Abstract: This document describes improvements in management of data traffic of user equipment between cellular and non-cellular accesses in fifth generation new radio, 5G NR, wireless networks. An energy-aware traffic manager is introduced to manage data traffic communicated by the user equipment over the cellular access and the non-cellular access, such as a wireless local area network, WLAN. The energy-aware traffic manager enables reporting of energy-related information by user equipment, energy-aware traffic management modes for the user equipment, and access management in response to critical events related to user equipment energy, as well as reporting of changes in the user equipment access management or access management modality to core network entities.

Abstract: Various solutions for handling overlapped transmission opportunities with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may receive configurations allocating a first transmission opportunity and a second opportunity. The apparatus may determine whether the first transmission opportunity and the second transmission opportunity are overlapped. The apparatus may determine a priority of at least one of the first transmission opportunity and the second transmission opportunity according to a predetermined rule in an event that the first transmission opportunity and the second transmission opportunity are overlapped. The apparatus may perform a transmission according to the priority.

Abstract: Various examples and schemes pertaining to simple Ethernet header compression are described. A first network node transmits a first packet with a full header to a second network node. The first network node determines whether a header compression context for the full header has been established by the second network node. In response to determining that the header compression context for the full header has been established by the second network node, the first network node transmits a second packet with a compressed header to the second network node. In response to determining that the header compression context for the full header has not been established by the second network node, the first network node transmits the second packet or a third packet with the full header to the second network node.

Abstract: Various examples and schemes pertaining to multiplexing, addressing and HARQ for MsgB in two-step RACH in mobile communications are described. An apparatus implemented in a user equipment (UE) transmits to a network node of a wireless network a first message containing a preamble index and data. In response, the apparatus receives from the network node a second message containing a random access response (RAR) and contention resolution information. The second message is addressed to either a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the UE or a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI).

Abstract: This innovation describes methods for an NR-based, LEO Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) to improve handover process by sending broadcast or group-cast downlink handover (HO) Command message to all (or group of) UEs in the coverage area (cell or beam-spot) of the LEO satellite. Subsequently, on receiving the broadcast (or group-cast) HO Command message, all the UEs in the source cell transmit HO Complete message to the source cell of the LEO-NTN. In order to reduce or avoid heavy Random Access (RA), generating from all the UEs, the LEO-NTN can either send Contention Free Random Access (CFRA), or instruct the UE to perform a random backoff before sending the uplink HO Complete message. Moreover, improvements to configure Conditional Handover (CHO) and delaying the transmission of HO Complete message are also provided.

Abstract: A method for determining Listen Before Talk (LBT) type and Channel Access Priority Class (CAPC) for signaling message transmission over signaling radio bearers (SRBs) in 5G New Radio-Unlicensed (NR-U) is proposed. A user equipment (UE) generates an SRB message to be transmitted to a serving base station over a control channel. Before the uplink (UL) transmission of an UL PDU containing the SRB message, the UE performs an LBT procedure using a set of LBT parameters associated with a CAPC value. In one embodiment, the CAPC is provided by the base station via an UL grant contained in a downlink control information (DCI). In another embodiment, the CAPC is determined by the UE based on an SRB type of the SRB message.

Abstract: An efficient cell selection and cell reselection mechanism in New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) is proposed. An idle UE uses existing RSRP and RSRQ based metrics for cell selection and cell reselection. Besides the RSRP and RSRQ based metrics, the idle UE also uses some type of channel load metrics, which capture the channel load of unlicensed channels. In addition, as NE-U cells can be heavily loaded, some type of channel load metric is considered for measurement triggering of inter-frequency cell reselection. Further, it is proposed that the idle UE uses channel load metric to filter out the heavily loaded unlicensed cells, or reduce the rank of those cells. Additionally, the UE needs to check the cell's PLMN information to make sure that it selects or reselects a cell belonging to its own PLMN or an allowed PLMN.

Abstract: An efficient handover mechanism in New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) is proposed. NR-U gNB will provide measurement object configuration and report configuration to include Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) or Channel Occupancy (CO) or some other channel load metrics. NR-U UE will use the measurement object configuration to measure the neighboring cells and subsequently report the measured RSSI/CO/channel load metrics of the neighboring cells to the source gNB using the report configuration. The report configuration will include Channel Utilization of the unlicensed network (e.g., WLAN) and Channel Availability of neighboring NR-U cells. This will improve the handover performance in NR-U, as a NR-U neighboring cell can be heavily loaded by different unlicensed nodes, e.g., WiFi nodes.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for mobility interruption reduction. In novel aspect, dual-protocol stack handover is performed with zero or close to zero mobility interruption. In one embodiment, the UE receives PDCP SDU from upper layers for UL transmission and is configured with a protocol stack associated with a source gNB and a target gNB for handover. The UE associates a COUNT value corresponding to TX_NEXT to the PDCP SDU, selects an UL gNB as a destination gNB for UL transmission, performs header compression with a robust header compression (ROHC) profile based on the UL gNB. In one embodiment, the UE selects the UL gNB when an UL grant is received from the selected gNB. In another embodiment, corresponding ROHC profiles are configured by the wireless network. In one embodiment, the ROHC profile for the UL gNB is configured by the selected UL gNB.

