Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In some cases, devices such as band limited (BL) or coverage enhancement (CE) user equipment (UE) having limited transmitting and receiving capability may operate using a subset of a system bandwidth of a carrier (e.g., narrowbands). To support frequency hopping or frequency diversity in transmissions, for example, such devices may utilize retuning when a resource allocation moves from a first narrowband to a second narrowband. Retuning, however, may create challenges when transmitting and receiving capability is limited. Aspects of this disclosure may support a flexible starting physical resource block (PRB) for indicating new resource allocations for BL or CE UEs. In some aspects, a UE is disclosed which may retune between consecutive transmission time intervals (TTIs) or subframes, for example, from a first tuning band to a second tuning band (e.g., a newly defined retuning narrowband).

Abstract: Techniques are described for handling collisions between uplink transmissions and downlink transmissions over a wireless spectrum. Some of the techniques allow a UE to perform a collision management procedure after identifying a transmission collision (e.g., a collision between a downlink transmission with repetition and an uplink transmission, or a collision between a downlink transmission with repetition and a guard frame for an uplink transmission). The collision management procedure allows the UE to refrain from transmitting at least part of an uplink transmission, refrain from decoding at least part of a downlink transmission, or a combination thereof. Other techniques allow a base station to mitigate transmission collisions by scheduling downlink transmissions based on received, inferred, or determined parameters of uplink transmissions.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment may determine a relationship between a first set of antenna ports, used for demodulation reference signals (DMRS) associated with a machine-type communication physical downlink control channel (MPDCCH) and used for the MPDCCH, and a second set of antenna ports used for cell-specific reference signals (CRS); receive CRS on one or more antenna ports of the second set of antenna ports; and receive the MPDCCH using at least the CRS based at least in part on the relationship. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for transmission and reception with partial allocation in orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)/single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems are provided. One technique includes determining first parameter(s) to apply to transmission/receive processing of a signal, based in part on a resource allocation for the signal. The resource allocation is partitioned out of a larger system bandwidth. Second parameter(s) to apply to the transmission/receive processing are determined based at least in part on the first parameter(s). Transmission/receive processing of the signal is performed in accordance with the first and second parameters.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to techniques for mitigating the decoding errors observed at the receiver as a result of puncturing symbols between consecutive subframes having the same transmission direction. To reduce the decoding errors, a plurality of transmission options, each including a number of resource blocks and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), may be identified. In addition, each transmission option may be associated with one or more puncturing patterns that hinder decoding of a codeword at the receiver. The base station or user equipment (UE) may then select or modify at least one aspect of a scheduling decision involving the communication of the codeword in a given subframe of at least two consecutive subframes to minimize decoding errors. For example, a selected puncturing pattern or a transport block size associated with a selected transmission option may be modified.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus relating to intelligent resource assignment to increase throughput in LTE multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation (CA) capable devices. In certain aspects, a MIMO and CA capable wireless communication device communicates with a base station (BS) on multiple component carriers (CCs) through multiple radio frequency (RF) chains. In such aspects, the device tentatively switches one or more first RF chains, not assigned to a first CC of the multiple CCs, to the first CC for evaluating a rank of the first CC. The device then determines that the first CC has a higher rank indication (RI) with the one or more RF chains. The device subsequently evaluates one or more performance factors, in conjunction with the higher rank, based on which the device then additionally assigns one or more second RF chains to the first CC.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus relating to intelligent resource assignment to increase throughput in LTE multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation (CA) capable devices. In certain aspects, a MIMO and CA capable wireless communication device communicates with a base station (BS) on multiple component carriers (CCs) through multiple radio frequency (RF) chains. In such aspects, the device tentatively switches one or more first RF chains, not assigned to a first CC of the multiple CCs, to the first CC for evaluating a rank of the first CC. The device then determines that the first CC has a higher rank indication (RI) with the one or more RF chains. The device subsequently evaluates one or more performance factors, in conjunction with the higher rank, based on which the device then additionally assigns one or more second RF chains to the first CC.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for early termination of decoding of communication channels for power saving in narrowband devices are provided. One technique includes monitoring for one or more first repetitions of at least one communication channel from a base station. The device determines, based on the monitoring, whether to refrain from monitoring for one or more second repetitions of the at least one communication channel. The device enters a low power mode if the determination is to refrain from monitoring for the one or more second repetitions of the at least one communication channel.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to techniques for mitigating the decoding errors observed at the receiver as a result of puncturing symbols between consecutive subframes having the same transmission direction. To reduce the decoding errors, a plurality of transmission options, each including a number of resource blocks and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), may be identified. In addition, each transmission option may be associated with one or more puncturing patterns that hinder decoding of a codeword at the receiver. The base station or user equipment (UE) may then select or modify at least one aspect of a scheduling decision involving the communication of the codeword in a given subframe of at least two consecutive subframes to minimize decoding errors. For example, a selected puncturing pattern or a transport block size associated with a selected transmission option may be modified.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for transmission and reception with partial allocation in orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)/single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems are provided. One technique includes determining first parameter(s) to apply to transmission/receive processing of a signal, based in part on a resource allocation for the signal. The resource allocation is partitioned out of a larger system bandwidth. Second parameter(s) to apply to the transmission/receive processing are determined based at least in part on the first parameter(s). Transmission/receive processing of the signal is performed in accordance with the first and second parameters.