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 of dynamic spectrum sharing mechanism called listen-before-talk (LBT) is proposed for uplink transmission in Licensed Assisted Access (LAA). A maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT) including downlink (DL) transmission from one eNB and uplink (UL) transmission to the same eNB is introduced. A transmission sequence is defined as a number of subframes including possible partial subframes for DL and/or UL within a MCOT. The transmission in the first subframe among the transmission sequence is conducted after a Category 4 LBT. The transmission sequence within the MCOT can be initiated by either a DL transmission or an UL transmission. After the first subframe in a transmission sequence, LBT for another transmission is a fast DL LBT and/or fast UL LBT. Further, a Category 4 LBT can be converted to a short LBT (e.g., one shot CCA) for more efficient channel access.

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) compares a total amount of data available for transmission, including a total amount of packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) data volume and radio link control (RLC) data volume pending for initial transmission in two associated RLC entities comprising a primary RLC entity and a secondary RLC entity, to a threshold. In response to the total amount of data available for transmission being less than the threshold, the UE indicates an amount of the PDCP data volume to a first medium access control (MAC) entity associated with the primary RLC entity as well as indicating zero to a second MAC entity associated with the secondary RLC entity. In response to the total amount of data available for transmission being greater than or equal to the threshold, the UE indicates the amount of the PDCP data to both the first MAC entity and the second MAC entity.

Abstract: A User Equipment (UE) including a wireless transceiver and a controller is provided. The wireless transceiver performs wireless transmission and reception to and from a primary cell (Pcell) and a secondary cell (Scell) of a service network. The controller activates duplication of Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Packet Data Units (PDUs) for Carrier Aggregation (CA) using a plurality of Radio Link Control (RLC) entities. In response to detecting that an RLC failure of one of the RLC entities, which is not associated with the Pcell, has occurred, the controller sends a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message for reporting the RLC failure to the service network via the wireless transceiver.

Abstract: A method of data recovery with uplink switching for dual connectivity (DC) is proposed. A UE establishes two data radio bearers for simultaneous data transmission under DC. When the UE receives a command to switch from using two paths to using a single path for uplink transmission, packets that have been pre-processed by the RLC entity on the “deactivated” leg are retransmitted by a transmitting PDCP entity to the RLC entity for the “active” leg. The transmitting PDCP entity performs retransmission of certain unsent PDCP PDUs that are previously submitted to the RLC entity that is now deactivated, and retransmits to the RLC entity that is still active. The unsent PDCP PDUs are defined as those PDCP PDUs that have been pre-processed by the deactivated RLC entity but have either not been transmitted at all or the successful delivery has not been confirmed by the lower layers.

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: Methods for LTE-WLAN interworking control and management are proposed. In one novel aspect, a terminal equipment (TE) can use an AT command to query the WLAN offloadability of a packet data network (PDN) connection. A mobile termination (MT) can store the WLAN offloadability indication in its memory and return the value to TE upon receiving the AT command. In one example, a new field <WLAN_Offload> can be added to an existing AT command.

Abstract: Various solutions for transmission without dynamic scheduling with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may receive a configured grant. The apparatus may select an allowed logical channel to use the configured grant. The apparatus may schedule uplink data from the allowed logical channel to a protocol data unit (PDU). The apparatus may transmit the PDU on the configured grant.

Abstract: Described herein are a method and a mobile communication device that support data preprocessing in a mobile communication system, and in particular, a method and a mobile communication device to report buffer status that can indicate an amount of preprocessed data, for example when using 5G NR technology. An amount of preprocessed data is determined and transmitted to a network element by a user equipment (UE) in a buffer status report (BSR).

Abstract: Various solutions for handling data duplication 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 a network. The apparatus may generate a first protocol data unit (PDU) to transmit on the first link. The apparatus may generate a second PDU to transmit on the second link. The apparatus may transmit the first PDU on the first link. The apparatus may determine whether to discard the second PDU according to a condition. The second PDU may be duplicated from the first PDU.

Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus receives a downlink data packet and determines a service data flow associated with the downlink data packet. The apparatus extracts, from the downlink data packet, a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) Reflective QoS Indication (RQI) indicator that instructs the UE to map a service data flow to the QoS flow. The apparatus further extracts, from the downlink data packet, a Quality of Service (QoS) flow identifier identifying a QoS flow. The apparatus generates a first NAS mapping that maps the service data flow to the QoS flow, in response to a determination that the service data flow is not mapped to the QoS flow at the apparatus. The apparatus further transmits, in accordance with the first NAS mapping, an uplink data packet associated with the service data flow through the QoS flow.

