary band and a complementary band may allow a transmit point to satisfy quality of service (QoS) requirements over a unified air interface. The QoS requirement may stipulate that an overall transmission rate of the traffic flow over the unified air interface exceeds a threshold. Transmission rates may be varied based on a contention level of the complementary band. For instance, during periods of high contention, the transmission rate on the primary band may be ramped up to compensate for a lower effective transmission rate over the complementary band. Likewise, during periods of low contention, the transmission rate on the primary band may be stepped down to compensate for a higher effective transmission rate over the complementary band.

Abstract: Operational and environmental efficiency in virtual radio access networks (VRANs) can be improved by offloading data traffic and/or control signaling between physical transmit points (TPs) of a virtual TP. This may allow one or more physical TPs of the virtual TP to be muted in the downlink or uplink direction, thereby reducing energy consumption. The offloading may be performed during relatively short time-intervals such that physical TP are muted for one or more transmission time intervals (TTIs) before being re-activated. The offloading may also be implemented over longer time-intervals in accordance with a traffic engineering (TE) policy. Further it is possible to re-activate a de-activated downlink transmitter of physical TP by monitoring wireless signals via an activated receiver of the physical TP.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provided methods and devices for a transmit receive point (TRP) to access one or more unlicensed channels in an unlicensed spectrum jointly with at least one other TRP. An example method may include a step of aligning a starting time of a potential transmission on at least one of the one or more unlicensed channels with a starting time of a potential transmission of at least one other TRP on the at least one of the one or more unlicensed channels. A further step includes performing channel access on the at least one of the one or more unlicensed channels by performing at least one of a spatial domain channel access procedure or a combination of a spatial domain channel access procedure and a frequency domain multi-channel access procedure. Another step includes transmitting at the aligned starting time on the at least one of the one or more unlicensed channels in the joint access period when the at least one of the one or more unlicensed channels is available.

Abstract: Methods and devices for grant-free uplink transmission in unlicensed spectrum are provided. A base station (BS) transmits grant-free resource configuration information to one or more electronic devices (EDs). The grant-free resource configuration information is used to configure the ED for GF uplink transmission in unlicensed spectrum. The GF resource configuration information includes GF ED group-specific resource configuration information indicating GF ED group-specific time-frequency (T/F) resources of the unlicensed spectrum for GF uplink transmission. The ED(s) transmit grant-free uplink transmissions over the unlicensed spectrum in accordance with the GF resource configuration information.

Abstract: An access point (AP) having full duplex (FD) capabilities transmits a trigger frame to cause at least a first station (STA) to initiate an uplink (UL) reference frame to the AP, the trigger frame further causing at least one second STA to obtain a signal strength measurement during transmission of the UL reference frame, and the AP receives from the at least one second STA, a reporting frame containing information about the signal strength measurement.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to enable a cooperating group of user equipments (UEs) to access a second spectrum band as frame based equipment (FBE) for device-to-device (D2D) sidelink transmission within the group. In an embodiment, a UE operating as a cooperating UE (CUE) in a cooperating group of UEs receives a group-specific CPC message from the network over a first spectrum band, the group-specific CPC message comprising information related to channel access for transmission of traffic intended for a target UE (TUE). The UE receives traffic intended for the TUE from the network over the first spectrum band and accesses a second spectrum band as FBE in accordance with a set of channel access parameters corresponding to the traffic to relay the traffic to the TUE via D2D sidelink transmission over the second spectrum band.

Abstract: Operational and environmental efficiency in virtual radio access networks (VRANs) can be improved by offloading data traffic and/or control signaling between physical transmit points (TPs) of a virtual TP. This may allow one or more physical TPs of the virtual TP to be muted in the downlink or uplink direction, thereby reducing energy consumption. The offloading may be performed during relatively short time-intervals such that physical TP are muted for one or more transmission time intervals (TTIs) before being re-activated. The offloading may also be implemented over longer time-intervals in accordance with a traffic engineering (TE) policy. Further it is possible to re-activate a de-activated downlink transmitter of physical TP by monitoring wireless signals via an activated receiver of the physical TP.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that support dynamic bandwidth changes for downlink transmissions in unlicensed spectrum are provided. The provided methods and apparatus provide acquired bandwidth indications through downlink control information (DCI) for bandwidth(s) acquired within an unlicensed spectrum bandwidth part (BWP) or component carrier (CC).

