Abstract: Methods described herein are for wireless communication systems. One aspect of the invention is directed to a method for a HARQ process, in which the HARQ process includes a first transmission of an encoder packet and at least one retransmission. The method involves allocating a transmission resource for each respective transmission. The method involves transmitting control information from a base station to a mobile station for each respective transmission. The control information includes information to uniquely identify the HARQ process and an identification of one of a time resource, a frequency resource and a time and frequency resource that is allocated for the transmission. In some embodiments of the invention, specific control information is signalled from a base station to a mobile station to enable RAS-HARQ operation. In some embodiments of the invention, retransmission signaling in included as part of regular unicast signaling used for both first transmission and retransmissions.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for allocating time-frequency resources for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) communications between base stations and mobile stations. Different forms of resource allocation messages including combinations of bitmaps and bitfields provide additional information about the resources and/or how they are assigned. In some implementations the resource allocation messages enable reduced overhead, which may ultimately improve transmission rates and/or the quality of transmissions.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data in a multiple-input-multiple-output space-time coded communication using a mapping table mapping a plurality of symbols defining the communication to respective antennae from amongst a plurality of transmission antennae and to at least one other transmission resource. The mapping table may comprise Alamouti-coded primary segments and may also comprise secondary segments, comprising primary segments. The primary segments in the secondary segments may be defined in accordance to an to Alamouti based code pattern applied at the segment level to define a segment-level Alamouti based code.

Abstract: To effectively and efficiently provide control information, a broadcast pointer channel (BPCH) may be used to identify the type and perhaps relative location of control information that is being provided in a given frame structure, such as a sub-frame, frame, or superframe. A sub-frame (or like framing entity, such a frame or superframe) may have a BPCH and a corresponding system control information segment in which control information may reside. The system control information segment may have any number of control information blocks, wherein each control information block that is present may correspond to a particular type of control information. The BPCH is used to identify the type of control information that is present in a corresponding system control information segment, and if needed or desired, the relative locations of the various control information.

Abstract: A method and system for machine type communication (MTC) service management using network function virtualization (NFV) is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for a machine type communication (MTC) service management using a virtual network function (VNF) includes receiving, by a virtual serving gateway (v-s-SGW), a request for an MTC service from a MTC device through a radio node associated with the MTC device; sending, by the v-s-SGW, an authentication request to an MTC server to authenticate the MTC device; receiving, by the v-s-SGW, an authentication response from the MTC server; and establishing, by the v-s-SGW, an MTC bearer between the v-s-SGW and the radio node if the authentication is successful; wherein the v-s-SGW comprises a virtual connection management (v-CM) and a serving gateway (s-SGW).

Abstract: A method and system for supporting operation of a scheduler by providing indications of communication device transmit buffer status is provided. The indication of buffer status can be generated by a third-party device which is external to both the communication device and the scheduler. In some embodiments matched local and remote models of the buffer are maintained at the communication device and third-party device (or scheduler), respectively. The communication device monitors locally for drift of the model from the actual buffer status. When a level of mismatch in the model is detected, both the local and remote models are updated to mitigate the mismatch.

Abstract: Transmission of uplink control message for a wireless system. The uplink control message may be encoded according to one of multiple possible schemes. The choice of encoding scheme may be made based on the control message size and/or based on the available transmission resources and/or based on the detection scheme used on the receiving end. A modulation scheme may also be selected based on such factors. CDM may be used for certain control messages. Block code encoding, such as Reed-Muller encoding may be used for certain control messages. Different transmission resources may be allocated for different control message uses. The encoding specifics may be selected to obtain a certain hamming distance and/or size of the encoded message or based on other factors.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that are suitable for channelization, in particular, but not limited to, the IEEE 80216.m telecommunications standard. For a time-frequency resource, physical sub-carriers for each of one or more zones in the time-frequency resource are assigned to one or more zones having a respective type of transmission. At least one zone is allocated for a type of transmission using localized sub-carriers. The physical sub-carriers assigned to each zone are permuted to map to logical sub-carriers. Groups of resource blocks are formed, in which each resource block includes at least one logical sub-carrier for each of the one or more zones. The information defining the groups of resource blocks for each of the one or more zones can then be transmitted to a user. The information may be in the form of a zone configuration index.

Abstract: A method is provided for communication in a cell in a wireless telecommunication system. The method comprises, in a region that would otherwise carry a PDSCH, the region being defined by a number of resource blocks and a number of OFDM symbols, instead transmitting at least one of an uplink grant and a downlink assignment in a plurality of OFDM symbols within a first slot, a second slot, or both slots of the region, wherein the region can use either localized or distributed resources, and wherein the region contains one of: a transmission point-specific reference signal; a UE-specific reference signal; and a cell-specific reference signal.

Abstract: A multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) communication system comprising a master base station and a slave base station. The master base station has a plurality of transmit antennas and transmits a first set of data to a mobile station in a first transmission. The slave base station has a plurality of transmit antennas and transmits a second set of data to the mobile station in the first transmission. The master base station retransmits the second set of data to the mobile station during a first retransmission and the slave base station retransmits the first set of data to the mobile station during the first retransmission.