Abstract: Various solutions for skipping uplink transmission with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may determine whether a padding buffer status report (BSR) is included in a protocol data unit (PDU). The apparatus may skip transmission of the PDU when the padding BSR is included in the PDU. The PDU may comprise a medium access control (MAC) PDU. The MAC PDU may comprise no MAC service data unit (SDU).

Abstract: A method for determining Listen Before Talk (LBT) type and Channel Access Priority Class (CAPC) for Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission in 5G New Radio-Unlicensed (NR-U) is proposed. Major uplink control information (UCI) transmitted over PUCCH are: (a) Scheduling Request (SR), (b) ACK/NAK (when no UL data to transmit), and (c) Channel State Information (CSI) Report (periodic). In one embodiment, UE selects Category 4 LBT for all PUCCH transmissions as Category 4 LBT offers fairness with other unlicensed network nodes. In another embodiment, UE selects either Category 4 LBT or Category 2 LBT or a mix of Category 2 and Category 4 for PUCCH transmission depending on the PUCCH format. In yet another embodiment, for Category 4 LBT, UE determines CAPC based on the associated UCI content.

Abstract: Various solutions for handling packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may determine whether a PDCP entity is associated with two radio link control (RLC) entities. The apparatus may determine whether PDCP duplication is activated. The apparatus may select one of the two RLC entities to transmit a PDCP control protocol data unit (PDU) in an event that the PDCP entity is associated with the two RLC entities and the PDCP duplication is activated.

Abstract: Various solutions for handling packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may determine whether a PDCP entity is associated with two radio link control (RLC) entities. The apparatus may determine whether PDCP duplication is activated. The apparatus may select one of the two RLC entities to transmit a PDCP control protocol data unit (PDU) in an event that the PDCP entity is associated with the two RLC entities and the PDCP duplication is activated.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for identifying and handling persistently occupied channels within unlicensed radio spectrum. In particular, a user equipment (UE) determines whether or not a channel that is associated with a particular bandwidth part or a sub-band of the bandwidth part is persistently occupied. The UE employs techniques that decrease sensitivity to uplink transmission timing or short-term channel congestion and enables the UE to efficiently identify persistently occupied channels. For example, the UE can use a first timer and a first counter to determine whether or not the channel is persistently occupied. The UE can recover from a situation in which the channel is persistently occupied and report information to a base station regarding the persistently occupied channel. In this way, the UE can utilize the unlicensed radio spectrum and re-establish communications responsive to the presence of one or more persistently occupied channels.

Abstract: Various solutions for power-efficient mechanism for multi-link operation with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may establish a first link and a second link with at least one of a plurality of network nodes. The apparatus may monitor the first link. The apparatus may stop monitoring the second link. The apparatus may determine whether a condition is triggered on the first link. The apparatus may activate the second link in response to the condition being triggered on the first link.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for transmission with multiple numerologies in a wireless communication network. The method can include associating logical channels each with a first numerology indicating an allowed subcarrier spacing for transmission of data units in the respective logical channel, and multiplexing data units of a subset of the logical channels into a transport block associated with a second numerology, the subset of the logical channels each having a first numerology that is the same as the second numerology.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for mobility support through beam tracking in the new radio access system. In one novel aspect, one or more beam-sets are configured for fast beam tracking. Each beam-set includes one or more multiple beams or transmit-receive points (TRPs). The UE performs the mobility support through lower layer based on one or more configured beam-sets. The lower layer can be a MAC layer or a PHY layer. In one embodiment, a channel status information (CSI) set and a transmission set are configured. The UE performs CSI measurements on all beams of the CSI set for potential beam tracking and data transmitting and receiving, and control signaling through one or more beams of the transmission set. In another embodiment, the UE further configures a candidate set. The beam-sets can be configured by the network or by the UE.

Abstract: This innovation describes methods for an NR-based, LEO Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) to improve handover process by sending broadcast or group-cast downlink handover (HO) Command message to all (or group of) UEs in the coverage area (cell or beam-spot) of the LEO satellite. Subsequently, on receiving the broadcast (or group-cast) HO Command message, all the UEs in the source cell transmit HO Complete message to the source cell of the LEO-NTN. In order to reduce or avoid heavy Random Access (RA), generating from all the UEs, the LEO-NTN can either send Contention Free Random Access (CFRA), or instruct the UE to perform a random backoff before sending the uplink HO Complete message. Moreover, improvements to configure Conditional Handover (CHO) and delaying the transmission of HO Complete message are also provided.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a processing circuit in an electronic apparatus and a method to switch the electronic apparatus during an inter-system handover (HO) process from a source network system to a target network system. The processing circuit can include an inter-system HO signal processing module and a mapping module. The inter-system HO signal processing module can be configured to obtain a mapping relationship between a set of source bearers associated with the source network system and a first set of target bearers associated with the target network system based on quality of service (QoS) characteristics associated with the set of source bearers and the first set of target bearers. The mapping module can be configured to obtain a second set of target bearers based on resources allocated to the first set of target bearers by the target network system and to obtain a third set of target bearers that is based on the first and second set of target bearers.

Abstract: Various examples and schemes pertaining to simple Ethernet header compression are described. A first network node transmits a first packet with a full header to a second network node. The first network node determines whether a header compression context for the full header has been established by the second network node. In response to determining that the header compression context for the full header has been established by the second network node, the first network node transmits a second packet with a compressed header to the second network node. In response to determining that the header compression context for the full header has not been established by the second network node, the first network node transmits the second packet or a third packet with the full header to the second network node.