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to enable a cooperating group of user equipments (UEs) to receive a group-specific common-parameters configuration (CPC) message over a first spectrum band and access a second spectrum band synchronously for device-to-device (D2D) sidelink transmission within the group. In an embodiment, a UE operating in a cooperation mode in a cooperating group of UEs receives a group-specific common-parameters configuration (CPC) message from a transmit point (TP) over a first spectrum band, the group-specific CPC message comprising information to configure cooperating UEs in the group for synchronous clear channel assessment (CCA) and aligned sidelink transmission starting times in a second spectrum band. The UE performs a synchronous CCA in the second spectrum band in accordance with a common contention window generated based on the information in the group-specific CPC message.

Abstract: Wireless communication between a user equipment (UE) and a base station may occur on unlicensed spectrum. When wirelessly communicating on unlicensed spectrum, there is an expectation that there may be interference from others devices also transmitting on the same resources in the unlicensed spectrum. Systems and methods are therefore disclosed that aim to facilitate wireless communication in unlicensed spectrum. In some embodiments, systems and method are disclosed that are primarily directed to the uplink transmission of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback corresponding to a downlink data transmission, and the downlink data transmission and the HARQ feedback are both sent on unlicensed spectrum.

Abstract: Methods and devices for grant-free uplink transmission in unlicensed spectrum are provided. A base station (BS) transmits grant-free resource configuration information to one or more electronic devices (EDs). The grant-free resource configuration information is used to configure the ED for GF uplink transmission in unlicensed spectrum. The GF resource configuration information includes GF ED group-specific resource configuration information indicating GF ED group-specific time-frequency (T/F) resources of the unlicensed spectrum for GF uplink transmission. The ED(s) transmit grant-free uplink transmissions over the unlicensed spectrum in accordance with the GF resource configuration information.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first assignment for a first transmission with a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process identifier (process ID) in a first network resource, receiving a second assignment for a second transmission with a second HARQ process ID in a second network resource, wherein the first network resource and the second network resource differ in a domain other than a time domain, detecting an indication indicating that the first HARQ process ID and the second HARQ process ID map to a same transmission block (TB), and communicating with an access node, a transmission associated with at least one of the first HARQ process ID or the second HARQ process ID.

Abstract: System and methods are disclosed in which an uplink frame is configured to accommodate each, some, or all of the following types of access: (1) demand assigned access in which a UE requests resources and is then granted a partition of resources of the uplink frame; (2) free assigned access in which one or more UEs are granted a partition of resources of the uplink frame without UEs requesting the grant of the resources; and (3) random access in which a partition of resources of the frame are used by UEs for random access communication. The frame may be configurable on a semi-static or dynamic basis. In this way, the base station may be able to better accommodate UEs having different traffic characteristics and/or different latency requirements.

Abstract: A method for dynamically dividing or consolidating sub-bands in-between Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) status measurements upon detection of a CCA bandwidth adjustment condition is provided. The method includes determining at least a single CCA status for at least a single sub-band during a first period, and detecting a CCA bandwidth adjustment condition for dividing the single sub-band into two or more separate sub-bands, where a combination of the two or more separate sub-bands occupies the same frequency band as the single sub-band. The method also includes determining a separate CCA status for each of the two or more separate sub-bands during a second period. An apparatus for performing this method is also provided.

Abstract: A method for operating a centralized controller in a communications network with a plurality of transmission points includes generating a plurality of overlays for the communications network in accordance with first mutual intercell interference levels for transmission point pairs in the communications network, wherein each overlay of the plurality of overlays comprises virtual transmission points, and selecting a first overlay of the plurality of overlays in accordance with a merit measure derived from first user equipments (UEs) operating in the communications network tentatively scheduled to each overlay of the plurality of overlays. The method also includes scheduling a first subset of the first UEs operating in the communications network during a first resource unit in accordance with the selected first overlay.

Abstract: A method for dynamically dividing or consolidating sub-bands in-between Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) status measurements upon detection of a CCA bandwidth adjustment condition is provided. The method includes determining at least a single CCA status for at least a single sub-band during a first period, and detecting a CCA bandwidth adjustment condition for dividing the single sub-band into two or more separate sub-bands, where a combination of the two or more separate sub-bands occupies the same frequency band as the single sub-band. The method also includes determining a separate CCA status for each of the two or more separate sub-bands during a second period. An apparatus for performing this method is also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing access of a communication resource in a licensed assisted access (LAA) network. Each transmission point (TP) of a plurality of TPs provides a first set of information indicative of expected usage of a first communication resource by each TP. Information is transmitted to the TPs to cause each TP to align usage or reservation of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to a first radio access cluster (RAC) to which the given TP belongs, the first RAC being one in a first set of one or more RACs, wherein each of the plurality of TPs belongs to a respective RAC in the first set of RACs and each RAC in the first set of RACs contains one or more TPs.