Abstract: A method of generating a network slice is provided. The method comprises a network slice orchestrator (NWSO) receiving from a network slice manager (NWSM) a request for a new network slice, the NWSO adding a new service to the new network slice, the NWSO determining a network slice descriptor (NWSD) for the new network slice, the NWSO transmitting to a resource orchestrator (RO) a request for an instantiation of the network slice using enhanced network function virtualization management and orchestration (E-MANO). A method of modifying a network slice is also provided. The method comprises a NWSO receiving from a NWSM a request to add a new service to a network slice, the NWSO adding a new service to the network slice, the NWSO determining a NWSD for the network slice with the added service, and the NWSO transmitting to a RO a request for an instantiation of the added service on the network slice using E-MANO. A method of terminating a network slice is also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing virtualized functions in control and data planes for a communications network are described herein. A method for managing a User Equipment (UE) attach request includes instantiating a Global Connection and Mobility Management (G-CMM) function configured to operate across a plurality of network slices in the communications network, determining an appropriate network slice from the plurality of network slices with the G-CMM function, and attaching the UE to the appropriate network slice.

Abstract: Methods described herein are for wireless communication systems. One aspect of the invention is directed to a method for a HARQ process, in which the HARQ process includes a first transmission of an encoder packet and at least one retransmission. The method involves allocating a transmission resource for each respective transmission. The method involves transmitting control information from a base station to a mobile station for each respective transmission. The control information includes information to uniquely identify the HARQ process and an identification of one of a time resource, a frequency resource and a time and frequency resource that is allocated for the transmission. In some embodiments of the invention, specific control information is signalled from a base station to a mobile station to enable RAS-HARQ operation. In some embodiments of the invention, retransmission signaling in included as part of regular unicast signaling used for both first transmission and retransmissions.

Abstract: To effectively and efficiently provide control information, a broadcast pointer channel (BPCH) may be used to identify the type and perhaps relative location of control information that is being provided in a given frame structure, such as a sub-frame, frame, or superframe. A sub-frame (or like framing entity, such a frame or superframe) may have a BPCH and a corresponding system control information segment in which control information may reside. The system control information segment may have any number of control information blocks, wherein each control information block that is present may correspond to a particular type of control information. The BPCH is used to identify the type of control information that is present in a corresponding system control information segment, and if needed or desired, the relative locations of the various control information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for OFDM channelization are provided that allow for the coexistence of sub-band channels and diversity channels. Methods of defining diversity sub-channels and sub-band sub-channels are provided and systematic channel definition and labeling schemes are provided.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for allocating time-frequency resources for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) communications between base stations and mobile stations. Different forms of resource allocation messages including combinations of bitmaps and bitfields provide additional information about the resources and/or how they are assigned. In some implementations the resource allocation messages enable reduced overhead, which may ultimately improve transmission rates and/or the quality of transmissions.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data in a multiple-input-multiple-output space-time coded communication using a mapping table mapping a plurality of symbols defining the communication to respective antennae from amongst a plurality of transmission antennae and to at least one other transmission resource. The mapping table may comprise Alamouti-coded primary segments and may also comprise secondary segments, comprising primary segments. The primary segments in the secondary segments may be defined in accordance to an to Alamouti based code pattern applied at the segment level to define a segment-level Alamouti based code.

Abstract: There is provided method for managing network resources by switching the slice used to support a user equipment (UE), in a process referred to as slice handover or slice switching. There are several reasons why a slice handover may be implemented, include movement of the UE and network load balancing. Further the UE can be switched to a new slice operated by the same service provider (intra-operator handover) or a different service provider (inter-operator handover).

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide systems and methods for establishing one or more Distributed Gateways located close to a location of a UE to facilitate faster packet delivery to said UE during transitions. Such transitions can include the UE transitioning its state, for example from being idle to connected to the network, but also includes operations in which the serving AP(s) for the UE changes. The method includes establishing at least two virtual network function (VNF) components (VFNCs) of a distributed gateway (D-GW), each VNFC associated with an access point (AP). Each VNFC buffers packets directed to the wireless device. The method further includes selecting at least one AP for serving the wireless device, and forwarding the buffered packets from the VNFC associated with the selected APs to the selected APs for forwarding to the wireless device. Packets buffered at the VNFCs of non-selected APs are discarded.

Abstract: there is provided a method of generating a soft schedule for the transmission of data to a User Equipment. The method includes receiving traffic to be scheduled for transmission and generating a soft schedule for the transmission of the received data in accordance with a resource allocation and the received traffic. The method further includes transmitting the soft schedule to a scheduler in an underlying network slice, for transmission to the UE. There is also provided a scheduler including a processor and machine readable memory storing machine executable instructions which when executed by the processor configures the scheduler perform the above method.