Abstract: LTE-WLAN aggregation (LWA) at the radio access network level promises significant gain in system capacity and user quality of experience (QoE). In order to support QoS over LWA, there is a need to develop mechanisms to ensure that the access category (AC) classification chosen by a wireless device (AP in the case of downlink, and UE in case of uplink) is consistent with the QoS requirements of the EPS bearer/DRB and/or subscriber profile to which the traffic belongs. The cellular LTE network can provision QoS for both downlink and uplink data flows that are transferred using LWA access.

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: A method of channel access procedure and QoS provisioning is proposed. When more than one user equipments (UEs) contend uplink transmission for a given time slot in an unlicensed band, uplink listen-before-talk (LBT) scheme should perform in a proper way to reflect service prioritization. The base station first determines the Channel Access Priority (CAP) for uplink LBT, and then signals such CAP to the UE via PDCCH. Upon receiving the CAP, the UE performs LBT procedure with corresponding CAP before uplink transmission. For example, the CAP can be determined based on QoS class identifier (QCI) of the radio bearer or based on the MAC layer logical channel prioritization (LCP).

Abstract: Methods for LTE-WLAN interworking control and management are proposed. In one novel aspect, a mobile termination (MT) can use an AT command to report the change of a RAN rule and/or a RAN condition match. A terminal equipment (TE) can use the AT command to query a list of matches and current RAN measurement values. A RAN rule match means one or more than one of RAN rules satisfy the threshold provided by the network according to TS36.304 description, or change from satisfied to unsatisfied. A RAN condition match means all RAN rules within a RAN condition are all satisfied according to TS36.604 description, or if any of the RAN condition change from satisfied to unsatisfied. If the reporting is enabled by TE, an unsolicited result code (URC) is sent from MT to TE whenever changes in the current RAN rule or RAN condition match occur.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for finer control for WLAN association. In one novel aspect, an enhanced NCWIK capability negotiation, an UE assistance information exchange, and an enhanced steering command are performed. In one embodiment, the enhanced NCIWK capacity negotiation includes additional UE information for fine selection. In another embodiment, the UE assistance information is sent to the eNB in addition to the measurement report. The UE assistance information is configured by the eNB. In yet another embodiment, the enhanced traffic steering command includes information of a target AP and one or more target channels. In one embodiment, the enhanced traffic steering command further includes channel direction information. In another novel aspect, the UE selects different UL and DL channels based on the received enhanced traffic steering command. In one embodiment, the UL and DL channels for the UE are different channels from the same AP or from different RATs.

Abstract: Various solutions for data transmission enhancements with respect to user equipment (UE) and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. As a transmitter, a UE may determine whether specific information is comprised in a protocol data unit (PDU). The UE may mark the PDU in an event that the specific information is comprised in the PDU. The UE may further prioritize the marked PDU and deliver the marked PDU to a next protocol layer. As a receiver, a UE may receive a marked PDU comprising the specific information. The UE may deliver the marked PDU to a higher protocol layer out-of-order.

Abstract: Methods of segmentation and concatenation for new radio user plane are proposed. For high speed data traffic, all PDCP PDUs are segmented into fixed-length segments at RLC layer. The MAC layer can then concatenate these segments based on real time uplink grants. Under this mechanism, segmentation related header fields can be pre-computed since they are not dependent on the uplink grant process. For low data rate with small packet size traffic, a solution of PDCP layer concatenation is proposed to reduce protocol overhead. Multiple PDCP SDUs are concatenated into a single PDCP PDU. The level of PDCP concatenation is configured by the base station or implemented by the UE.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for LWA uplink routing. In one novel aspect, signaling of an address from the eNB to the UE to enable the UE to populate Address-3 of the MAC header to enable layer-2 forwarding of uplink LWA PDUs from the WLAN AP to an appropriate network entity that implements part or the whole WT functionalities. In one embodiment, the network entity is a WT node, or the eNB or a node aggregating multiple connections to a WT node. In one embodiment, the RRC signaling is used to send the WT node MAC address where the RRC signaling message is a PDCP-Config message or a WLAN-MobilityConfig message. In one embodiment, multiple WT nodes are connected with the WLAN AP. The eNB selects one WT node or the UE selects one WT node to populate the address-3 of the MAC header.

Abstract: LWA (LTE/WLAN Aggregation) is a tight integration at radio level which allows for real-time channel and load aware radio resource management across WLAN and LTE to provide significant user perceived throughput (UPT) improvement. When enabling LWA, packets are routed to a base station (eNB) for performing PDCP functionalities as an LTE PDU. Afterwards, the eNB can dispatch the PDU either delivered over LTE link or WLAN link. The UPT improvement depends on how the eNB dispatches the PDU over LTE link or WLAN link. In one novel aspect, the eNB can acquire channel information, load information, and throughput estimation regarding with WLAN link and LTE link. As a result, the eNB can optimize UPT and LWA PDU dispatching algorithm.